I believe that the issue is the actual content. For some reason, ABC's shows (Lost, Desparate Housewives, etc) are broadcast as widescreen, but are sold as 4:3 in iTunes. Probably because these were the first shows before Apple TV. Maybe Season 4 will be sold as widescreen. The sound is great.

The trailers that Apple has on iTunes are full widescreen and very HD. They look dazzling!

So, to answer your question, widescreen TV not required. Just a TV with component inputs or HDMI is all thats required. Check out the Apple TV Forum at http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=197

Also there is a site that talks about Apple TV hacks apple (http://www.appletvhacks.net/

I believe that the issue is the actual content. For some reason, ABC's shows (Lost, Desparate Housewives, etc) are broadcast as widescreen, but are sold as 4:3 in iTunes. Probably because these were the first shows before Apple TV. Maybe Season 4 will be sold as widescreen. The sound is great.

The trailers that Apple has on iTunes are full widescreen and very HD. They look dazzling!

So, to answer your question, widescreen TV not required. Just a TV with component inputs or HDMI is all thats required. Check out the Apple TV Forum at http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=197

Also there is a site that talks about Apple TV hacks apple (http://www.appletvhacks.net/

Terry

If the shows are being sold as 4:3 and watched on a 4:3 display, the AppleTV should not be doing any pillarboxing. Unfortunately, this thread seems to suggest that AppleTV in fact does not support 4:3 displays. Many newer 4:3 displays offer a 16:9 mode (my 4:3 HDTV offers this, as well as a zoom mode that works at HD resolutions) which allows the TV's to support the AppleTV's 16:9 output, but your Sony XBR does not appear to be one of these. The Toshiba we have in the bedroom is also not one of these, so my scheme for using an AppleTV or two and a video capture card in my TV to build a whole-house DVR setup will have to get shelved...