Is It Safe?

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 8:38 AM

Happy 010 Everyone,

Here’s the deal. I’ve been using V5 since its release for a handful of corporate pieces over the years, though primarily for commercials created specifically for digital signage display. For those who are unfamiliar with digital signage, it’s AKA “out-of-home” display advertising where LCD monitors play content from on-site players or remotely from broadband linked servers. I’m sure most of you have seen these in restaurants, banks etc. Whenever I render a project, I don’t have to worry about “safe areas” as the programs used to display the videos scale everything to fit perfectly at either 16:9 or 4:3 depending on the screen layout etc. My only concerns were the aspect template I’d use and resolution.

Currently I’m working on a DVD for an exercise product I’ve developed; I shot and edited the beta version (for case study participants and doctors) a few days ago. I’m using the V5 16:9 template and I’m integrating an alpha overlay (872X480) with cut-out windows for text and graphical info to augment the video and voiceover instructions. The overlay also serves IMHO to add some production value verses a full screen16:9 piece with overlaid text.

My question: Is there a method or setting in V5 or DVDA 2.0 to force the DVD player to display 100 percent of the 872X480 image on screen? When I played my DVD authored with DVDA 2.0, my image was clipped top bottom and sides.

I just recently viewed a TV spot for some cat claw trimming box which had a graphical overlay as I do near the end of the segment. I noticed the top and bottom had a cat-paw border which was perfectly offset from the top, bottom left and right of the screen. There must be a way to predict and control image clipping…no?

Thanks,

Mov

Comments

JohnnyRoy wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:01 AM

What does clipped mean? Parts were cut off? What did you watch it on? TV's have overscan and may not show the entire widescreen image.

You should watch the DVD on a PC. If it's all there, then the LCD connected to the DVD player is to blame. If it's not all there then what template are you using to render? and have to changed it any?

~jr

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:08 AM

"Clipped" means not all of the original image showed up on my TV; as if I had zoomed in on the image. I always watch on my PC (my preview screen is 4:3 but it letterboxes just fine) first and it was just fine.

I have a 50” plasma TV BTW. All broadcast content fits on the 50" just fine…wonder why the DVD is having this problem?

JohnnyRoy wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:19 AM

Did you view the DVD on your PC? Is it all there? What did you mean it's 4:3 and letterboxes? How are you rendering?

[edit] OK, read your post again and I think you are saying it looks fine on the PC. Then it's your TV. Most HD TV's have several widescreen modes. Change them and see if one called "full" shows the image better. Your HD TV may still not show the whole image because of overscan.

~jr

rs170a wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:19 AM

Folks are under the mistaken impression that having a plasma/LCD means that overscan issues are gone.
The reality is that they are still there (slightly less but still a factor) and we as editors still have to take title and action safe areas into account when editing.
If by "broadcast content", you mean regular TV shows, it's because they're still taking safe areas into consideration at the time of production.
BTW, a DVD won't do anything to the content from a picture size standpoint.

Mike

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:30 AM

So from a practical standpoint what dimensions in pixels should I use as a safe zone guideline? The entire image is 872X480; I scaled my graphics and cut-out windows relative to that dimension. If I have an idea as to a dimensional safe zone perhaps I can avoid this problem.

JohnnyRoy wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:31 AM

The standard is 10% action safe and 20% title safe. Just turn on the safe areas in Vegas or Photoshop and they will help you.

~jr

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:41 AM

I see the safe areas in V5, I just thought it was a bit extreme with so many TVs now being flatscreen. I just did an approximated pixel "cutoff" in Photoshop based on my visual observations of the DVD:

Top/bottom: 12px per side
Sides: 24 px each

So am I clear that the old "safe" areas specified in V5 still apply to flatscreen? That was all I was really asking other than a way to force scaling of the entire video if possible.

TheHappyFriar wrote on 1/1/2010, 9:52 AM

those safe areas apply to the screens you're doing work on too, not just TV's (banks, movie theaters, etc. use TV's for their screens, nothing special).

Odds are you're just over worrying. I'd say title safe is now ~10%. I've noticed every vid camera I've picked up actually recorded a little bit bigger then what I'm seeing in the view finder/LCD preview, so that might be enough to take in to account too.

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 10:01 AM

Yea the viewfinder issue isn't really relative to this problem; it's usually a quirk some cameras have, especially prosumer models. Though, if you think of it as built-in safe zoning I guess it's an advantage of sorts.

As for the bank screens you'd mentioned - I never ever had to use safe areas; the software which delivers the content to the screens scales it PERFECTLY to every screen I've ever installed on my network, from 22" PC monitors to 60" plasma screens.

My confusion comes from having just about all of my work to date designated for digital signage or PC (CD-ROM). TV/DVD delivery is a big pain in the glutes!

rs170a wrote on 1/1/2010, 10:05 AM

The safe action/safe title area specs were set years ago by SMPTE and are 5% and 10% respectively.
Sony, in their infinite wisdom, decided to double these numbers.
I guess their thinking is that it's better to err on the (very) conservative side of things.

Stephen (THF), it's not until you get into the pro camcorders that you'll find viewfinders that show you the entire shooting area, complete with safe area markings.
Most, if not all, cheaper camcorders always overshoot and it takes trial and error on your part to discover just how great this percentage is.

Mike

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 10:08 AM

Now 5% sounds a lot more reasonable to me!

rs170a wrote on 1/1/2010, 10:12 AM

Keep in mind that the 5% figure assumes a reasonably well-adjusted CRT TV.
I've seen some TVs that will cut off titles I've done with Vegas set to the 20% default so you know they're WAY out of whack :-(

Mike

Movick wrote on 1/1/2010, 10:20 AM

I'm going to use a 10% zone; based on what I see on my set, 10% is more than generous. Those with old CRTs...whatta ya gonna do. From what I hear all CRTs are set to self destruct on December 21st 2012 anyway. ;-)

Luckily the "cutoff" issue in this case is cosmetic and doesn't affect the info or video action. Nonetheless 10% should get this thing on infomercial and in 2 million homes by the end of 2010!!!

Thanks fellas!

Mov