User Manual

Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files
1454
Preparing Graphics Files for Import
Your Avid editing application can import graphics files that have a wide range of specifications.
If necessary, you can make adjustments during the import process. However, graphics files that
conform to basic specifications make the import process easier and more efficient. The following
table summarizes the requirements for graphics files that you import into your Avid editing
application.
TIFF (.tif) 8-bit color-mapped;
8-bit or 16-bit grayscale;
24- and 48-bit color;
24-bit color plus 8-bit alpha;
36-bit color plus 12-bit alpha;
42-bit color plus 14-bit alpha;
48-bit color plus 16-bit alpha
Yes Multichannel (greater than four channels)
files, Group 3-compressed (fax) files,
CMYK files with extra channels and
JPEG-compressed files are not supported.
Four-channel files from Avid Matador
™
are
imported as three-channel files.
Wavefront (.rla) 32-bit and 64-bit Yes
XWindows (.xwd) 1-, 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, 24-, and 32-bit No
YUV (.yuv) 24-bit No Pixel aspect information (based on the video
format) saves with image data.
When importing, select Force to Fit Screen.
Format and
Default File
Name Extension Bit Depth Support
Alpha
Channel
Support Notes
Aspect Requirement Notes
Frame size
(4:3)
Square pixels:
648 x 486 (NTSC)
640 x 480 (NTSC DV)
768 x 576 (PAL)
These are the preferred sizes for NTSC and PAL. You can also use
720 x 540, in some situations, for both NTSC and PAL. Your Avid
editing application stores these as non-square pixels. For more
information, see “Frame Size for Imported Graphics” on page 1456.
Frame size
(16:9)
Square pixels:
864 x 486 (NTSC
anamorphic)
1024 x 576 (PAL
anamorphic)
1280 x 720 (HD)
1920 x 1080 (HD)
Preferred sizes. SD media is stored by your Avid editing application
as non-square pixels.
Alpha channel White foreground
(transparent), black
background (opaque)
This is the standard for graphics, animation, and compositing
packages. The graphics must have the alpha channel inverted on
import.