Kapatid viewers were treated to a surprise on Sunday.
Earlier today, Philippine broadcast network TV5 greeted every one with an enhanced viewing experience of their station. This, as the network shifted its broadcast from the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio to the 16:9 widescreen format.
Meaning, viewers can now watch shows on TV5 in higher resolution on their flat screen TV. However, for those who are tuned using CRT television sets, they will see an anamorphic version of the station, rather than the full widescreen format.
Considering the network’s schedule for today, this meant that the likes of the NBA, PBA Finals, and ABS-CBN Entertainment shows, among others, were or will be seen in the new widescreen format.
This development also comes two weeks after the network launched a separate TV5 HD channel on Cignal TV and other pay television providers nationwide.
TV5 also joins the list of broadcasters beaming programs in the said aspect ratio on free television. That includes NET25, ALLTV, and more recently, the GMA Network TV channels.
However, as far as MediaQuest channels are concerned, TV5 is the second-to-the-last channel under their portfolio to make the switch to the said aspect ratio. One News, One PH, One Sports+ on Cignal TV, among others, are airing not just in 16:9, but also in high-definition.
In terms of the capability to shoot in either widescreen standard definition or the glorious HD format, TV5 had long been testing out the tech in their past endeavors. They most notably tested it in their 2011 show ‘The Sisters’, although that was aired in the 4:3 fullscreen format. This is also the first hint that TV5 was preparing to broadcast in high-defintion that same year, only for the plan to be scrapped and later come into fruition 12 years later.
Their sports programming also got a hold of their HD equipment first, before fully transmitting programs in the 16:9 format with letterbox or black bars.
As for the newscasts, Aksyon holds the distinction of being the first major network newscast to be aired in 16:9 (also with black bars then) when it made the move in 2015. However, the network opted to revert the show in the 4:3 pan-and-scan format that same year, while still shooting using mostly high-definition cameras.
Anyway, the switch to 16:9 has only taken into effect on TV5 at the moment. Its sister channel One Sports on free TV channel 41, which is operated by Cignal through Nation Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), is the last station under MediaQuest to broadcast in the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. It has yet to make an announcement or even a suprise adjustment to the widescreen format (just like what TV5 did today).
TV5 in the 16:9 widescreen format is available for all analog and digital terrestrial television viewers nationwide. The high-definition version of the channel is available for Cignal TV subscribers and other pay TV providers with a separate TV5 HD channel.