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CHAPTER 5: What to Expect from Converted Computer Images
We have included this section to give you some insight into what you can
and should expect computer images to look like once they are converted
to standard video. People are sometimes surprised that computer images
converted to video do not look as sharp and vivid as they do on the computer
monitor. Although this might be somewhat disappointing, it should come as
no surprise.
Color TV and video monitors, and the conventional video standards they
use (NTSC and PAL), have been with us since the 1940s and 50s. When
high-resolution computer-graphics standards such as VGA and Mac II
were introduced less than a decade ago, new display technologies had been
developed to achieve higher detail and sharper colors. But, although many
design improvements have been made to TV monitors and VCRs, they are
still limited to basic technologies that are 40 years old.
Scan converters like the ProVideo Converter and Video Converter II were
created to bridge the gap between the dissimilar standards of computer video
and conventional video equipment. They work, but the trade-off in the
process is that you are taking computer images whose sharpness and detail are
clearly visible on today’s monitors and displaying them on TVs, or recording
them on VCRs, that can’t do them justice. But all is not lost. There are a few
things you can do to get the best image possible on your TV/monitor or
recorded on videotape. The tips that follow will all contribute to improved
quality of your display and VCR recording.
• In the world of video, black, white, and all the shades of gray are not
processed the same way as “real colors.” TVs and VCRs process these
shades with a minimum of distortion. When it’s possible, consider using
grayscale images, because they’ll be much sharper than the equivalent
colored images.
• The “Christmas Effect” occurs with computer images created by artists
who really like the green and red color combination. Nothing looks worse
on a TV. Try to avoid saturated colors.
5. What to Expect from Converted
Computer Images