[opendtv] Re: Learning From the Veterans - local news in HD

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:21:07 -0500

Mark Schubin wrote:

> We made two big mistakes with regard to aspect ratio in the
> transition.
>
> First, we chose to make the default shape 16:9 instead of 4:3. It
> is relatively easy to derive 16:9 from a 4:3 frame. Both have common
> sides, and, therefore, characters enter and leave the frame at the
> same time in both formats. That's not the case when 4:3 is derived
> from 16:9. Kerns Powers of RCA Laboratories, the person most
> responsible for the acceptance of the 16:9 aspect ratio, apologized
> at an NAB convention ten years later for not taking into account
> cinematographers' common-sides techniques.

I see a mixed bag here. If you use 4:3 as the default, there are two negative 
consequences.

1. The 4:3 image on the analog TV will show too much sky, where ideally the 
image would zoom in closer to the action, for this kind of low res display,

and/or

2. The 16:9 image will not take advantage of the greater resolution the 16:9 HD 
monitors have. It will show less image than the analog 4:3 screen, even if that 
residue image is displayed in glorious HD. You'd be better able to make out the 
pores in the actors' faces, but not get a bigger perspective of the scene. 
Which is what you want in HDTV, isn't it? I'm thinking in terms of what you 
want in Cinemascope or Cinerama.

So to me, Kerns Powers was noy totally wrong in his decision, even if it might 
seem wrong to cinematographers. It was an engineer's decision, not an artist's. 
Not sure why he apologized.

> Second, we began the transition before Active Format Description (AFD)
> was in place, and we have yet to make it mandatory. Where AFD is in
> use and works, different aspect ratios are easily accommodated. Where
> it isn't, pictures are butchered.

Honestly, I think that if broadcasters would start going to wide screen 
anamorphic exclusively, that would get us just about the same effect as AFD. 
Certainly on 16:9 displays, which as you point out, are taking over. STBs used 
on 4:3 sets could give the user a choice of letterboxing or cropping.

Bert
 
 
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