Hi, does anybody have any idea why every title or jpeg/bmp/psd i create and import seems distorted when i import it into the timeline? I have read about the square pixel issue and have created photoshop images at differing resolutions too but when I burn to dvd and watch on tv, or just watch the exported avi I always see this distorition. I am using a PAL widescreen timeline.
any help would be excellent.

is everyone stumped with this?

I do not use Premiere, but I do use Photoshop. When you create a new image, do you set the pixel aspect ratio (http://www.creativemac.com/2003/12_dec/reviews/photoshopcs0312223.htm)?

Depending on what version of Photoshop you use, you may or may not have the pixel aspect ratio option. However, versions of Photoshop prior to CS still had presets to create DV video images that will appear at the correct size when imported into Premiere. Check the New image presets.

You can also create Photoshop images at the correct size for the current project settings from inside Premiere Pro. Go to File > New > Photoshop File.

David, "distortion" is a pretty nonspecific word. People will be able to better help if you supply some additional specifics such as the versions of the software you are using, links to pictures of the distortion (or describe it in more detail), and list the settings for the picture and project.

Just taking a stab in the dark, though...I'm guessing that you're just seeing an aspect ratio (PAR) that isn't what you intended? It shouldn't really matter what your Photoshop settings are, but if you set PAR in CS2, make sure to use the PAL widescreen preset.

In PPro, each imported clip or picture has properties. Try checking the properties of the still pictures within PPro, including the "Interpret Footage" dialog box and see if perhaps the software has not guessed correctly how you want the PAR ro be interpreted. You'll either want to use the image's native PAR, or conform to the Project's setting.

If the problem is something other than aspect ratio, we need to start from the beginning with a clear idea of what isn't right.

thanks for your help. I didnt know you could create a photoshop file from inside premiere, thats clever. I did try using photoshop's (version 7.0 by the way) pre set for video file paramaters but this did not solve the problem. However I dont think the problem lies in photoshop as even titles that I make using premiere pro 2.0's titler are still coming up distorted. By that I mean blocky, the next is not smooth in any way. Here is a link to a frame I exported from premiere pro. You can see the text is not smooth.

www.rideoutproductions.co.uk/distort.jpg

I have used the titler previously in premiere 6.5 and had no problems.
Any more information required just let me know, sorry if i did not provide enough the first time.