Setting up your TV Letterbox format and being green

Letterbox format

Pre-recorded videos, some DVDs and Blu-ray discs and some films on TV are in ‘letterbox’ format. On a conventional 4:3 TV, there are visible black bands at the top and bottom of the picture.

Most widescreen (16:9) TVs have a zoom feature that expands a letterbox picture to fill the screen reasonably accurately. But many films are made in ratios other than 16:9 (e.g. 2.35:1, which is ‘very widescreen’), so it’s not always possible to get an exact fit.

To find the best LCD TV or plasma TV check our independent television reviews. We add new HD TV results every month.

Set to green

• Switch off: Even when in standby, your television uses energy. Many TVs don't have an off button so you may need to unplug the set from the mains. But switching off an IDTV may mean missing over-the-air software updates, which improve the speed of your EPG, for example. To avoid having to keep your TV on standby, check the DTG for scheduled updates.
  
• Adjust the picture: We provide ideal picture-setting guidelines for every TV we test (see our page on Getting the best picture). Not only will you get a better-looking picture, but you’ll typically use 10% less electricity.
  
• Use light sensors: Many TVs have a light sensor. If selected this will automatically adjust the brightness of the picture according to how light or dark the room is and can dramatically reduce power consumption – in some cases up to 50% less.
  
• Dispose of properly: From 1 July 2007, consumers should have been given specific details of schemes in which manufacturers and distributors are required to fund or provide facilities for you to take back old TVs free. This is so they can be recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly way, according to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations. This will probably mean they fund facilities at your local waste tip rather than in store, but information should be given.