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Question about Creating Encore DVD’s in Photoshop
Please bear with me here…. I’m putting a ton of work into an Encore DVD menu and I want to be sure I’m working with the correct settings…
I’m in the process of designing a DVD menu from scratch in Photoshop CS5, I’ll be loading it in Encore to author my DVD. My video footage is 1920×1080 HD. I plan on creating my DVD in Widescreen format.( I understand I can’t have HD on a DVD)I’ve created my Photoshop document using the Film/Video Preset for NTSC DV Widescreen. This gives me a document 720×480 at 72ppi. The Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction increases the image Horizontally when checked “On” and decreases the image Horizontally when checked “Off”.
My questions are:
1) When I scale an image to this size it is so pixelated it is difficult to do design work. Is it possible to work at a higher resolution/image size and then scale it to the 720×480/DV Widescreen Document size that Encore requires? Workflow suggestions?
2) Should the ORIGINAL image be scaled to the NTSC DV/Widescreen Photoshop Preset document (720×480 size) with the Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction checked “On” or “Off” (prior to scaling
/transforming it to fit)?Thanks in advance for all positive input…
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6 Replies
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If there is any chance you will one day use this menu for an HD version (Blu-ray or online), then I recommend designing it in HD 1920×1080.
If you know this will only be in SD, then you are doing it correct. The image looks pixelated because you are viewing non-square pixels on a monitor that uses square pixels, and Photoshop CS5 does not do the best job at smoothing out non-square pixels, which is why you have the option to turn off ‘pixel aspect ratio correction’ to see the actual clarity when it is viewed on a DVD player. The image will become horizontally squished, but at least you can see how the actual quality will appear. When you turn pixel aspect ratio correction on, you will see the correct aspect ratio of the image as it will appear on a tv, but the image clarity goes to hell due to the reasons I just mentioned above. Once viewed on a TV, it will have the correct aspect ratio and good clarity… the best of both worlds.
If you decide to design the menu in HD then convert it to SD, here is the process:
1) Starting with the HD menu, go to ‘Image > Image Size’, then uncheck ‘Constrain Proportions’, and check ‘Resample Image’, Bicubic Sharper Algorithm, then change the width x height to 720 x 490 pixels.
2) Now go to ‘Image > Canvas Size’ and change it to 720 x 480 pixels.
3) Go to ‘View > Pixel Aspect Ratio’ and select D1/DV NTSC Widescreen (1.21).
That’s it!
If you had layer styles, they are probably messed up due to unchecking ‘constrain proportions’ on the image resize. If you used them, you will need to modify them for the new image size, or you could have rasterized the layer style before modifying the image size using the ‘create layer’ command when right-clicking on the effect in the layers panel.
If you are wondering why we changed the image size to 720×490 then cropped off the top and bottom instead of just simply changing the image size to 720×480, it is due to the fact that 720×480 with a 1.21 pixel aspect ratio is not a perfect 16×9 ratio. It’s simple math…
1.21 x 720 = 871.2 (new perceived width after pixel aspect ratio is applied)
If 871.2 is the perceived width, and the image is a perfect 16×9 ratio, then the height must be 490.05. This is why you create a 720×490 image first, so the aspect ratio is identical to the original 1920×1080 source, then you crop the top and bottom by 5 pixels each to get the DVD required size of 720×480.
Good luck!
Jon Geddes
http://www.precomposed.com -
Hi John… Thanks for the input and fast reply. I didn’t realize I could design it for 1920×1080 and then size it down. My film is shot in 1920x1080p so I might as well design for possible Blu-Ray use.
Just to make sure I’m clear…
1) I should begin with a PS Document 1920×1080 and create the Menu design. (Do I need to use a “Film/Video” preset for this size? If so… which specifically of the ones in the Preset drop-down?)
2) Then once the Menu design is finalized in the 1920×1080 size I’ll follow your steps listed above.
When working in a Film/Video Preset mode PAR Correction should be “off” while doing layout, design etc… correct?
I’m wondering if some of the pixelation I have in the image I’ve been working with came from free-transforming it as opposed to sizing it with resampling/bicubic etc?
Anyway.. thanks again. Get back to me about setting up the initial 1920×1080 PS document if ya could. I appreciate your help!
Cheers!
Kevin -
You are correct. Start with a 1920×1080 document, and use the “HDTV 1080p/29.97” preset. 1920×1080 is a square pixel size, so you do not have to worry about pixel aspect ratio correction when designing it in HD.
Once the menu is finalized, then yes, you follow the instructions I previously gave.
The only reason for using the preset is that it places guides in the document for action and text safe areas. Make sure to stay within those guides.
Whenever sizing a rasterized element (including pictures), make sure you convert it to a smart object first, as this will allow easy scaling up and down without degrading image quality.
Jon Geddes
http://www.precomposed.com -
Thanks so much for all the excellent input John!
Cheers! -
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I tried resizing the image per the instructions above… but the final outcome looks fuzzy and pixelated.
Am I doing something wrong?
also… is it possible to preview what it should look like if I import it into a 720×480 Premiere Timeline?
Thanks for any suggestions
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