{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.pixel-aspect-ratio","code":"thing-q588886","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q588886/","name":"pixel aspect ratio","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.2","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Cross-cutting context","entryKind":"thing","plane":"XCT","domain":["XCT.REL"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"The ratio of the width to the height of a single pixel in a digital image or video, which is one for square pixels used in most computer graphics but differs from one in standard definition video formats, anamorphic encoding and some digital cinema and broadcast standards, so that images must be scaled correctly on display to avoid distortion; pixel aspect ratio is distinct from the display aspect ratio of the whole frame and from storage aspect ratio.","purpose":"Let an agent explain pixel aspect ratio and its relation to display and storage aspect ratios, identify the ratios used by video standards, support correct conversion and display, and support learning in video technology.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Per-pixel ratio","Square versus non-square","Standard-specific values","Affects scaling"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What pixel aspect ratio is.","layers":[{"id":"concept","name":"Concept","description":"Concept and relations.","findings":[{"id":"concept-finding","name":"Concept","description":"Concept.","questions":[{"text":"What is pixel aspect ratio, and how does it relate to display and storage aspect ratios?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which aspect ratio is meant?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"standards","name":"Standards","description":"Standard values.","findings":[{"id":"standards-finding","name":"Standards","description":"Standards.","questions":[{"text":"Which pixel aspect ratios do standard definition, anamorphic and digital cinema formats use?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific format?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"apply","name":"Apply","description":"Conversion and display.","layers":[{"id":"convert","name":"Convert","description":"Converting media.","findings":[{"id":"convert-finding","name":"Convert","description":"Conversion.","questions":[{"text":"How can this video or image be converted or scaled correctly for square pixel display?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which entry fits video editing?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"diagnose","name":"Diagnose","description":"Diagnosing distortion.","findings":[{"id":"diagnose-finding","name":"Diagnose","description":"Diagnosis.","questions":[{"text":"Why does this footage look stretched or squashed, and how is pixel aspect ratio metadata checked?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which entry fits video metadata?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"history","name":"History","description":"Origins.","layers":[{"id":"origins","name":"Origins","description":"Why non-square pixels exist.","findings":[{"id":"origins-finding","name":"Origins","description":"Origins.","questions":[{"text":"Why did standard definition digital video use non-square pixels, and how did anamorphic widescreen arise?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits video history?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"legacy","name":"Legacy","description":"Legacy computing.","findings":[{"id":"legacy-finding","name":"Legacy","description":"Legacy.","questions":[{"text":"How did early computer graphics modes use non-square pixels?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"learn","name":"Learn","description":"Teaching.","layers":[{"id":"teach","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","findings":[{"id":"teach-finding","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","questions":[{"text":"How can aspect ratios be taught in media production?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which misconceptions arise?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"future","name":"Future","description":"Current practice.","findings":[{"id":"future-finding","name":"Future","description":"Current.","questions":[{"text":"Why do modern formats use square pixels, and where do non-square pixels persist?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits video formats?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Detect and correct pixel aspect ratio when converting images or video.","Report the pixel aspect ratio of a file from its metadata."],"mustNot":["Stretch or squash images of people in a way that distorts them.","Strip original metadata needed to display content correctly.","Alter evidential images while converting them without recording the change."],"requiresHuman":["Converting archival or evidential footage."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Distorted images can misrepresent people and events.","Archives depend on faithful reproduction."],"affectedParties":["People shown in images","Archivists and viewers"]},"owners":{"steward":"Nobody: a technical property; the owner of each image answers for it.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q20970434","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"width to height aspect ratio","type":"related","note":"category"},{"target":"television","type":"related","note":"video formats defining pixel ratios"},{"target":"illustration","type":"related","note":"digital images"},{"target":"software bug","type":"related","note":"distortion from mishandled ratios"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.pixel-aspect-ratio","Wikidata: Q588886 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q588886)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"not-applicable","items":[]},"recognition":{"applicability":"optional","items":["Ratio of pixel width to height","Square and non-square pixels","Display aspect ratio is the frame; storage aspect ratio is the pixel grid","Not physical; a ratio."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain the concept","identify standard ratios","support conversion","support learning"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Distorted images from wrong ratio","Confusing pixel and display aspect ratios","Missing metadata"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Broadcast video standards","Digital cinema specifications","Video file format metadata"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Width to height ratio of a pixel.","square pixels","standard definition non-square pixels","anamorphic widescreen pixels","digital cinema and broadcast ratios","legacy computer graphics modes"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q588886: pixel aspect ratio","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q588886","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Pixel aspect ratio","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_aspect_ratio","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should anamorphic video be a separate entry?","How should format standards be linked?","How should conversion tools be linked?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q588886/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q588886/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-12T04:55:59Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"not-applicable","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:52:01+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass","interaction.properties":"Plane XCT: no invented physical properties."},"score":1.0}}