YouTube has announced their transition from a 4:3 aspect ratio video player to a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio player. I knew it was inevitable, but I didn’t expect it to happen this soon. HD programing is becoming the norm, and HD camcorders means that HD user content will also be on the upswing. Here is a clipping from the announcement:

“We’re expanding the width of the page to 960 pixels to better reflect the quality of the videos you create and the screens that you use to watch them. This new, wider player is in a widescreen aspect ratio which we hope will provide you with a cleaner, more powerful viewing experience. And don’t worry, your 4:3 aspect ratio videos will play just fine in this new player.”

4:3 aspect ratio videos will have black bars on the left and the right of the video player.