How come SVCD 480 x 576 shows up well?

[perfection]

I get a horizontal rectangle picture when watching a SVCD but its dimensions are 480 x 576 i.e. 1 : 0.83 aspect and even b,p snapshots taken show the size to be 480 x 576. How come video motion wise this changes to a better view. what calculations re used for final display but the VCD player?

[vitualis]

There is something called "display aspect ratio". The display aspect ratio for SVCDs is 4:3. It is immaterial what the "pixel aspect ratio" is. The picture is stretched to fill a 4:3 display.

For example, a DVD with 720x576 pixels does not make 4:3 either. The DVD player stretches out the picture to make it fill a DAR of 4:3. Similarly, if the flag tells it that it is in fact a 16:9 DAR film, then it stretches it for a 16:9 display.

Regards.