UPN aired Star Trek: Enterprise in the 16 x 9 ratio partly in anticipation of the advent of High Definition television, and to conform to modern TV standards. This format, with more picture and better clarity, will eventually replace TV viewing as it exists now in the more limiting 4 x 3 aspect ratio.

Some people are bothered by the new ratio as it appears that their televisions cut off the top and bottom of the picture. However, the benefit is that you gain more information at the side of the picture, much like a movie projected in a theater. Most DVD's are also in either the enhanced 16 x 9 ratio, or the original aspect ratio of the movie, to allow the viewer to see the movie the way it was filmed, rather than formatted to fit a TV.