4:3 letterboxed not viewing the same as 16:9 (same encoded content)?
by Mark Lea
on
Jul 22, 2008 at 5:38:03 pm
I'm really unsure of how to properly phrase my question, so that it's understandable, but here's an attempt.
Before I begin, just for reference, my ideal output is 16:9, and on a 4:3 TV, I'd like it to appear letterboxed, preserving the aspect ratio of the original content.
OK, on to the description/observation...
I have 16:9 content that I'm working with in Final Cut Pro 5.1.4, using the HDV 1080i60 preset. Currently the content is all graphics from a layered Photoshop document and a title generator in FCP; it contains no video, but HDV video will be added later.
Just for testing out my graphical workflow, I exported this content using the 16:9 2-pass DVD setting, from Final Cut Pro->File->Export->Using Compressor... and then imported the resulting asset into DVD Studio Pro. I put it on a track that is set up as 16:9 Letterbox. I burn the DVD, and to my surprise, I get different results depending on how the TV and the DVD player are set up.
On a 4:3 TV, with a DVD player set up as 4:3 Letterbox, I get jagged graphics, with noticeable stair-stepping on edges of all graphics and text.
On a 16:9 TV, with a DVD player set up as 4:3 Letterbox (don't ask, I don't know why I set it this way), I get the same look as the 4:3 TV. Jagged graphics, and noticeable stair-stepping on all edges. Content fills screen (probably the TV scaling it up)
On a 16:9 TV, with a DVD player set up as 16:9, the graphics and text appear smooth, normal, and as intended.
Just out of curiosity, I ran another test in DVD Studio Pro. Using the same encoded asset, I switched the track info to 16:9 Pan-Scan & Letterbox, and burned another disc. Here were my observations:
4:3 TV, DVD player set for 4:3 Pan-Scan, Smooth Graphics and text, 4:3 Video output (center cut of 16:9 content).
4:3 TV, DVD player set for 4:3 Letterbox, Jagged Graphics and text, stair-stepping on all edges, proper letterboxed video output.
4:3 TV, DVD player set for 16:9, Smooth Graphics and Text, horizontally squished content (obviously).
16:9 TV, DVD player set for 4:3 Pan-Scan, Smooth Graphics and Text, 4:3 Video Output (center cut of 16:9 content), TV displays as pillar-boxed.
16:9 TV, DVD player set for 4:3 Letterbox, Jagged Graphics and text, stair-stepping on all edges, fills screen (TV probably scaling).
16:9 TV, DVD player set for 16:9, smooth graphics and text, fills screen.
Has anyone else noticed this same thing? Any workflow suggestions, or is it just reality that the 4:3 Letterbox mode on DVD players actually distorts 16:9 content? Is there any way to keep graphics looking smooth in all instances, regardless of how a TV or DVD player is set up?
My initial workflow fix is to abandon the idea that I want the content to appear as 16:9 on all TV types. I'd set up a script reading SPRM14 to tell the DVD player to either select a strict 4:3 center cut encoded version of the 16:9 content, or just display the native 16:9 content, if the DVD player is set for 16:9. But then that leaves out people (like me), who mistakenly have (or had) their DVD players set for 4:3 Letterbox, when the player is hooked up to a 16:9 screen.
Any other thoughts?
If needed, I can try to take screen shots of what I'm taking about and post them somewhere, if what I said above isn't making sense. Thanks in advance for any thoughts, observations, or suggestions. I'm very curious about this...
4:3 video or 16:9 videos are getting cut in 4:3 tv & 4:3 panscan video player? by damodar prabhu on Jun 8, 2009 at 10:44:37 am
hi there,
while working with dvd studio pro i found that when i import 4:3 or 16:9 size video in dvd sp & the track & menus are set to 4:3 or 16:9 & when burn the dvd & when i check 4:3 video or 16:9 videos are getting cut in 4:3 tv & 4:3 panscan video player?
so what should i do inorder to prevent my video beign cut?
