Every corner of the media industry has its own resolution conventions, and they don’t always agree with each other. Broadcast talks in 720p and 1080i. Streaming talks in UHD and HDR variants. Cinema talks in DCP 2K and 4K, with its own container and aspect conventions entirely separate from broadcast norms. If you work across more than one of these worlds — say, mastering a title for both theatrical release and a streaming delivery — keeping the exact resolutions and aspect ratios straight without a reference is asking for a mistake.
This is a particularly common snag for content owners moving a title from festival/theatrical into VOD or broadcast delivery, since the technical container completely changes even though it’s “the same film.” A DCP built at 2K flat isn’t the same frame geometry as a 1080p broadcast master, and assuming they’re interchangeable is how conform errors happen.
What the Cheat Sheet does
A searchable, filterable reference covering common cinema and broadcast resolutions across all major aspect ratios — from 720p right up to 8K, including DCP 2K and 4K specifically. Filter by format family (broadcast, streaming, cinema) or just search directly by ratio or resolution when you need a fast answer mid-conversation with a client or vendor.
Why we built this one specifically
DCP mastering has its own conventions that don’t map cleanly onto broadcast or streaming resolutions, and getting them confused is one of the more common sources of friction when a title moves between theatrical and other delivery formats. Having a single reference that includes DCP alongside everything else — rather than a broadcast-only chart that leaves cinema out entirely — was the gap we kept running into ourselves, so we built the tool we wished existed.
If you’re at the point of actually mastering a DCP rather than just checking a resolution, that’s a deeper job than a reference sheet — encryption, KDM management, and playback validation all sit on top of getting the frame geometry right. That’s covered under DCP Mastering & Digital Cinema.
Open the Aspect Ratio Cheat Sheet →
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