Pixel aspect ratio basics explained

Posted on May 29, 2008 in Editing | 1 Comment

720×480, 640×480, 1920×1080… what is the significance behind these and other aspect ratios? This Artbeats PDF document presents a straightforward introduction to the significance of video aspect ratios, and how video differs when presented on computer screens and televisions, and captured on camcorders. Unfortunately, knowing a lot of these tedious factoids becomes invaluable when working with different format (SD vs. HD, NTSC vs. PAL) video. There’s no such thing as a universal pixel aspect ratio, and learning the differences between formats will give you a better understanding of exactly how video is displayed.

Aspect_Ratio_1.pdf (1.6 MB)