Pixel dimensions

A forum to share ideas and opinions on the equipment and technical aspects of film, video and AV making.
Post Reply
User avatar
Michael Gough
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:14 pm
Location: Sunderland

Pixel dimensions

Post by Michael Gough »

HELP !!!

As anyone who knows me will verify I am technically ignorant about my hobby. Which proves you can sometimes succeed on instinct. However occasionally it is essential to get correct information. An AV maker is willing to give me a video DVD version of his work to show at my club. He has asked me "What pixel dimensions do you normally use to save a video file? "

What is my answer? I notice Adobe Premiere quotes Frame size as 720h 576v (1,067) - Whatever that means !!!!

THANKS
User avatar
stingman
Posts: 442
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:37 am
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Re: Pixel dimensions

Post by stingman »

Michael Gough wrote:HELP !!!

As anyone who knows me will verify I am technically ignorant about my hobby. Which proves you can sometimes succeed on instinct. However occasionally it is essential to get correct information. An AV maker is willing to give me a video DVD version of his work to show at my club. He has asked me "What pixel dimensions do you normally use to save a video file? "

What is my answer? I notice Adobe Premiere quotes Frame size as 720h 576v (1,067) - Whatever that means !!!!

THANKS
720x576 is the reselution of a frame. 720 pixels across and 576 pixels height.
maybe someone else can explain other things, I know them but I forget the figuares and numbers!!
Ian Gardner
Film Maker
User avatar
Dave Watterson
Posts: 1877
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
Contact:

Post by Dave Watterson »

I am pretty sure you are right, Michael. Your AV maker wants to know the video image dimensions (720x576) in PAL if the material is in the usual 4x3 Academy ratio.

Many AV workers use 1440x1080 which gives a high-resolution image but unless you plan to use the DVD on hi-def systems that is no use to you.

================
DIVERSION

  • Check the maths 1440x1080 is 4:3
    while 720x576 is 3.75:3

That is because as Tom Hardcastle has pointed out more than once video pixels are oblong while normal computer ones are square.
================

That was a diversion because all video gear is built to handle video pixels and will present the image in the correct 4:3 ratio on a screen.

It only becomes relevant when you take a screen grab from a video and want to print it or use it as a regular computer image. Normal (non-video) gear does not know about oblong pixels! So a screen grab from a video will appear on a normal computer screen or print as 3.75:3 ratio - everyone will seem a little taller and thinner. To get the proportion right you must use paint/image software which lets you stretch the image to 768 x 576. (Most - not yet all - the screen grabs on the website have been stretched this way.)

Dave
ned c
Posts: 910
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:39 pm
Location: Dammeron Valley USA

Post by ned c »

For detailed tech info on DV and HDV try www.adamwilt.com the pixels in SD DV are non-square and this can be selected in Photoshop CS2/3.

ned c
Roy

as post

Post by Roy »

Hi Mike. If your AV maker want to know whar format size you require to show his DVD, then the answer is definately 720x 576. This gives the 4x3 size. For a wide screen presentation then a different set of figures for the pixels would be needed. Cheers, Roy Alexander
Post Reply