YouTube has finally caught up with its competitors and made the widescreen, high definition 16:9 ratio the default setting. But why the move, and why now?
From 4:3 to 16:9
Up until now, YouTube has displayed videos in the 4:3 aspect ratio. There has been a high definition option for some uploads, but viewing it required adding a tag to the video’s URL.
Now, as announced on the Official YouTube Blog, all videos will automatically play in the 16:9 aspect ratio that everyone who has bought a television in the last few years will be accustomed to.
High Definition Video
The default YouTube player is now 960 pixels wide and users are being advised to start uploading high definition videos using the MPEG4 format, MP3 audio, a video resolution of at least 480×360, and a frame rate of 24fps or higher.
Videos already uploaded in widescreen format will fill the new YouTube player, while those still using the old 4:3 ratio will appear with black borders to fill the space. This makes sense because the alternative of stretching the videos to fit would have been very unpopular.
Playing Catch-Up
YouTube is hardly the first video sharing site to go widescreen, with Hulu and Blip.tv having done so quite some time ago. Vimeo and SmugMug also already offer HD content.
So what is this latest move in aid of? Could it be that Google is just giving viewers what they want? Or is there more of a business motive involved?
Mainstream Content
We already know that Google is trying to turn YouTube in to more a money-making outfit, and partnering with media companies to bring professional content to the site is a big part of that endeavor.
Movies are meant to be played in high definition widescreen, so it can’t be a coincidence that just weeks after YouTube announced deals with CBS and MGM to bring full-length movies and television shows to the site, widescreen makes its appearance.
More To Come
But could there be more to come? Certainly I think more deals are being struck as we speak, and YouTube could possibly start to rival Hulu in offering a huge range of premium content soon.
Then there’s YouTube’s move in to the living room, with set-top boxes starting to deliver the site’s video direct to your home television. But that will only work if the content on offer is available in HD and widescreen.
Cutting Edge Depository
Last but not least was YouTube’s first live streaming event last weekend. While this was touted as a one-off, what is to say that live sports couldn’t be included on the site in the future?
It’s clear that Google is dragging YouTube in to the 21st century, making the site a profitable, cutting edge depository for a range of media content. Widescreen is just the latest step in that direction.
