Apparatus and method for handling video aspect ratios of video content

1. A method for displaying video content in a proper aspect ratio, said method comprising:

receiving, at a smart telephone, video content from a head-end server via a broadband gateway;

receiving, at a set top box, the video content from the head-end server via the smart telephone over a local area network;

in response to the video content being received from the head-end server via the smart telephone, determining at the set top box if the video content is configured to be displayed in a first aspect ratio on a display device, said display device being separate from the smart telephone;

if the video content is configured to be displayed in the first aspect ratio, displaying the video content in the first aspect ratio on the display device; and

if the video content is not configured to be displayed in the first aspect ratio, displaying the video content in the second aspect ratio on the display device;

wherein converting is performed during streaming of the video content.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein displaying the video content in the first aspect ratio includes converting the video content from the second to the first aspect ratio.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first aspect ratio is 16:9.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second aspect ratio is 4:3.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising establishing a communications link between a set top box and the smart telephone prior to determining if the video content is configured to be displayed in the first aspect ratio.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising querying a user whether to display the video content in the first aspect ratio or the second aspect ratio.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising, in response to receiving a selection from the user, setting a parameter to cause the video content to be displayed in the first or second aspect ratio.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein displaying the first content in the first or second aspect ratio is performed automatically.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying an aspect ratio parameter received with the video content.

10. A system for displaying video content in a proper aspect ratio, said system at set top box, the set top box comprising:

a memory;

an input/output (I/O) unit; and

a processing unit in communication with said memory and I/O unit, said processing unit configured to:

receive video content from head-end server via a smart telephone over a local area network, wherein the video content is received, at the smart telephone from the head-end server via a broadband gateway;

in response to the video content being received from the head- end server via the smart telephone, determining if the video content is configured to be displayed in a first aspect ratio on a display device, said display device being separate from the smart telephone;

if the video content is configured to be displayed in the first aspect ratio, displaying the video content in the first aspect ratio on the display device; and

if the video content is not configured to be displayed in the first aspect ratio, displaying the video content in the second aspect ratio on the display device;

wherein converting is performed during streaming of the video content.

11. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a conversion unit configured to convert the video content from the second to the first aspect ratio.

12. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first aspect ratio is 16:9.

13. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said conversion unit is configured to convert the video content during streaming of the video content.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second aspect ratio is 4:3.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to establish a communications link between a set top box and the smart telephone prior to determining if the video content is configured to be displayed in the first aspect ratio.

16. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to query a user whether to display the video content in the first aspect ratio or the second aspect ratio.

17. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to, in response to receiving a selection from the user, set a parameter to cause the video content to be displayed in the first or second aspect ratio.

18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is configured to automatically display the first content in the first or second aspect ratio.

19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to identify an aspect ratio parameter received with the video content.