output display options question

dax702 · Post by **dax702** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:39 pm

I've authored a bunch of DVDs shot in 4:3 NTSC and never had any complaints about how the picture looked on a widescreen TV (I don't have a widescreen TV to see how it looks). So apparently I've been using the "as is" setting for widescreen TVs without knowing it until I realized it was there. For these DVDs I'm doing now, there is musical information which needs to be able to be read (chord grids) by the user. Should I continue with the "as is" setting? Is there a way I can see what it will look like on a widescreen TV without having a widescreen TV?
Thanks again

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:56 pm

You should be OK. A widescreen TV will show the whole 4x3 image with black bars on the sides.

However, both formats have "overscan" Some of the picture is normally cut-off on all sides. The amount of overscan vaires with every TV, but it should not be more than 10%. So, don't put the chord grids at the edge of the image... keep them inside the "safe area".

dax702 · Post by **dax702** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 6:00 pm

I kept everything within the "inner" safe area in Vegas 6 so I guess it should be ok. Just wanted to make sure the things won't get stretched or skewed in some way that they can't read them on a widescreen.. So "as is" is the best setting for "on widescreen" for 4:3 video?