Definitions for "Pillarbox"
maintains an image's original aspect ratio. However, this technique is used when watching a 4:3 image on a 16:9 screen. The bars are placed on either side of the image, instead of above and below. It should be noted that some televisions "stretch" the 4:3 image to fill the screen. While this would remove the unsightly black bars, everyone on the screen would appear to be rather overweight
Describes a frame that the image fails to fill horizontally (a 4:3 image on a 16:9 screen), in the same way that a letterbox describes a frame that the image fails to fill vertically (a 16:9 image on a 4:3 screen) See also: Letterbox and side panels.
A description of how standard (4:3) programmes display on a widescreen (16:9) TV. The whole of the picture displays, as if it were on a standard TV, with black bars at either side of the picture.