Why is NTSC showing 720 x 540, and not 480?

touchdown · Post by **touchdown** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:16 am

Sure, I can change it to 480, but why is the default 540?

Also, I'm reading the AS official guidebook and it talks about doing the following for image quality when rendering/burning for TV.

1. doubling your pixel size and then reducing to the DVDs project size. The problem here is their recommended dimensions say to double (but keep constant) the 4:3 ration. But, their numbers don't reflect 720 x 540 (as the preset shows). The only number that shows truly doubled is the height of 960 (which was 480...which is what I thought NTSC was supposed to be in the first place)

2. add a blur filter: how much?
3. add a resize filter (if you've doubled)
4. add gamma correction (why? what's happened?)

Anyone?

Nolan Scott · Post by **Nolan Scott** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:38 am

Computer generated images are mostly square pixels...
Video footage is mostly rectangular (non-square) pixels...

Format Rectangular Size Square Size
DV NTSC................................................720x480.................................720x540
NTSC CCIR601......................................720x486.................................720x547
DV NTSC 16:9 (Anamorphic).................720x480.................................853x480
NTSC CCIR601 16:9 (Anamorphic).......720x486.................................853x486
PAL........................................................720x576.................................768x576
PAL 16:9 (Anamorphic).........................720x576.................................1024x576
HDV 720p..................................................NA.....................................1280x720
HDV 1080i.................................................NA.....................................1920x1080

Regards
Nolan

touchdown · Post by **touchdown** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:41 am

thanks for the table there.

now the question is, i'm intending for the work to be shown on DVD. do I stick with the 720x540 or go 720x480 (i'm not too worried about doubling just yet).

Nolan Scott · Post by **Nolan Scott** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:04 am

Create your Projects in Anime Studio in NTSC 720 x 540...
Export those projects as, e.g. Animation, Apple Intermediate Codec or else...
Or export as image-sequence... and assemble later if necessary...
(keep everything as uncompressed as possible)

Import those files into your favorite Video Editor...
When ready, export... (still don’t apply any compression)

Import those files into your DVD-Authoring-Application for burning to DVD...
(this one will take care of the appropriate compression)

Regards
Nolan

touchdown · Post by **touchdown** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:21 am

ok.

what about sizing on the workspace in my video editor (sony vegas 8 pro)?

a full framed image or scene is going to have to be matched to the output area to avoid black areas around the edges, is it not?

This project will also video clips provided to me as well as a host of still shots.

Will this be a problem?

Thanks again, for taking the time.

Nolan Scott · Post by **Nolan Scott** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:50 am

Well, as long as your project files matching your sequence settings in your video editor,
there should be no problem with black areas... the same would apply for still images...
Make sure the clips provided are in the right codec and resolution...

Of course, “there will never be an ideal world”, so, sometimes one has to resize or convert the footage...
One can do the resizing directly in the editor to certain extend... but,
I would use something like MPEG Streamclip to do the conversion...
http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-win.html

Regards
Nolan

touchdown · Post by **touchdown** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:17 pm

i don't have any say on what I'm getting. i was lucky enough to have them mail me an external HDD with all the data on it.

i'm running the vegas project at 720x480, 29.97.

I imagine their media is coming from digital cameras, etc. that probably would be 29.97.

Since i'm dealing with (30)fps video and still shots. Do you recommend putting AS at 30fps as well? I've always used 24fps, but haven't really had any large projects to see a difference.

Also, can you really see a difference by doubling the AS project size, then re-sizing down to 720x480(540)?

Thanks.

proab

Nolan Scott · Post by **Nolan Scott** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:49 pm

Well, NTSC is 30 (29.97) fps / don’t use 24, it’s a film format...
(or are you looking for the “cine-look” effect...?)
Why do you want to double-up your Anime Studio Project and size it down later...?
(what do you see for advantage of it...?)
Stay with your chosen size to your whole project... this will give you the best outcome...
What data / project sizes / formats / codecs are provided with your external HD...?
Those should at least fit your project settings...?
Or adjust your project settings to that format...

Regards
Nolan