When using the center cut option to convert an HDTV signal to SDTV, what portion of the picture is typically cropped?

When using the center cut option to convert an HDTV signal to SDTV, the typical process involves cropping the sides of the image to fit the different aspect ratios. HDTV typically has a 16:9 aspect ratio, while SDTV usually has a 4:3 aspect ratio. To maintain the central focus of the original image while fitting it into a narrower format, the sides of the image are trimmed.

The correct answer reflects that approximately 16.5% from each side is cropped off to adapt the wider 16:9 image to the narrower 4:3 dimensions. This cropping allows the central portion of the image to remain visible, ensuring that important content is still displayed prominently without distorting the image; it thus preserves the most critical elements of the picture. The decision to crop by this percentage aims to strike a balance between maintaining image integrity and fitting within the confines of standard definition broadcasting.