Well that is the question that many consumers as themselves. I am making a large purchase, do I want to get a wide screen or a traditional aspect screen. Here are a few things to consider when choosing to buy a widescreen HDTV, a traditional aspect HDTV or regular TV.

Older Analog TVs versus HDTV. Older era televisions are analog televisions unless they have a digital receiver built into them. In February 2009, all television broadcast stations will be required to broadcast in digital. This means analog televisions without digital tuners will be unusable unless they are hooked up to satellite or cable. These are not a good choice to buy. Move along down the row to HD enabled televisions. Luckily enough, all television equipment sold after May 25, 2007 must either contain a digital tuner or be identified at the point of sale as not having one.

LCD or Plasma. HDTV comes in multiple types that can vastly affect price. The liquid crystal display (LCD) type of HDTV dominates the consumer market in small-size to mid-size and is typically cheaper. Plasma television models dominate the consumer market in large-size models. This consideration is generally not an issue when deciding between a wide screen and a traditional aspect. What is a consideration is life expectancy and cost. A widescreen has more visual area that can "burn out."

Flat Panel Television versus Rear/Front Projection Television. HDTV designs that are plasma or LCD are generally found in the flat panel design. However, you can still find rear projection and front projection HDTVs sold for home theatre systems. In general a wide-screen version will add considerably to the requirements for room size, the total shelf weight and moving restrictions are your overall consideration when making this selection. Unless you have a dedicated home theatre room and plan on never moving again, it's generally suggested to stay away from Rear or Front Projection wide-screen television.

Widescreen for TV Broadcasts and Movies. Over 90 percent of all broadcasts are in traditional aspect. Most are not in widescreen formatting or have been pre-formatted coming from the broadcaster to fit traditional aspects. If you mostly watch regular television broadcasts and do not routinely use a service provider that has widescreen broadcasts or movies using widescreen aspects, then widescreen is not for you.

Using your Widescreen for Gaming. The beauty of current of having a widescreen for computer gaming is the ability to use the split screen option on many different games without feeling crushed. This is especially true on many First Person Shooter games. If you are an avid gamer, a widescreen HDTV will only enhance your game experience.

Using your HDTV for Work. Here is another example of where the widescreen really can assist the consumer. Some HDTVs are enabled to accept input from computers and can be used as a monitor for your work. You can often get two or three documents on your desktop and view them much easier with a widescreen than on a traditional aspect. If you use your HDTV as both a television and monitor, here is where it can pay off in many ways.

For most consumers, the widescreen HDTVs are the way to go with very little drawback. Unless you are only watching sitcoms or are setting up a home theatre in a small confined space, they are the most versatile aspect. You can watch both traditional aspect and get the full widescreen aspect on the same set of equipment. They are more useful than traditional aspect HDTVs as they can provide additional workspace and even a greater gaming experience.