Choosing Format Options

When you create a Composite, Text, or Particles branch (or solid footage), you can use one of several common formats or create a custom format that meets your requirements.

You should select a format option to match the output parameters you need to achieve. The following standard format options are available.

Format:	Description:
NTSC	Frame size: 640 x 480 Frame aspect ratio: 4:3 (1.333) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 29.97 fps Field order: upper first
NTSC Full	Frame size: 648 x 486 Frame aspect ratio: 4:3 (1.333) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 29.97 fps Field order: upper first
NTSC DV	Frame size: 720 x 480 Frame aspect ratio: 3:2 (1.350) Pixel aspect ratio: 0.9 Frame rate: 29.97 fps Field order: lower first
NTSC D1 Discreet edit NTSC	Frame size: 720 x 486 Frame aspect ratio: 4:3 (1.333) Pixel aspect ratio: 0.9 Frame rate: 29.97 fps Field order: lower first
NTSC D1 (Anamorphic 16:9)	Frame size: 720 x 486 Frame asp. ratio: 16:9 (1.778) Pixel aspect ratio: 1.2 Frame rate: 29.97 fps Field order: lower first
PAL	Frame size: 768 x 576 Frame aspect ratio: 4:3 (1.333) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 25 fps Field order: upper first
PAL DV	Frame size: 720 x 576 Frame aspect ratio: 5:4 (1.25) Pixel aspect ratio: 1.067 Frame rate: 25 fps Field order: lower first
PAL D1 Discreet edit PAL	Frame size: 720 x 576 Frame aspect ratio: 4:3 (1.333) Pixel aspect ratio: 1.067 Frame rate: 25 fps Field order: upper first
PAL D1 (Anamorphic 16:9)	Frame size: 720 x 576 Frame asp. ratio: 16:9 (1.777) Pixel aspect ratio: 1.422 Frame rate: 25 fps Field order: upper first
HDTV 720/30p	Frame size: 1280 x 720 Frame asp. ratio: 16:9 (1.778) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 30 fps Field order: no fields
HDTV 1080/24p	Frame size: 1920 x 1080 Frame asp. ratio: 16:9 (1.778) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 24 fps Field order: no fields
Film Full Aperture	Frame size: 2048 x 1556 Frame aspect ratio: 512:389 (1.316) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 24 fps Field order: no fields
Cinemascope (Anamorphic)	Frame size: 1828 x 1556 Frame aspect ratio: 457:389 (2.350) Pixel aspect ratio: 2 Frame rate: 24 fps Field order: no fields
Academy Aperture Cineon Full	Frame size: 3656 x 2664 Frame aspect ratio: 457:333 (1.372) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 24 fps Field order: no fields
Academy Aperture Cineon Half	Frame size: 1828 x 1332 Frame aspect ratio: 457:333 (1.372) Pixel aspect ratio: 1 Frame rate: 24 fps Field order: no fields

Customizing Format Settings

You can create a custom format instead of using one of the standard formats listed previously. Use the Custom format option to set exact values for frame size (and thereby frame aspect ratio), pixel aspect ratio, frame rate, and field order.

Note: You cannot save your settings as a preset; you only use it as you make solid footage or a branch.

To create a custom file format:

1. Choose File | New, or press Ctrl+N (Windows) or Command+N (Macintosh).

The New dialog appears.

2. Select Custom from the Format Options list.

Additional options appear under the Format Options heading.



3. Enter a width and height in the corresponding fields.
4. To set the pixel aspect ratio, select a standard ratio from the list, or enter a value in the Pixel Aspect Ratio field.
5. To set the frame rate, select a standard rate from the list, or enter a value in the Frame Rate field.
6. To specify the field order, click one of the Fields buttons.
7. Continue by selecting what you want to create from the Type list (a Composite, Paint, Text, or Particles operator, or solid footage), and setting the additional properties that appear.

These properties do not belong to the custom format: duration, bit depth, and color (and mode for composites).

8. Click OK.

Aspect Ratio

If you select a format with non-square pixels, you can later view the operator with or without the aspect ratio. Because computer monitors use square pixels, many standard output formats look "squashed" on-screen. By enabling Use Aspect Ratio (in the Window menu), images in a viewport are scaled so that you can see what your output looks like with the correct aspect ratio.

Note: When enabling Use Aspect Ratio, make sure the Pixel Aspect Ratio for the Footage operator matches the aspect ratio of the source footage. For example, if you import PAL Anamorphic footage into a PAL resolution composite, show the Footage Controls panel for the footage and make sure the Pixel Aspect Ratio is set to 1.42 in the Source controls.