7

Pixels per Line
In digital video formats, each line is sampled a number of times. In an attempt to create
a single digital VTR that could digitize and record both NTSC and PAL signals, the ITU-R
BT.601 specification uses 720 samples per line for both NTSC and PAL video. Therefore,
a digital NTSC video frame is 720 pixels x 486 lines, and a PAL video frame is 720 pixels
x 576 lines.
HD video with 1080 lines uses 1920 pixels per line (1920 x 1080). HD video with 720 lines
uses 1280 pixels per line (1280 x 720). Both of these formats have an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Common video frame sizes are shown in the table below.
Description
Screen
aspect
ratio
Pixel
aspect
ratioHeightWidth
Used for web distribution or offline video editing.4:31:1240320
An early standard for analog-to-digital video
editing, and an ATSC video specification.
4:31:1480640
NTSC DV and DVD image dimensions. Also part of
the ATSC video specification.
4:3Height
greater
than
width
480720
1
NTSC SD video dimensions used for professional
digital formats such as Digital Betacam, D-1, and
D-5.
4:3Height
greater
than
width
486720
1
PAL SD video dimensions used for digital formats
such as Digital Betacam, D-1, and D5, as well as
DVD and DV.
4:3Width
greater
than
height
576720
1
An HD video format, capable of higher frame rates
in exchange for smaller image dimensions.
16:91:17201280
An HD video format with very high resolution.16:91:110801920
Some 720p formats (such as DVCPRO HD and HDV)
subsample 1280 pixels to 960 to minimize the data
rate.
16:94:3720960
Some 1080-line formats (such as HDV and DVCPRO
HD) subsample 1920 pixels to 1440 or even 1280
to minimize the data rate.
16:94:3
3:2
10801440
1280
1 In most video devices, only 704 or 708 pixels are actually used for picture information.
Note: For information on pixels per line and aspect ratios in digital cinema formats such
as REDCODE, see Professional Formats and Workflows, available in Final Cut Pro Help.
1900 Appendix B Video Formats