Just an idea I had ...

On a DVD, there is the 10% outer region of the image (ie. not the 'safe area') which is not shown in the viewable area of a TV. But it's still there on the video frame.

Why not put something like "Copyright 2009 Really Good Video Productions" etc along the very bottom within this area? It's not going to be seen on the TV playback but will be seen when it is played back on the computer/internet.

Your thoughts?

Andrew

Not a bad idea, but my understanding is that newer TVs -- i.e. Plasma and LCDs -- don't have an overscan issue, or at least they don't have to, like CRTs.

Not a bad idea, but my understanding is that newer TVs -- i.e. Plasma and LCDs -- don't have an overscan issue, or at least they don't have to, like CRTs. Surprisingly, even though LCD/plasma TVs have the ability to show pixel-perfect image placement, many HDTVs still overscan (when viewing broadcast material.) For 1080i or 1080p material only the central 1776x1000 pixels are presented to the viewer. For 720p material it is only the central 1152x648 pixels.

Do you know if this is true of all or only some? I thought I read somewhere that while some still do this, of those that do many have setting where you can turn this off.

Surprisingly, even though LCD/plasma TVs have the ability to show pixel-perfect image placement, many HDTVs still overscan (when viewing broadcast material.) For 1080i or 1080p material only the central 1776x1000 pixels are presented to the viewer. For 720p material it is only the central 1152x648 pixels.

I can verify that this overscan is still hapening on HD TVs (at least one I used at a trade show). I was quite surprised it still occurs.

I have a Panasonic Viera Plasma and it still shows pretty much to the edge of the frame.

On a DVD, there is the 10% outer region of the image (ie. not the 'safe area') which is not shown in the viewable area of a TV. But it's still there on the video frame.

Why not put something like "Copyright 2009 Really Good Video Productions" etc along the very bottom within this area? It's not going to be seen on the TV playback but will be seen when it is played back on the computer/internet.

You're better off simply giving your clients a version without the watermark for personal use, and a version with a watermark for uploading to the Web.

That "not safe area" is still viewable on a HDTV, as well as most newer TV players. The reason it's called the "Safe area" is because that's the area that will play on the worst of old, analog TVs.