Viewing Anamorphic Footage on 4 x 3 screen

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Level 3

509 points

Viewing Anamorphic Footage on 4 x 3 screen

I'm having an issue on my Mac Pro where the output will display a frozen image of video, then only updates once I stop the Timeline. How can I correct?

Mac Pro @ 2.66 GHz, Power Mac G5 @ 1.6 GHz, Power Mac G4 @ Dual 1.8 GHz,, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Nov 19, 2009 9:47 AM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 19, 2009 9:49 AM in response to KGD

What format are you working in? What's the 4:3 screen? How are you getting the video onto it?

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Answer 2

KGD Author

Level 3

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Nov 19, 2009 9:51 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

The 4:3 screen is the TV connected to our deck via Firewire 400; normally it just plays letterbox. It's Standard Mini DV footage shot anamorphically.

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Answer 3

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

Nov 19, 2009 9:52 AM in response to KGD

If you are sending anything other than DV out via firewire, it will only show you still images.

Unless you have FCP 6 or higher where there is the option of downconverting via software to view non DV material via firewire. It's ugly but might work.

x

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Answer 4

KGD Author

Level 3

509 points

Nov 19, 2009 9:53 AM in response to Studio X

Yep, I have FCP 6. And it is DV, not HD.

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Answer 5

Studio X

Level 7

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Nov 19, 2009 9:59 AM in response to KGD

Then make sure you are set to play out "all frames" and you have not added any strange compressor as part of the sequence preset.

x

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Answer 6

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 19, 2009 9:59 AM in response to KGD

Letterbox playback is a function of the deck output. Normally anamorphic material will not play back letterboxed on a 4:3 screen. It normally only plays back in letterbox if it's a 4:3 sequence that has anamorphic material in it.

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Answer 7

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

Nov 19, 2009 10:03 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

firewire will display a moving anamorphic DV image on a 4:3 screen. It simply will be squished.

The OP's problem is not a distorted view, but that the view won't update. Once we get the view to play properly, then we'll tell him/her to nest the 4:3 anamorphic timeline in a standard 4:3 timeline - which will create a letterboxed view - before playback.

x

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Answer 8

KGD Author

Level 3

509 points

Nov 19, 2009 10:43 AM in response to Studio X

I got it to play properly, just comes up as letterboxed; involved some tweaking on the timeline settings. I used MPEG Streamclip to extract to the anamorphic resolution from a DVD(doesn't say anamorphic - just gives 864 x 570 or something like that)... when importing into FCP as 4:3 or anamorphic, FCP asks if I want to adjust the timeline to match settings... very odd but works; mostly do standard 4:3 DV as you can guess. cudos to but, would like to mark you as solved and helpful but this web app is fussy. Thanks so much... anu additional insights are welcome.

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Answer 9

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 19, 2009 10:54 AM in response to KGD

That's not anamorphic. That's square pixel widescreen and not really DV. Because FCP is resolution independent it will make pretty much any sequence you want, even some which aren't true video formats. Don't know where you're going, but don't put this back to tape or to DVD.

All DV NTSC is 720x480 regardless of whether it's 4:3 or 16:9. The pixel aspect ratio is used to squeeze it into the frame. The pixel aspects of the two formats are different.

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Answer 10

KGD Author

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Nov 19, 2009 11:43 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

That explains it... bizarre things to get a near HD experience.

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Answer 11

KGD Author

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509 points

Nov 19, 2009 11:51 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I have had this situation before and have exported as Anamorphic w/success... what would you suggest as an alternative?

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