HDTV & Blu-ray
by Jim Zura
True or False: The FCC has mandated that by February, 2009, all broadcast television outlets in the United States will switch from analog to High-Definition Television.
False. Substitute the words “Digital Television” and you have a true statement.
What’s the difference?
Digital Television (DTV) encompasses a wide range of digital video formats (currently about 17 different varieties in regular use today) ranging in resolution from the digital version of Standard Definition (SD) to true High-Definition Television (HDTV). So, all HDTV is a type of DTV, but not all DTV qualifies as HDTV, and all HDTV is not of the same quality.
Now, there’s tons of articles on the internet that explain the different lines of resolution, interlaced vs. progressive scanning, and frame rates; so no need to be redundant. Here, we will discuss the emerging technologies as they pertain to video production. This article was written in July, 2008, and will be updated regularly as some of the marketplace variables sort themselves out.
True HDTV offers some huge improvements over the standard color TV/video signal (NTSC) that was established in the 1950’s, and still the prevailing standard today. The picture quality, detail, and contrast are significantly better, since it employs about seven times the pixels on screen. The image is natively wide-screen (16 x 9 aspect ratio, versus 4 x 3 for SD). This is a much closer match to the aspect ratio of movies shot on 35mm film. Thus, movies no longer require cropping, panning-and-scanning, or letterboxing for HDTV.
WIDESCREEN
Most movies we rent or buy on DVD and watch on our standard TV/monitors are letterboxed (the top and bottom of the picture are black strips), so the whole movie picture in its original aspect ratio appears on the screen, in a simulated widescreen. Some TV commercials and programs also use this widescreen look.
Using this technique has become somewhat popular in corporate videos, because some people feel that by emulating a “movie look,” it enhances the perceived quality. This is a subjective, creative choice, and there are different opinions. It could be argued that if the finished program will be viewed in Standard Definition 4 x 3 aspect ratio, this simulated widescreen actually cuts off seventeen percent of the picture (see diagram above).
However, if the production is shot and edited in true 16 x 9 format, and it will be viewed on a true widescreen monitor, then you will get the true widescreen. Of course, if the final product is for HDTV all the way, then shooting widescreen is the only way to go.
I recently produced a 30-minute training video that consisted of an on-camera host introducing vignettes dramatizing the right and wrong ways of making sales calls. We shot the host segments with a broadcast camera for a “TV” look, and the vignettes in simulated widescreen (with the 24p film look) to give them a different appearance, as if we’re dropping in on a movie clip, then back to our TV host.
BLU-RAY
There’s no question that HDTV has arrived and will be the standard. But at the moment, true HDTV monitors and blu-ray DVD players have not reached critical mass in homes or in the workplace, and it will be some time before they do. So as of this writing, it is recommended to produce the final product in Standard Definition and distribute on a standard DVD. (Note: any project can be shot in HDTV and converted to SD in the editing process.)
The standard DVD’s that we use today do not have the storage capacity to hold an HDTV movie, so a new format had to be created. Up until the winter of 2008, there had been a turf battle between two formats: HD-DVD and Blu-ray. The Hollywood studios had been frustrated because even copy-protected standard DVD’s became relatively easy to pirate. The Blu-ray technology became favored by Hollywood since it better addressed the piracy issue. Great for Hollywood, but an Achilles heel for corporate video.
Here at Texas Production Team, we do all of the standard DVD compression, authoring, mastering and duplication in-house, with quick turnaround time. Had HD-DVD become accepted, we’d be ready to go. However, the Blu-ray technology is geared toward high-volume manufacturing, not the smaller volume needs of corporate video.
So, lets say we have a project that we want to shoot and edit in HDTV and provide the client with copies of the finished product for distribution and viewing. What are our options?
Currently, using a Blu-ray DVD burner can produce a copy of a finished program, but does not support authoring of titles, chapters or navigation. Just a linear program, like VHS tape. To further complicate things, there are many Blu-ray players out there that will not play a duplicated DVD at all!
In the DVD world, there is a difference between duplication and replication. Duplication is what we currently do to provide DVD’s to our clients- duplicating the files on the completed master to DVD copies. Replication is done at a DVD factory, where they make a glass master and physically stamp out the copies. This method increases compatibility, but is quite costly. We have a recent quote of $25.00 per unit for 100 replicated Blu-ray DVD’s, and that did not include creating titles and chapter markers.
SO, WHERE DO WE GO?
Having said all that, we must remember that this technology is in its infancy. I well remember creating my first standard DVD, when the costs were about ten times what they are now. Right now, the whole Blu-ray push is driven by Hollywood with blinders on. What they’re not taking into consideration is the market for non-movie DVD duplication. When you think of all the videos produced every day throughout the world, from high-end corporate presentations to wedding and family videos, they’re all duplicated on DVD, and that represents phenomenally more DVD units than Hollywood produces.
So, it may be expected that the marketplace will adapt, with the compatibility of all Blu-ray players to play duplicated DVD’s, and with the prices coming down. Then we can get back to servicing our clients with affordable and standardized duplications the way we do with standard DVD’s now.
Are there other ways we can show our HDTV program besides Blu-ray? Yes, if we can define the playback environment, and to not require general distribution. Many newer computers have the hardware and software to play HDTV material. Since most corporate videos are of a shorter format, the completed program files can be written to a standard DVD, downloaded to the computer’s hard drive, and played back.
If the computer has an external HDTV output, it can be viewed on a proper HDTV monitor. Important note: while the files for a shorter HDTV program can be written to a standard DVD, this is just utilizing the DVD as a data transfer medium. This type of DVD will not play in a Blu-ray or standard DVD player. HDTV program files can also be compressed in a variety of formats (Flash, QuickTime, Windows Media, MPEG) for viewing on or through a computer.
THE FUTURE:
Will Blu-ray become the sole media for distribution of movies and video? The Blu-ray Disc Association certainly believes that it will replace today’s standard DVD’s. As HDTV reaches critical mass, they are probably right. If compatibility, ease of authoring and duplication, and price issues are resolved, the video production industry will go with the flow.
However, even Blu-ray’s days are numbered. High-capacity memory cards are already in wide use. For example, Sony has a 16 gig card, about the size of a car-key remote, that will hold up to an hour of HDTV video. But at the cost of $850.00, it’s not ready for Blockbuster. Demand for this no-moving-parts media will go up, it will become practical to mass manufacture them, and prices will go down.
When will this solid state technology allow me to buy in bulk for a few bucks each? Right now, I can provide my clients with great quality standard DVD duplications of their programs at $4.50 each for 25-49 units. Sure hope those days aren’t coming to a close.
Technical Note: a Blu-ray DVD will hold 25GB / 50GB, compared to standard DVD 4.7GB / 8.5 GB (single layer / dual layer)
MORE INFO: If you want to read 212 pages in detail about HDTV and all that surrounds it, I recommend the book "The HD Survival Handbook". You can download it for a nominal fee (note: I'm not associated with this product, just recommending). Here's a link: http://proappstips.com/HDSurvivalHandbook/
Back to the Home Page: www.texasproductionteam.com