Comments on: 16:9 from 4:3 – you can’t get there from here! http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/ Philip Hodgetts Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:12:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: George Dyke http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/#comment-43 George Dyke Tue, 22 Feb 2005 03:02:48 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=6#comment-43 Given the compromises in HDTV consumers displays and signal paths, I'm wondering if decent image enhancers can't make YUV NTSC Betacam acceptable for the 16:9 HD? Years ago, with NTSC 3 tube Betacams, we took pains to crank down detail and filter lenses to get a "film look". HD resolution seems to be the buzz, but in this marketplace and HDV compression, clean regular resolution video, enhanced by Farouja type devices, could be "acceptable". 20 years ago we used to say that if folks just saw a 1st generation Betacam component signal (rather than some crappy zenith home TV) they would think they were watching HDTV. And for the most part we were right. I shot HD in the 80's. Technically beautiful but grossly unappeciated then, and rapidly becoming indifferent now. As always, 35mm film qulaity is the best protectant. 70mm to be sure! Given the compromises in HDTV consumers displays and signal paths, I’m wondering if decent image enhancers can’t make YUV NTSC Betacam acceptable for the 16:9 HD? Years ago, with NTSC 3 tube Betacams, we took pains to crank down detail and filter lenses to get a “film look”. HD resolution seems to be the buzz, but in this marketplace and HDV compression, clean regular resolution video, enhanced by Farouja type devices, could be “acceptable”. 20 years ago we used to say that if folks just saw a 1st generation Betacam component signal (rather than some crappy zenith home TV) they would think they were watching HDTV. And for the most part we were right. I shot HD in the 80′s. Technically beautiful but grossly unappeciated then, and rapidly becoming indifferent now. As always, 35mm film qulaity is the best protectant. 70mm to be sure!

]]> By: Jason Stelzel http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/#comment-11 Jason Stelzel Mon, 14 Feb 2005 23:38:10 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=6#comment-11 Any word on an expected delivery date for "Set 3"? Any word on an expected delivery date for “Set 3″?

]]> By: Nick Meyers http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/#comment-9 Nick Meyers Mon, 14 Feb 2005 22:01:06 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=6#comment-9 Jason, i'd say that realistically, each shot will have it's own requirements, and to get the best results, you'll have to work on a case-by-case basis. this is what happens (or should happen) when film makers go the other way, and reduce their widescreen format for 4/3 television. Jason,
i’d say that realistically, each shot will have it’s own requirements, and to get the best results, you’ll have to work on a case-by-case basis.
this is what happens (or should happen) when film makers go the other way, and reduce their widescreen format for 4/3 television.

]]> By: Nick Meyers http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/#comment-8 Nick Meyers Mon, 14 Feb 2005 21:56:25 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=6#comment-8 adding to josh's comment, my sony widescreet (crt) cals it "smart" mode. but as well as doing the edge stretch, it blows it up a fraction, too. (it's the same blow as 14/9.) TV shows, with their "looser" or dare i say "blander" composition look pretty good with this setting. i'd be surprised if most TVs didnt have this mode, and cant figure out why the bar owners havent figured it out yet movies that have already been pan&scanned suffer, and one cant help but feel a sense of claustophibia watching them in this mode. i feel more cimfortable taking them back down to 4/3, and i can kind of "sense" the rest of the composition in the black pillar-box areas Graeme Nattress was developing a plugin for FCP that did the edge stretch thing, too, and i guess it'll come out with his "Set3" when it's ready. adding to josh’s comment,
my sony widescreet (crt) cals it “smart” mode.
but as well as doing the edge stretch, it blows it up a fraction, too. (it’s the same blow as 14/9.)
TV shows, with their “looser” or dare i say “blander” composition look pretty good with this setting.
i’d be surprised if most TVs didnt have this mode, and cant figure out why the bar owners havent figured it out yet
movies that have already been pan&scanned suffer, and one cant help but feel a sense of claustophibia watching them in this mode. i feel more cimfortable taking them back down to 4/3, and i can kind of “sense” the rest of the composition in the black pillar-box areas

Graeme Nattress was developing a plugin for FCP that did the edge stretch thing, too, and i guess it’ll come out with his “Set3″ when it’s ready.

]]> By: Jason Stelzel http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/#comment-7 Jason Stelzel Mon, 14 Feb 2005 21:47:06 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=6#comment-7 Has anyone done a blow-up of 4:3 (with top/bottom cropping) that was intended for theatrical delivery (i.e. converted to film) and how satisfied was the client? I'm faced with having to deal with this and I'm not sure how to proceed. I'm wondering if a hybrid approach might be best where I blow it up halfway on both axes and then stretch it horizontally for the remainder so I'm not cropping as much and not distorting as much either (given that so few people seem to notice horizontal stretch, reducing the need for it should be even better plus not having to crop so much makes recomposition easier). Has anyone done a blow-up of 4:3 (with top/bottom cropping) that was intended for theatrical delivery (i.e. converted to film) and how satisfied was the client? I’m faced with having to deal with this and I’m not sure how to proceed. I’m wondering if a hybrid approach might be best where I blow it up halfway on both axes and then stretch it horizontally for the remainder so I’m not cropping as much and not distorting as much either (given that so few people seem to notice horizontal stretch, reducing the need for it should be even better plus not having to crop so much makes recomposition easier).

]]> By: Josh http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/169-from-43-you-cant-get-there-from-here/#comment-6 Josh Mon, 14 Feb 2005 21:18:39 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=6#comment-6 Our plasma has a "justified" option which keeps the center quarter of the picture unaffected then progressively (and logarithmically) stretches the picture so that the edges are very stretched. In shots where the subject is near the center of the screen and elements in the periphery of the frame are out of focus or otherwise non-descript, this approach works surprising well. When someone's head nears the edge of the frame, it makes them look like they are approaching light speed. Our plasma has a “justified” option which keeps the center quarter of the picture unaffected then progressively (and logarithmically) stretches the picture so that the edges are very stretched.

In shots where the subject is near the center of the screen and elements in the periphery of the frame are out of focus or otherwise non-descript, this approach works surprising well. When someone’s head nears the edge of the frame, it makes them look like they are approaching light speed.

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