The video stuttered. The colors inverted for a split second. And then, the animation smoothed out, looking sharper, more vibrant than any TV broadcast he'd ever seen. The audio was pristine, clear enough that he could hear the faintest ambient hum of the Planet Express ship.

On the screen, Bender leaned in close to the camera, breaking the fourth wall. His metal face filled the 1280x720 pixel frame.

When Futurama transitioned to Comedy Central, it moved into the era of native 16:9 widescreen high-definition production. For viewers looking to archive or rewatch this era, the format offers several advantages: