Is "Letterbox" real 16x9 aspect? NEED HELP!

[hennbot]

Just opened my HVX out of the box to shoot a 16x9 dv job tomorrow and am a little bit confused my the "letterbox" setting in dv mode. Is this real 16x9? Am I missing a real aspect ratio menu setting somewhere?

[David Jimerson]

Use "Squeeze." Letterbox just adds black bars to a 4:3 picture.

[hennbot]

Squeeze? Are you sure? Why isn't there a simple 4:3 or 16:9 option? Squeeze, to me is a manipulation of the image.

[David Jimerson]

They call it "squeeze," but it's actually full-rez 16:9. Being DV, it has to be recorded squeezed.

[hennbot]

David, thanks for the respose, but I must say I'm confused, "being dv it has to be recorded squeezed". Why squeeze DV and not HD? The client originally wanted to shoot dvx100 with the anamorphic adapter but I decided to upgrade as this job will pay for the HVX. I figured I'd shoot straight 16x9 and we'd all be happy but am I really shooting true 16x9 dv in squeeze mode?

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

the hvx200 has native 16:9. There is no squeezing about it. But you do have to squeeze or do letterbox when using dv tape. The DV tape option for HVX is a waste of space. But the dubbing is kinda cool.

[THoff]

To add to that, DV (DV25, MiniDV, whatever you want to call it) is always recorded at 720x480 for NTSC, 720x576 for PAL, regardless of the aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9) you are shooting in.

For 16:9, the only way to display the video correctly is by using non-square pixels that are wider than they are tall. When shooting, the image is essentially squeezed into square pixels, and they are unsqueezed for display.

[David Jimerson]

David, thanks for the respose, but I must say I'm confused, "being dv it has to be recorded squeezed". Why squeeze DV and not HD? The client originally wanted to shoot dvx100 with the anamorphic adapter but I decided to upgrade as this job will pay for the HVX. I figured I'd shoot straight 16x9 and we'd all be happy but am I really shooting true 16x9 dv in squeeze mode?

What's called "Squeeze" mode (and you'll see "Squ" on the LCD) is native 16x9.

But if you were to play the tape directly to a TV, it will look squeezed. Why? Because, as others have said, it's 720x480 no matter what you do. In post, you'll be fine; it'll be full-resolution. It's not the same as the DVX's Squeeze mode.

[Barry_Green]

This is a source of frustration for me when giving these seminars. The names make no sense.

For example, 4:3 mode is named "normal." What's normal about it? The HVX is a 16:9 camera with 16:9 CCDs, if anything should be called "normal" it's 16:9 mode, right? Yet the 4:3 mode is named "normal." I wish instead of "normal" they had just named it "4:3".

Then there's "squeeze" -- that's left in there as a direct reference to the DVX's menus, but it's totally misleading. It should just have been named "widescreen". To name it "squeeze" unnecessarily confuses things, I think.

But the point is, "squeeze" is true, genuine, native 16x9. It's what you want. On the DVX it meant a digital stretch, but on the HVX it's the real deal.

[hennbot]

Barry,
Thanks for the definitive answer. I started shooting a BBC doc series in rural Colorado yesterday in squeeze mode so I was glad to see confirmation that I was doing the right thing. Thanks again!

[hvx_germanboy]

Hey Hennbot, i am sure that the hvx will pay for the job!

How did you get a bbc documentary?
Id suggest you to shoot on p2 and use dvcpro 50..they will love the quality and you will when you do cc in post..!

[hennbot]

I guess you mean the job will pay for the HVX right? This job entails tons of shooting on the fly without the luxury of having a PA with a laptop etc downloading cards for me. It's just a producer, me, a couple of Kino Flo Divas, and a rental car. DV works fine for this job, there's no green screen, effects etc. Just lots of shooting. And how did I get the job? I've been at this game for about 17 years. I guess I fooled 'em again....

[DavidBeier]

Question, if I shoot "squeeze" and then take it into Avid for capture, what image size should I use? Is there a setting that tells it how to handle this footage when I make a project and catpure?

[ruplikmastik]

What's called "Squeeze" mode (and you'll see "Squ" on the LCD) is native 16x9.

But if you were to play the tape directly to a TV, it will look squeezed. Why? Because, as others have said, it's 720x480 no matter what you do. In post, you'll be fine; it'll be full-resolution. It's not the same as the DVX's Squeeze mode.
Sorry for me being a noob but I'm a bit confused. I Use EDIUS to capture directly to my laptop. 1080/25.
Everythign works fine when I tape. If I view the video in EDIUS it keeps the normal sizes. After editing and exporting if I open it with Windows Media Player it become stretched!!
Any help?

Thanks!

[Pascal_Parvex]

Sorry for me being a noob but I'm a bit confused. I Use EDIUS to capture directly to my laptop. 1080/25.
Everythign works fine when I tape. If I view the video in EDIUS it keeps the normal sizes. After editing and exporting if I open it with Windows Media Player it become stretched!!
Any help?

Thanks!

The Windows Media Player cannot handle non-square pixels if it is not DV resolution. The freeware player VLC may be supporting it.

I also use Edius, but with a NTSC-HVX, and I just bought a FireStore FS-100. But I have only tested it once, have to get used to the MXF workflow, and I don't know yet, how I can use "spanning" in Edius. I just know, that Edius supports it.

[ruplikmastik]

Cool thanks for your support!!
:) Any other info?

[Pascal_Parvex]

Cool thanks for your support!!
:) Any other info?

Well, I myself don't have much more experience yet, but ask Barry Green. Or buy his book. :)