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Guide

Why films have black bars on your TV

TVs are 16:9 (1.78:1).

How much picture you get on a 65″ TV

FormatPictureScreen usedEach bar
1.78:1 — TV & streaming 144 × 81 cm 100% —
1.85:1 — “Flat” cinema 144 × 78 cm 96% 1.6 cm top/btm
1.90:1 — IMAX digital 144 × 76 cm 94% 2.6 cm top/btm
2.39:1 — Scope / widescreen 144 × 60 cm 74% 10.4 cm top/btm
1.43:1 — IMAX film (simulation) 116 × 81 cm 80% 14.1 cm sides

Many films are wider, so the picture is scaled to the TV’s width with bars above and below. Wider film means a smaller picture, and that changes the screen size you need.

A 2.39:1 film on a 65″ TV uses about three quarters of the panel. The picture is as wide as the TV but only as tall as a full-screen picture on a 48″ set. That is the main argument for going a size up if you mostly watch films.

Try it in the calculator

65″ at 8.5 ft (2.6 m)

Viewing angle 30.9° · RecommendedThe calculator opens with this film format on your TV, at your own distance and size.

Open the calculator with these values

The ratio depends on the version you watch

One film can exist at several ratios: a 2.39:1 theatrical release, a 1.90:1 IMAX version, an IMAX Enhanced stream that switches between them, or a version reframed to fill 16:9. That is why we don’t yet list per-title ratios. When we do, each entry will name the exact release and its source.

The preview above uses an original illustration rather than film frames, so you can judge the picture’s proportions without copyrighted footage.

Models in the size you picked

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Prices, stock and options change — check them on Amazon. Model, size and panel were checked against each maker’s own page.

Work out the right size for your distance first →