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TITLE
Final Cut Pro: Using Square or Non-Square Pixels When Creating Graphics
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Article ID:
Created:
Modified:
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60859
6/18/01
6/21/01
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TOPIC
DISCUSSION
When you are preparing to import graphics into Final Cut Pro, it is important to be aware of the pixel aspect ratio you are using and whether your project requires that you work with square or non-square pixels.
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Non-square pixels: Use this for projects that are going to standard definition tape in NTSC or PAL.
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Square pixels: Use this for high definition video projects, as well as multimedia video that will be played back only on computers and does not use any captured video footage.
Graphics created on a computer, whether scanned, painted, or rendered, look distorted on a video monitor unless you account for the different pixel aspect ratio. Fortunately, this is easy to do, since every non-square video frame size has an equivalent square frame size that you can use to create your graphics.
To create graphics that look correct when output to video:
1. In your graphics application, create a frame size that is the square pixel equivalent of the video frame size you are using.
See the chart below for equivalent sizes. For example, if you are working in DV PAL with a non-square video frame size of 720 by 576, your graphic should have a square pixel frame size of 768 by 576.
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Video format
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Non-square pixel size
(Final Cut Pro)
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Square pixel size
(graphics program)
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601 NTSC 4:3
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720 by 486
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720 by 540
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601 NTSC 16:9 Anamorphic
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720 by 486
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864 by 540
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DV NTSC 4:3
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720 by 480
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720 by 534
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DV NTSC 16:9 Anamorphic
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720 by 480
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864 by 540
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601/DV PAL
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720 by 576
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768 by 576
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2. Create your graphic.
3. Do one of the following:
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In your graphics program, rescale the graphic from the square frame size you created it with to the non-square equivalent used in Final Cut Pro.
After you import the image into Final Cut Pro, the graphic looks distorted, or squashed, on your computer display, but will look right when you output it to video. It is a good idea to save this resized graphic in case you want to change it in the future (you can then reimport it into Final Cut Pro).
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Save your image as is.
When you import your image into Final Cut Pro, it is automatically set to the pixel type, or pixel aspect ratio, it was created with.
For more information, refer to the Final Cut Pro user's manual.
Note:
The table on page 297 of the Final Cut Pro 2.0 User's Manual incorrectly lists a size of 720 by 546 for DV PAL. The correct size is 720 by 576. This will be corrected in the next edition of the manual.
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