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For years, FOX has shown NFL games in 4:3, even when in high-def. This was fine for SD TV users with old-fashioned 4:3 screens, but for widescreen HDTV users this meant two huge bars on either side of the screen, wasting space that could better be used showing sports. Engadget notes that the tables are finally turning, and the bars that plagued widescreen HDTVs will soon become letterbox stripes on 4:3 screens.

The Patriots vs. Falcons game tonight was the first to be recorded in 16:9 as FOX's "ultimate experience." Good news for HDTV owners, but bad news for SDTV owners, who will have to get used to watching their NFL games letterboxed until they finally upgrade.

— Will Greenwald