Help with broadcast requirements

[Bob Zelin]

who is asking for a 16:9 standard def delivery ?

Bob Zelin

[Lloyd Stas]

That was MTV.

Box television (another music TV station) also said this:

“In the near future we’re converting our channels to widescreen. This means we will no longer accept videos in old style 4:3 standard, or 4:3 letterbox (those videos with black bars at the top and bottom). With immediate effect can you please supply videos in widescreen 16:9 Full Height Anamorphic.”

[Bob Zelin]

I would like to see your delivery specifications. I never heard of this. Viacom has JUST started accepting HD delivery, but NTSC delivery and PAL delivery has been only 4:3.

Who told you this ? (about your delivery requirements)

I believe that your information is incorrect –

bob Zelin

This is the european MTV specificiation delivery requirements –
https://www.mtvnetworks.co.uk/files/production/Non-commercial%20Technical%20Specification.doc

Technical Specification for Delivering
Non-Commercial Material (Adverts) to Transmission
MTV Networks programming is transmitted via an automated server system, cached from Digital Betacam. Whilst it is possible to use Beta SP, Transmission material is ideally supplied on Digital Betacam, dubbed where possible from the master.
For best audio and video performance please supply material that conforms to the following specifications:
Description Digital Betacam Beta SP
Alignment reference Sony ZRP Sony CR5 2BPS
Signal timing 625/50 (PAL)
Output levels and timing Aligned Sony DVW500P (or equivalent) should produce a CCIR 656 270Mbit/s signal which when converted to analogue produces PAL signal conforming to EBU specification. According to EBU specification for component recording of PAL signals
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3
Audio reference level -18dB relative to max count (Headroom 18dB) +4dBu, PPM5

[Bill Stephan]

There is a substantial amount of content being broadcast in England in PAL 16:9 FHA format both on over-the-air networks and on cable. We see delivery specs such as what Lloyd has every day of the week.

Bill Stephan
Senior Editor/DVD Author
USA Studios
New York City

[Lloyd Stas]

ok thanks,

anyone know how to convert PAL 4:3 to PAL 16:9 FHA?

Lloyd

[Bill Stephan]

Lloyd,

The only way to convert 4:3 content into 16:9 content is to chop part of the frame, usually the top and bottom of the image. Whether this works depends on how the shots are composed during the shoot.

You make a frame of video anamorphic by squeezing the image along the x-axis to 75% of its original size. If you are starting with 4:3 content, that process gives you a “pillarbox” or an image with black bars on the left and right side. You have made an anamorphic image, but you have not changed 4:3 content into 16:9 content. You can blow-up the pillarboxed image until the black bars disappear. Now you have a 16:9 FHA (full height anamorphic) image, but the top and bottom of the original image have been cropped off. You can “pan/scan” each shot by moving it up or down in the frame if necessary to include important parts of each shot.

The downside of this process is you lose picture resolution because you are losing part of the original picture area by converting from 4:3 to 16:9. When you start with a true 16:9 image and make it anamorphic such as in an HDTV to NTSC downconversion, you make a full-frame to full-frame conversion that keeps the entire image.

Bill Stephan
Senior Editor/DVD Author
USA Studios
New York City

[Lloyd Stas]

thanks! at least now i know to shoot it in 16:9 next time.

is there anyway of telling if I have done it correctly?

[Bill Stephan]

Check it by looking at the footage on a 16:9 monitor or flat-screen TV.

Bill Stephan
Senior Editor/DVD Author
USA Studios
New York City

[Lloyd Stas]

woah, long time. just came across this so thought i would reply..

Used a Canon XL1s shooting on DV. edited in Premiere pro cs3 and then messed about with it in after effects. was the first time using the camera and any of the software so it was a steep learning curve.

currently trying to compress the latest video that we have made.

[Bob Zelin]

ok lloyd –
where are the music videos. Do you have them up on You Tube. I want to see them. Where the hell are they? Where is your work ?

bob Zelin