16:10 computer Vs. 16:9 HDTV

[outerorbit]

Why pray tell, are widescreen computer monitors 16:10 aspect ratio and HDTV sets 16:9 aspect ratio? That's so close. Why didn't one or the other camp, just adopt the other's standard? Since it seems pretty trivial for a computer to support any aspect ratio, why didn't computer monitor manufacturers just go 16:9? HDTVs being tied to the broadcast format in 16:9, I can understand why they didn't go for 16:10, but......

O.O.

 

[Blahman]

i remember this same question being asked not long ago.

I'm pretty sure it boils down to the fact that with computers you need a wider range of resolutions for everything from 12" (1280x800) screens to 30" (2560x1600) screens. 16:10 is more divisible making it easier to design and manufacture panels in varying resolutions. With 16:9 the only resolutions the manufacturers have to worry about are 1280x720 and 1920x1080 (although sometimes odd resolutions are used such as 1366x768, again probably stemming from manufacturing needs, 768-height panels probably being a hangover from 1024x768 computer LCDs).