User Manual

Resolution Groups and Image Quality
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For information on resolutions to use when importing graphics or sequences from a third-party
application, see “Frame Size for Imported Graphics” on page 1456.
Resolution Groups and Image Quality
In general, a lower compression ratio means higher image quality. However, the resolution group
itself (single-field, two-field, progressive, or uncompressed) is also a factor in the quality of the
final image.
Single-field resolutions work with smaller amounts of original image data than two-field or
progressive resolutions. They use only half the image width of two-field resolutions, and they
use only one of the two fields in the standard video signal.
For example, there is a 2:1 resolution for both single-field and two-field resolutions. In both
cases, the image data is compressed to one-half of its original size. However, the image quality of
these two resolutions is different. The single-field 2:1 resolution has lower image quality because
it processes only one-quarter of the original image data used by the two-field 2:1 resolution.
Estimating Drive Space Requirements
You should plan the use of drive volumes in advance, especially when you capture many tapes.
You need to select a resolution that provides adequate picture quality for your project. However,
you might be limited by the amount of media drive space available. Before you capture, estimate
your media drive space requirements.
To estimate media drive space requirements:
1. Use the appropriate resolution specifications table.
See “Resolution Specifications” on page 1470 and the information in your media drive
documentation to select a resolution that is compatible with the drive and striping capacity
on your system.
2. Open the Capture tool, select a resolution and target drive or drives, and note the time
remaining on the selected drives.
For more information, see “Selecting the Target Drives” on page 195.
3. Get a total duration for all the clips you plan to capture.
Use the Console and the Get Bin Info commands, as described in “Using The Console
Window” on page 115.
4. Use the estimated storage requirements table to estimate your drive space requirements
based on the resolution and the number of audio tracks.
5. Compare the gigabytes available on your drives with the storage requirements table.