PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

Monglane

Monglane

Well-known member
Hi all,

I read somewhere that a PAL widescreen setup is 1024 x 576 pixels, could anyone please confirm that ?

I'm asking because I want to create a Flash animation and I need to know the exact dimensions to use in Flash. 1024 x 576 sounds approximately right (16:9) but I'd like to be sure.

Thanks a lot in advance !
 
Re: PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

Monglane,
You're right. Go ahead!
1024 X 576 px for Widescreen is fine

regards,
Julien
 
Re: PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

PAL widescreen DV video is 720 x 576. All PAL DV video is 720 x 756. It just gets interpreted by the TV to display the pixels as wide rather than tall.

For computer animation purposes you could work in square pixels at 1024x576, but when you go to put it out to a television it'll need to be squeezed down to 720x576.
 
Re: PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

Julien and Barry, thanks for your answers ! ;)

Barry, I sort of figured I would again collide head-on with this square/non-square pixel issue I have trouble understanding... :-[

So, if you will, please bear with me and consider the following : (a) I will shoot in squeeze mode ; (b) I plan on using Flash to design the opening title on bluescreen ; (c) I will output to Windows Media and QuickTime, therefore the footage is destined to be viewed mainly on computer monitors *but* I may also want to output to DVD, i.e. full screen on widescreen, 16:9 TVs and automatically letterboxed by the DVD player on 4:3 TV sets.

All of the above will be in PAL format.

Now... What do I do with the $@#&% pixels ? What shape should they be ? ??? I do so hate those godforsaken creatures !!
 
Re: PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

I guess it depends on what NLE you're using. If you're using Vegas, it "knows" all about pixel aspect ratios and will compensate automatically for you.

My guess is that your flash animation should be done at 1024x576. When importing into Vegas, you'd tell it to employ a "square aspect ratio" pixel format. It will get scaled and resized to 720x576, but for video that's unavoidable. When you go to render the computer version you'll select an output template that includes square pixels, probably again at 1024x576, and that should preserve the quality of your flash animation (at the expense of stretching the video) but again, that's unavoidable, because computer monitors use square pixels and video doesn't.
 
Re: PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

Well... Shall I say it ? I edit in Premiere Pro... :-/

Should I just forget about the Flash bit and design my titles in Premiere's titler (which is quite good but not nearly as powerful as Flash) ? :'(

Say it ain't so, Barry please... (cue music)
 
Re: PAL widescreen dimensions in pixels

Well... IAL being the mean person that he is ;), I got tired of waiting and went ahead with my 1024 x 576... and bingo ! It worked. Those are indeed the exact pixel dimensions of 16:9 PAL.

As for the square/non square pixel thing, I've given up on it for the moment (I'm out of aspirin) but I'll be sure to get back to it with a new thread in "Technical"... ;D
 
Monglane,

How did your project eventuate?
Do you have any valuable information to pass on?
I am interested in producing similar projects using animation and digital stills in a pal 16:9 ratio.
The information from this old thread was very helpful, cheers.
 
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