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LCD dispay is 4 1/2 feet x 22 feet
I have a project where the trade show LCD dispay is 4 1/2 feet x 22 feet. The playback device as defined by the A/V vendor is a DVD (720×486). It uses a hardware scaler that does a good job. We basically vreate a 720×480 movie with massive distortion and let the hardware scaler pull out to the appropriate ratio and size. We had decent results condsidering the size but I want better if possible. The video wall is 72 pixels per 18 inches square. All in all, this territory I do not have much experience. The last kicker is that we do not have access to test the wall until just before the show. Any ideas, lessons learned, experiece etc on settings or renders from After Effects.
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8 Replies
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I don’t have a ton of experience working in weird Pixel Aspect Ratios (although I do regularly work in the normal 0.9 and widescreen 1.2 NTSC ratios). But it seems that if this display scales up from a 720×486 resolution as you state then it would require one hell of a stretched pixel aspect ratio!
My calculations are as follows:
720 22
Pixel Aspect Ratio x ___ = ___486 4.5
Pixel Aspect Ratio x 720 = 22 / 4.5 * 486
Pixel Aspect Ratio x 720 = 2376
Pixel Aspect Ratio = 2376 / 720
Pixel Aspect Ratio = 3.3
Which is well over twice the Pixel Aspect Ratio of widescreen 16×9 NTSC footage and even greater than the Anamorphic 2.0 pixel aspect ratio (which I believe is the largest AE supports, unless someone knows how to cheat the Composition settings?). So in short: I don’t know an easy way to work in the correct pixel aspect ratio and achieve the results you’re looking for.
That said you could preview your results via a pre-comp scaled to 330% width x 100% height to make sure that your renders won’t look distorted on the final display. If you wanted a circle to look like a circle on the final display (instead of an oval) and my Pixel Aspect Ratio is correct then you’d want to scale the circle to 100/3.3% wide (about 30.303%) x 100% high.
Note: When you stated 4.5ft x 22ft I assumed we were discussing 4.5ft high x 22ft wide although aspect ratios are normally expressed in width:height… I hope this is correct?
Here’s an example I made using a circle:
Source Circle Footage:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7532704@N08/431618310/Circle ‘Displayed’:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7532704@N08/431618312/ -
i’ve never worked with anything like this before… by your specs the final output (on the lcd after hardware scaling) is 1056×216 px (72 px/18″ at 4.5’x22′). but unless you’re going to change the playout device to something that plays out 1056×216 media, i think you’ll want to render everything d1 statndard 270×486 for the provided playout device.
you would probably want to work at a comp size of 2376×486 and scale that to fit 720×486, or maybe use a 720×486 comp with a crazy pixel aspect ratio of around 3.3 (i think i did the math correct for that). i would also render progressive, it would seem the scaling that will need to happen at playout would it would be best to not be interlaced.
that’s the best i can suggest.
Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
wuzelwazel beat me to it… but i think he is correct, you probably won’t be able to set a custom pixel aspect ratio of 3.3.
Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
wuzelwazel beat me to it… but i think he is correct, you probably won’t be able to set a custom pixel aspect ratio of 3.3.
Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
I’ve done a similar project: the NASDAQ Marketsite in Times Square. They give you two templates for the windows and overall shape: normal and stretched. You work normal, then stretch it to fit a D1 comp and render to that, since the spots run on a Beta SP deck. Or they did when I did the project.
I’d work in a strip-like square-pixel comp (tall or wide? you didn’t say) where circles are circles and everything looks normal, with one of the dimensions matching either 720 or 486/480. If it’s tall, make it 720 wide by whatever high, if it’s wide, make it 486/480 high and whatever wide. This way you only scale up one dimension.
Make sure you know whether you’re doing 480 or 486.
Then I’d drag the thing into a D1 comp (or DV) and scale-to-fit (ctrl-alt-shift-F). Definitely progressive, not interlaced.
The weak link in the chain is the tape format: D1 or DV. Your design gets shrunk to D1/DV, then scaled up to whatever. You can’t do anything about it. It doesn’t matter how many bulbs are on it, you’re going to have 720×486 unique pixels: the player will do its best, but there will be some degradation. C’est la vie.
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well i have found a way to create custom pixel aspect ratios for new comps and new layers, but you’ll have to write a script to do it.
i’ve been interested in learning more about scripts and expression this week and i’ve been spending some time on dan ebbert’s motionscript.com. and i just read his section on ae scripting where he creates a script to create a layer in a comp, and then also creates a script to create a comp. both scripts discuss defining pixelaspect. there is no mention of aspect limitations, so maybe you could create a simple script to create a 720×486 comp witha custom pixel aspect ratio.
however, i think i would probably work in the large square pixel comp, then drop that into a d1 comp and scale to fit.
Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
[moldyboot] “however, i think i would probably work in the large square pixel comp, then drop that into a d1 comp and scale to fit.”
I concur, definitely the best option =)
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I’d make a composition the size of the output.
Assuming you have a 4.5foot high by 22ft wide screen.
Just 2376×486 comp. Edit like normal. Render out 2376×486. Then you might be able to import into Sony Vegas possibly that might Support a 3.3 PIxel aspect. Then render out in whatever format you need.
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