Glossary A–ZLetter S
Split screen
With a split screen, the display area is divided into two or a few large areas that show different content or picture sources at the same time.
The areas are often of equal size and placed side by side or one above the other.
A split screen can be created in two ways. Either the player software divides the area, for example a product video on the left and prices on the right. Or the display itself shows two inputs at once, such as the picture from a player next to that of a TV receiver; many professional displays offer a picture-by-picture or picture-in-picture function for this. Split screens are typical for live TV with a separate notice area or for two departments sharing one screen.
Compared with a layout with many zones, a split screen is simpler but less flexible. Operators should bear in mind that each area only has part of the surface; content designed for the full screen is scaled down or cropped. When the display itself does the splitting, the player often cannot see what is running in the other area, and a remote screenshot then shows only its own half.