Setting Pixel Aspect Ratio For Compositions; To Correct Pixel Aspect Ratio For Previewing; To Set The Pixel Aspect Ratio For A Composition; To Use Square-Pixel Footage For Output To D1/Dv Ntsc - Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 Manual

Setting pixel aspect ratio for compositions

While most computer monitors use square pixels, ITU-R 601 (D1) and DV video use non-square rectangular pixels.
The Pixel Aspect Ratio option compensates for the non-square pixels of D1 video format. Set the pixel aspect ratio
that corresponds to your final output format.
Note that the pixel aspect ratio is identical between D1 and DV, but there is a slight difference in composition frame
size.
In some circumstances, you may need to work on a monitor that doesn't match the pixel aspect ratio, so your working
view may not match the final output.

To correct pixel aspect ratio for previewing

❖
Click the Toggle Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction button

To set the pixel aspect ratio for a composition

Open the composition.
1
Choose Composition > Composition Settings.
2
3 Choose a ratio from the Pixel Aspect Ratio menu and click OK.

To use square-pixel footage for output to D1/DV NTSC

If you intend to create a movie for the D1 output format, choose D1 NTSC or D1 PAL. The correct pixel aspect ratio
for D1 NTSC or D1 PAL is chosen automatically when you choose the corresponding preset item.
Prepare square-pixel footage that fills the entire frame for any of the following final output formats:
1
Create and save it at a 720 x 534 frame size.
DV NTSC
Create and save it at a 720 x 540 frame size.
D1 NTSC
Create and save it at a 768 x 576 frame size.
D1/DV PAL
Import the file into After Effects.
2
3 (Optional) If your square-pixel footage was created and saved at 720 x 486 or 720 x 480, select it and choose File >
Interpret Footage > Main. Then choose Square Pixels from the Pixel Aspect Ratio menu and click OK.
Choose Composition > New Composition, and then do one of the following:
4
•
If your final output is DV, choose NTSC DV, 720 x 480 for Preset, and D1/DV NTSC (0.9) for Pixel Aspect Ratio.
•
If your final output is D1, choose NTSC D1, 720 x 486 for Preset, and D1/DV NTSC (0.9) for Pixel Aspect Ratio.
Select your other Composition settings as desired, and then click OK.
5
Add your footage to the new composition.
6
Select the layer containing the square-pixel footage and apply the Fit To Comp command: press Ctrl+Alt+F
7
(Windows) or Command+Option+F (Mac OS).
Note: If your footage was created and saved at a frame size other than those noted in step 1, skip step 6.
See also
"To set the pixel aspect ratio for imported footage" on page 98
at the bottom of the Composition panel.
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User Guide