Title/Action Safe Areas

[seven_deuce offsuit]

I know that all programs I have set the Title/Action safe area to about 90% the scale of the video by default. I've tried that, but after ouputting that video on a DVD I realize that scaling the video down to 90,90% doesn't entirely fill my TV screen. My question is, what is the exact scaling that I would have to set my video so that it perfectly fills my TV screen.

[Abond]

And those all programs are?

[seven_deuce offsuit]

Adobe After Effects, Vegas, and DVD Architect. That's all I can pretty much think of.

[edDV]

My question is, what is the exact scaling that I would have to set my video so that it perfectly fills my TV screen.

That varies by the individual TV. You need to test for that TV if that TV is the only one to be used.

Flat panel HDTVs may have the least overscan 5-7%. They don't change over time. CRT SD and HDTV have more ~10% because picture size changes as the TV ages.

TV Production 101 says you shoot assuming ~10% action safe and more for graphic safe. That is if you expect other than that one TV to be used to view your DVD.

If you are trying to display a powerpoint presentation as an example, 10% minimal cropping should be assumed. 12-15% would be better for an old SD TV.

[JohnnyMalaria]

You'd have to test by trial-and-error. The reason for safe areas is to account for the inherent variability in consumer CRT displays, especially older ones.

Why not create a test chart - rectangles at 97.5, 95.0, 92.5 and 90.0% for example? (There may already be such a thing somewhere!)

Ultimately, to get the best "fit" for your TV requires testing on your TV....

EDIT: Replied at the same time as edDV.

PS: You state that you reduced the size of the videos to 90%. Why? The safe area is really for titles and important action. Typically, just create at 100%.

[seven_deuce offsuit]

Ultimately, to get the best "fit" for your TV requires testing on your TV....

That's all I needed to know. I was neglecting the fact that safe areas differed from TV to TV. Is that why Full screen DVDs lose resolution?

PS: You state that you reduced the size of the videos to 90%. Why? The safe area is really for titles and important action. Typically, just create at 100%.

I just want the whole video to be on TV, scaling it down to 90% ensures I see the whole video without overscanning, despite it not being perfectly fit. I also forgot to mention that this is more of an After Effects issue, anything rendered from that program will be overscanned unless scaled. Vegas on the other hand, I have seen no use to scale since videos rendered here come out the same way as they look on my computer (i.e. the videos fit perfectly on a TV screen without overscanning). At least, that's what I see.

Why not create a test chart - rectangles at 97.5, 95.0, 92.5 and 90.0% for example? (There may already be such a thing somewhere!)

And I think you were referring to this, which I'm about to read right now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overscan_amounts

[Abond]

Maybe I don't understand correctly, but the video on the computer screen has no overscaning by default. That means, in my opinion that on the computer the video should be seen as "underscaning" to match the TV overscaning.

[edDV]

The main question is are you doing all this just for yourself or are you distributing this video. If distributing you should follow normal action/title safe rules to produce your video.

If you don't, your work will be immediately rejected by advertising agencies or TV stations.

[seven_deuce offsuit]

It's for me and my friends. And what are the rules for normal title/action safe areas? I've never heard of them.

[edDV]

It's for me and my friends. And what are the rules for normal title/action safe areas? I've never heard of them.

All in your Vegas and After Effects help files.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overscan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_area
http://scanline.ca/overscan/

This is good: http://www.tvforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20409

[guns1inger]

Pretty much every DVD you watch, widescreen or fullscreen, and every TV show that is broadcast, goes edge to edge, top to bottom. It is understood, especially when shooting for television playback, that some of the edges will be lost, so nothing of importance is put there.

s'funny. TV has been like this since day one. Suddenly someone downloads a TV show, or edits their DV tape on a PC, and it's the end of the world because they suddenly realise that this is happening. Yet until then, they hadn't noticed, hadn't cared.