I don't think that last sentence is quite right. I think they just cut from the edges for TV.
Also, the aspect ratio is not just the width, it is the ratio of the width to the height. The larger the number, the less it is like a square and the more it is like a wide rectangle.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw