Video format basics, Video standards, P. 37) – Apple Final Cut Express 4 User Manual
Page 37
Chapter 2
Video Formats
37
I
Video Format Basics
Most video formats are described by the following characteristics:
 Standard
 Image dimensions and aspect ratio
 Frame rate
 Scanning method
For a more thorough explanation of video formats, see Appendix A, “
Video Standards
A number of video standards have emerged over the years. Standard definition (SD)
video formats have been used for broadcast television from the 1950s to the present.
These include NTSC, PAL, and SECAM, regional video standards, with each used in
certain countries and regions of the world.
 NTSC (National Television Systems Committee): The television and video standard used
in most of the Americas, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.
 PAL (Phase Alternating Line): The television and video standard used in most of
Europe, Brazil, Algeria, and China.
 SECAM: A video standard that is based on PAL and used in countries such as France,
Poland, Haiti, and Vietnam. SECAM is not supported by Final Cut Express. However,
editing work is usually done in PAL and converted to SECAM for broadcasting.
Important:
When you are specifying your initial settings, make sure you choose an
Easy Setup that corresponds to your country’s video standard. (An Easy Setup is a
collection of settings that determines how Final Cut Express works with your editing
system.) For more information, see “
Opening Final Cut Express and Choosing Your
Originally, all these formats were analog. Analog video uses a signal that consists of a
constantly varying voltage level, called a waveform, that represents video and audio
information. Analog signals must be digitized, or captured, for use by Final Cut Express.
VHS and Betacam SP are both analog tape formats.
More recently, digital SD video formats were introduced, as well as digital high
definition (HD) video formats. Most consumer camcorders today record SD digital
video (such as DV), and professional cameras may record SD or HD digital video.