User Manual

Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports

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Preventing a Spatial Field Mismatch on Import

The following table shows the proper spatial field position for each of the common interlaced

video formats in Avid editing applications.

In the following table, Odd Field or Even Field specifies whether the temporally first field in the

frame has the odd or even numbered lines, starting from 1.

Graphics applications such as Adobe After Effects let you select either spatial relation for the

fields when you render a sequence of interlaced fields. Use the settings in the preceding table to

ensure that the import is correct.

If the spatial positions of the two fields are reversed (for example, the upper field should be a

lower field), your Avid editing application cannot complete the import without correcting the

spatial relationship. In this spatial mismatch situation, Avid applications convert the upper field

to a lower field by deleting the top line of the upper field and replicating the bottom line. The

field is thus converted to a lower field relative to the other field.

When you export to DVD for TV playback, Avid recommends that you transcode any clips that do

not match the field ordering of the majority of the clips. If you do not do this, the field ordering is

reversed during playback.

Spatial Field Relationship on Export

The default export operation is automatically carried out as shown in the preceding table. The

fields are properly interleaved in the export frames (one frame per file).

If your Avid editing application corrects an import with a spatial mismatch as described in the

preceding section, you might want to prevent a shift up or down by a line when you export. The

Export Settings dialog box lets you select the spatial arrangement that is the opposite of what is

otherwise recommended. You should rarely need to use this option.

Avid Video Format

Upper/Lower Field Spatial

Setting

Field Setting for Import and

Export

AVR NTSC Upper field is first. Odd Field

AVR PAL Upper field is first. Odd Field

Other NTSC Lower field is first. Even Field

Other PAL Upper field is first. Odd Field