Does anyone know why Microsoft offers both 16:9 Widescreen and 16:9 on-screen show? The difference is the measurement in inches. Widescreen is W13.333 x H7.5 whereas On-Screen Show is W10 x H5.63. But that difference actually doesn't mean anything, does it? Because once you go into Slideshow mode, both settings are 16:9 aspect ratio and would look exactly the same, and the actual inches don't really matter.

I don't understand why both options are there. What was the point of adding the 13.333 x 7.5 as an option (and now the default option)? Certainly I am missing something. Can anyone help me understand?

If my presentations are being displayed on a 16:9 display that is in a corporate conference room (displays are probably 5+ years old, 16:9), I am not sure what to think about the difference.

I assume there is some difference if you are copying content from a 4:3 standard and pasting into either of the above mentioned 16:9 aspect ratios. Is that the only thing to keep in mind here? I am struggling to think of a circumstance where this difference is important.



Thanks!

Widescreen is the same height as 4:3 and this makes it easier to scale from one to the other.

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Hi John, thank you for your reply. I guess what I am having trouble wrapping my tired brain around, is that the old 10x5.63 16:9 is the same width as 4:3. They are both 10inches wide. So we have two scenarios when scaling from 4:3 to 16:9:

A. Scale to a size which is the same height (from 4:3 to Widescreen 16:9)

B. Scale to a size which is the same width (from 4:3 to On-Screen Show 16:9)

What makes scenario A easier than scenario B? Both scenarios involve some scaling, just a different kind of scaling.

(Maybe I am just overthinking it, and need to let it go, and just go with it? I just like to understand why things are done a certain way, or why Microsoft recommends doing things a certain way)

Anyway thanks again!

Not sure I really understand it but it is supposed to be easier to stretch width wise than squash height wise when going from 4:3 to 16:9 (The old default in 2010 to the new in 2013 on.)

Either way unless to use the change size controls it should be OK with either.

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