Center Cut safe with HD 16x9 format?

[Gary Ploj]

Hi,

I just finished three commercials and ready for broadcast but the broadcaster is saying they don't need two versions of the commercial - one in 720p 16x9 and one in SD 4x3 Letterbox (to preserve the 16x9 version) in the past...now, they just want one HD version and they cut the sides off for SD - calling it "Center Cut safe"...Crazy.

How has others preserved the 16x9 format? Also, the problem lies is that I have titles within the commercial spot bit outside the "CCS" format and it was mainly framed within the 16x9 mask.

Has any other editors or filmmakers have dealt with this?

Any suggestions or ideas they may have to find a happy solution for us?

Thanks.

 

[Liam Hall]

It's been normal practice to supply 16:9 masters with 4:3 safe titles round here since year dot - only for SD though.

 

[Gary Ploj]

Yes, I understand that...but why center cut safe for HD broadcast. They are going to make a "postage stamp" format (black around all four sides) for a HD broadcast?
I understand for SD but why HD?

That's what I don't understand???

I just think i need more understanding...they are saying its a FCC rule. What???

Any info on this would be great.

Thanks Liam...for your input.

 

[Jörgen Persson]

Yes, I understand that...but why center cut safe for HD broadcast. They are going to make a "postage stamp" format (black around all four sides) for a HD broadcast?
I understand for SD but why HD?

That's what I don't understand???

I just think i need more understanding...they are saying its a FCC rule. What???

Any info on this would be great.

Thanks Liam...for your input.

If they need to broadcast HD and SD simultaneously they can put a tape in an HD player and downconvert for SD 4:3 center cut.
If you have title safe for 4:3 on the HD tape then everything is correct for the SD broadcast.
Graphics and non-vital text can still be outside the title safe. Like this:

http://home.vis-is.co.uk/data/grabs/ssn169.jpg

As you can see there is plenty of text and graphics outside the 4:3 title safe area. The composition of the host also puts the host inside the 4:3 area.
Since the bottom is a ticker it will scroll pass the center cut anyway and the tabs on the right is just fancy graphics and not very important for the viewer.

 

[Gary Ploj]

If they need to broadcast HD and SD simultaneously they can put a tape in an HD player and downconvert for SD 4:3 center cut.
If you have title safe for 4:3 on the HD tape then everything is correct for the SD broadcast.
Graphics and non-vital text can still be outside the title safe. Like this:

http://home.vis-is.co.uk/data/grabs/ssn169.jpg

As you can see there is plenty of text and graphics outside the 4:3 title safe area. The composition of the host also puts the host inside the 4:3 area.
Since the bottom is a ticker it will scroll pass the center cut anyway and the tabs on the right is just fancy graphics and not very important for the viewer.

they won't do that...in the past they would accept two spots but now with their new system...one spot and then chop off the sides...Its a shame and completely ridiculous!!!

More and more I think the Net will be the future of TV. I mean YouTube and Vimeo has now 1080p video...and the US broadcasters are still back in the 50's with 4x3 framing and viewers...

 

[Jörgen Persson]

they won't do that...in the past they would accept two spots but now with their new system...one spot and then chop off the sides...Its a shame and completely ridiculous!!!

More and more I think the Net will be the future of TV. I mean YouTube and Vimeo has now 1080p video...and the US broadcasters are still back in the 50's with 4x3 framing and viewers...

It's actually easier for you now since you only have to create a single HD master instead of multiple versions of the same commercial.

And the argument about internet and video: I see a lot more wrong aspect ratios and interlace artefacts on YouTube and Vimeo than on broadcast television. Quality Control is good for both the viewer and the client.

 

[Brett Gentry]

they won't do that...in the past they would accept two spots but now with their new system...one spot and then chop off the sides...Its a shame and completely ridiculous!!!

I'm speaking on behalf of a broadcaster that requires all HD content be "Center Cut Safe":


My station is 100% HD with the exception of a few programs, including paid programs. Everything we load into our playout servers is either in HD, or it is upconverted to HD so our system can play it out in HD. All of the content I produce is in HD, and it never touches a tape. Our signal, even with SD content, is still HD 100% of the time.


However, not all of our viewers have HDTVs. Go figure. As an added "bonus", most of those non-HD viewers don't like the letterbox look that those converter boxes normally give them, especially on SD content since it makes the content look like it has a massive black border. So how do the viewers fix this problem? They expand the signal to fill their 4:3 screen, and it cuts off the sides.


What's worse is that not every satellite provider or cable provider carries us on their HD tier for whatever reason. Dish Network, for example, does not have my station available in HD, so even on an HDTV, if you're using Dish, we're in SD. And they don't letterbox our signal. Instead, they cut off the sides, making it a 4:3 signal again.


So, how do we satisfy both 16:9 and 4:3 at the same time? We do it by shooting in HD, producing in HD, but using Center Cut Safe guides so that the 4:3 viewer doesn't miss anything important. It's a pain, I know. I have to follow those rules as well. But you get used to it.


One day, all of us will be shooting, editing and viewing EVERYTHING in 16:9 HDTV, but until the lowest common denominator is in that category, we have to continue to cater to them.