- OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Until High Definition television sets and HD signals are present in a significant majority of households in the US, the television industry must continue to provide content for two different screen formats: 16:9 High Definition (HD) and 4:3 Standard Definition (SD).
AICE recommends that all commercial production be designed, shot, edited and finished in 16:9 High Definition. All other deliverables can be generated from a 16:9 HD master with no loss of quality. These principles apply to projects shot on film, video or digital media.
AICE also recommends that broadcasters create letterboxed and NOT center cut SD 4:3 versions from 16:9 content just as the feature film industry does with DVD releases. This would ensure that identical content is displayed on both 16:9 and 4:3 television sets and would eliminate the 25% picture loss in an 4:3 SD center cut version.
With careful planning and cooperation in this interim dual-format period, workflow can be made more efficient and will help reduce the confusion, uncertainty and potential costliness of finishing commercials.
THE DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION
The transition to the all-digital over-the-air broadcast system went into effect on June 12, 2009. The switch has nothing to do with High Definition, Standard Definition, 16:9 or 4:3. It simply means that only those who receive television signals over-the-air with set top or roof top antennas, will need to either purchase a new set top box or purchase a new television set with built in digital tuner. Those with cable and satellite services are not likely to be affected at all.
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