Newbie Clueless about Anamorphic Adapter for 16x9 at DVinfo.net

Paul Fontaine · July 7th, 2005, 11:53 AM

Can someone explain what the advantage of the Optical Squeeze via an anamorphic adapter is over digital squeeze?

I understand the DVX100 can shoot 16x9, but don't understand exactly why the anamorphic lens is necessary.

Is it a matter of better resolution?

Adam Folickman · July 8th, 2005, 05:06 AM

Hi Paul,

Here are a few articles to help you.

http://www.dv.com/print_me.jhtml?Loo...olumn/wilt0205

http://www.dv.com/print_me.jhtml?Loo...er_feature0701

http://www.dv.com/print_me.jhtml?Loo...w/wilt0804_rvw

Adam

Ruben Contreras · January 24th, 2006, 09:12 PM

first post:

Ive read around the forum but i still have a question about how the image will be desplayed. I've read about all kinds of ways to acheive the 16:9 format, but is there a way to create a project that will have the "black bars" on a standard 4:3 and display all the way across on a 16:9 TV?

From what i understand the the Ana. Adapter displays a 16:9 image on a 4:3 area so it is actually a 4:3 image. on the letterbox form of 16:9 on the camera is really a 4:3 image as well with just black masks. If these were:

1)imported into premier, i would need to import it as a 4:3 project instead of a 16:9

2)played on a 16:9 TV, it would just be played in the middle part of the TV and have black spots on the left and right side.

I'm not too sure about the stretched option on the camera. can someone please tell me where im wrong and answer any questions.

Thanks.

Boyd Ostroff · January 25th, 2006, 07:34 AM

Welcome to DVinfo Ruben. I don't use Windows so I can't tell you what settings to use, but I think I can answer your larger question. In DV, 16:9 is always recorded as 720x480 which is just the same as 4:3. So when you use the anamorphic lens it takes a 16:9 field of view and squashes it horizontally so that it can be recorded as a 4:3 image.

Then it's up to the monitor/tv to stretch the video horizontally back into the correct 16:9 proportions when you watch the video. If you have a 4:3 TV then the video will still look squashed and fill the full screen (with the exception of some newer models which can automatically letterbox 16:9).

But when you burn a DVD you can address this problem. You need to create an anamorphic DVD which contains a flag that tells the end user's DVD player that the video is in 16:9 format. DVD players have a menu selection where you specify whether you're connecting them to a 16:9 or 4:3 screen (with 4:3 as the default). If you play an anamorphic DVD and you have a 4:3 screen, the DVD player itself will letterbox the image. But on a 16:9 screen the video will just be passed to the TV without any change.

Ruben Contreras · January 25th, 2006, 06:35 PM

thanks for the answer. I was going crazy trying to figure it out. Mainly, it's the DVD that lets the DVD player know what format it is and in turn the DVD palyer displays the 4:3 image so that the bars on top and bottom are not showing (just the picture). please let me know if i got this right or not.

Now i guess i have to head over to the premier forum to figure out when i need to import widescreen video as 4:3 and as 16:9 then head over to the encoreDVD forum and figure out how to set these "flags".

Thanks a lot.

Boyd Ostroff · January 25th, 2006, 09:22 PM

Yes, you've got it right. If you make an anamorphic DVD then the player will provide the black bars for viewing on a 4:3 screen and it will also know that they aren't needed for a 16:9 screen.

July 7th, 2005, 11:53 AM	#1
Paul Fontaine New Boot Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Los Angleles, CA Posts: 5	Newbie Clueless about Anamorphic Adapter for 16x9 Can someone explain what the advantage of the Optical Squeeze via an anamorphic adapter is over digital squeeze? I understand the DVX100 can shoot 16x9, but don't understand exactly why the anamorphic lens is necessary. Is it a matter of better resolution?

July 8th, 2005, 05:06 AM	#2
Adam Folickman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 125	Hi Paul, Here are a few articles to help you. http://www.dv.com/print_me.jhtml?Loo...olumn/wilt0205 http://www.dv.com/print_me.jhtml?Loo...er_feature0701 http://www.dv.com/print_me.jhtml?Loo...w/wilt0804_rvw Adam

January 24th, 2006, 09:12 PM	#3
Ruben Contreras New Boot Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12	first post: Ive read around the forum but i still have a question about how the image will be desplayed. I've read about all kinds of ways to acheive the 16:9 format, but is there a way to create a project that will have the "black bars" on a standard 4:3 and display all the way across on a 16:9 TV? From what i understand the the Ana. Adapter displays a 16:9 image on a 4:3 area so it is actually a 4:3 image. on the letterbox form of 16:9 on the camera is really a 4:3 image as well with just black masks. If these were: 1)imported into premier, i would need to import it as a 4:3 project instead of a 16:9 2)played on a 16:9 TV, it would just be played in the middle part of the TV and have black spots on the left and right side. I'm not too sure about the stretched option on the camera. can someone please tell me where im wrong and answer any questions. Thanks.

January 25th, 2006, 07:34 AM	#4
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Welcome to DVinfo Ruben. I don't use Windows so I can't tell you what settings to use, but I think I can answer your larger question. In DV, 16:9 is always recorded as 720x480 which is just the same as 4:3. So when you use the anamorphic lens it takes a 16:9 field of view and squashes it horizontally so that it can be recorded as a 4:3 image. Then it's up to the monitor/tv to stretch the video horizontally back into the correct 16:9 proportions when you watch the video. If you have a 4:3 TV then the video will still look squashed and fill the full screen (with the exception of some newer models which can automatically letterbox 16:9). But when you burn a DVD you can address this problem. You need to create an anamorphic DVD which contains a flag that tells the end user's DVD player that the video is in 16:9 format. DVD players have a menu selection where you specify whether you're connecting them to a 16:9 or 4:3 screen (with 4:3 as the default). If you play an anamorphic DVD and you have a 4:3 screen, the DVD player itself will letterbox the image. But on a 16:9 screen the video will just be passed to the TV without any change.

January 25th, 2006, 06:35 PM	#5
Ruben Contreras New Boot Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12	thanks for the answer. I was going crazy trying to figure it out. Mainly, it's the DVD that lets the DVD player know what format it is and in turn the DVD palyer displays the 4:3 image so that the bars on top and bottom are not showing (just the picture). please let me know if i got this right or not. Now i guess i have to head over to the premier forum to figure out when i need to import widescreen video as 4:3 and as 16:9 then head over to the encoreDVD forum and figure out how to set these "flags". Thanks a lot.

January 25th, 2006, 09:22 PM	#6
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Yes, you've got it right. If you make an anamorphic DVD then the player will provide the black bars for viewing on a 4:3 screen and it will also know that they aren't needed for a 16:9 screen.