On Thu, 24 Oct 2002 04:26:43 GMT, "David McCall" wrote:

>If your project is DV then you should supply your images
>to Premiere at 720 X 480 (assuming NTSC). DV does
>not use square pixels, so the images should look distorted
>on the computer, but should look right when played back
>on a TV. It is often recomended that you slightly blur any
>image that contains high contrast hard edges. Hard edges
>don't work well with high compression as used in a DV codec.
>
>DV has very little color information to work with, and encoded
>video never has handled color detail worth a damn. As a result,
>basic white text on a black background will look best. Red letters
>on a blue background will look the absolute worst. Small text is
>never readable, and small colored text is even less readable.
>Take it from there. It may look OK on the computer, but it will
>likeliy look much softer when you view it as video.
>
>Back to 720 X 480. If you create text or imagery in a program
>that only understands square pixels (most paint programs), it
>will look right on the computer, but will look distorted as video.
>The work around for this is to create your graphics at 720 X 540
>and then scale them to 720 X 480 before saving them and using
>them in your video. If this doesn't look the way I described it here,
>then you have equipment that isn't properly adjusted.

I am totally mystified by this advice...;-)
If you make a graphic in 4:3 proportion
(640x480 - or, preferably, in a 2X multiple),
it will distort in the previewing of square-pixel
computer video displays (720x480, NTSC), though not
in rectangular-pixel displays, but will be correct
on video as displayed on TV. A 720x480 proportion
will result in distortion on TV. Try using a large
circle in a graphic display as a test...