User Guide

ADOBE PREMIERE PRO 2.0
User Guide
373
About high-definition (HD) video
High-definition video refers to any video format with higher resolution than standard-definition (SD) video formats,
such as NTSC and PAL. There are many competing HD video formats, but the most common have a resolution of
1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080, with a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9.
HD video formats include interlaced and noninterlaced varieties. Typically, the highest-resolution formats are inter-
laced at the higher frame rates, because noninterlaced video at this resolution would require a prohibitively high data
rate.
HD video formats are designated by their vertical resolution, scan mode, and frame or field rate (depending on the
scan mode). For example, 1080i60 denotes interlaced scanning of 60 interlaced 1920 x 1080 fields per second,
whereas 720p30 denotes progressive scanning of 30 noninterlaced 1280 x 720 frames per second. In both cases, the
frame rate is approximately 30 frames per second.
Each program in Adobe Production Studio (Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, and Adobe
Encore DVD) includes preset settings that are designed for working with various HD formats. Some of the most
common HD video formats you may encounter include the following:
DVCPRO HD Panasonic’s high-definition variant of its DVCPRO format, which also includes DVCPRO25 and
DVCPRO50. Whereas DVCPRO25 and DVCPRO50 support data rates of 25Mbit/s and 50Mbit/s, respectively,
DVCPRO HD supports a data rate of 100Mbit/s, from which it gets its other name, DVCPRO100.
HDCAM Sony’s high-definition version of their Digital Betacam format. A variant called HDCAM SR uses a tape
with a higher particle density to record video with greater color sampling and at higher bit rates. However, HDCAM
SR is supported by decks only, and not camcorders.
HDV Developed jointly by several companies, HDV employs a form of MPEG-2 compression to enable high-
definition video to be encoded on standard miniDV cassette media.
H.264 Also known as MPEG-4 part 10 and AV C (Advanced Video Coding), H.264 can deliver video over a range of
bitrates more efficiently than previous standards. For example, H.264 can deliver the same quality as MPEG-2 at half
the data rate. H.264 is built into the Apple QuickTime 7 multimedia architecture, and will be supported by both of
the rival next-generation DVD formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
Uncompressed HD Refers to high-definition video in an uncompressed format. Without compression to reduce the
video’s data rate, uncompressed video requires relatively fast computer processors, hard disks, and a specialized
capture device.
WM9 HDTV Microsoft’s high-definition delivery format is among numerous formats included in the Windows
Media 9 (WM9) framework. By employing an aggressive compression scheme, WM9 HDTV permits high-
definition video encoding and playback at relatively low data rates.
About web formats
Compared with other delivery media, web standards for delivering video and audio content are varied and incon-
sistent. Audiences view content over the web using a variety of software and hardware configurations that support a
wide range of data bandwidths. For this reason, there are numerous codecs designed to make video web-friendly.
With its export settings, Adobe Premiere Pro includes a number of presets that aid in formatting a movie suited for
particular audiences, according to their system’s capabilities. Many formats employ the following technologies:
Progressive downloadable video A progressive download movie can begin playing before it is completely
downloaded. The movie player software (such as QuickTime Player, Windows Media Player, or Real Player) calcu-
lates how long it will take to download the entire movie, and then begins playback once enough of the movie has
been downloaded so that it can play back uninterrupted.