If you have ever been annoyed by stretched or squished video, or if you can’t stand those black boxes that take up half your TV screen, this article explains why this happens and how you can fix it. And if you pay attention, you might pick up some pop music trivia as well.

Is it Hip 2 B []?

“In '87, Huey Lewis and the News released, Fore!, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is "Hip to be Square", a song so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it's not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself.” --  Patrick Bateman

I couldn’t agree more! It is hip to be square and conformist (just like all my friends), at least when geeking out over video standards. Especially when pondering one of my personal favorite subjects - square and rectangular pixels. The current proliferation of analog and digital video and computer formats offers little hope that anyone but the uber-geekiest among us can keep afloat in this sea of shape-shifting bits. Fortunately for us who are workin’ for a livin’ in the video world, people get it wrong all the time (even “professionals”) and need to be schooled. Improper or incomplete understanding of pixels can taint the presentation of even the most perfectly polished production. So here is an overview on this most elusive agent of confusion - I’ll try to keep it short and sweet.

Pixels are the Heart and Soul of digital video

The word pixel is a short hand term for “picture element.” In computer/digital video terms, it is the smallest bit of information that can be displayed by a computer’s graphics card or a TV’s display technology (LCD, plasma, projection, CRT, etc.). In general, more pixels equal higher resolution, which correlates to higher (potential) image quality. The number of pixels on a screen varies according to the resolution settings. For instance, if your computer display is set to a resolution of 1280x1024 (a common format known as SXGA) your computer has 1,310,720 individually addressable dots arranged in a grid with the above dimensions. Although these dots are almost too small for us to see, they combine to make the pictures you see on the screen. Even though we think of them as dots, they are actually small square points.

It should be noted that pixels generally refer to the resolution of a digital display, whereas traditional analog video resolution is defined by the number of vertical lines – 480 lines for NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) video and 576 lines for PAL (the European video standard). Although the standards reference a certain picture width that corresponds to a certain number of pixels, these are really just samples of the analog signal that are gunned onto a screen one line at a time (actually this is a simplified definition since most analog video is interlaced, meaning only half the lines are displayed at one time; but that is a blog for a different day).

Check back next week to learn more about how pixels impact video quality.

Jeff Maslouski is manager of post production and is truly capable of putting a room into a hypnotic trance with his excruciatingly precise explanations of all things technical.

Right now, the Chicago Blackhawks are in the midst of a playoff race for the first time in seven years. It’s been way too long for a hometown hockey fanatic. I’m in it for the long haul this year; I have taken on the team tradition of growing my “playoff beard,” my social life revolves around game time and my first blog entry is all about hockey (sorry, I couldn’t resist). My earliest memories are from “The Madhouse on Madison” when I was young, having to cover my ears during the National Anthem because it was so loud in the building!

High Definition Television is a critical component to the success of professional hockey in the good ‘ol US of A. On your standard TV set, the puck is hard to follow. This is an extremely fast game people, and if you’ve never watched, chances are you will get lost in the action.

Back in 1996, Fox Sports began using what is now called the FoxTrack Glow Puck. There were sensors built into the puck and the broadcast would create a light blue glow around the puck so that it was easier to follow. In theory, it was a great idea. In reality, it was annoying and a total failure. So, after two years, the glowing puck was retired. It was just one of many ideas to garner national attention to one of America’s second tier sports. Fast forward to late 2001 - the NHL signs an agreement with a new sports and entertainment channel, HDNet, to broadcast up to 65 games for the upcoming season.    

“It’s always been said we have the most exciting game in person and TV hasn’t always translated that excitement. HD television will do that,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in April 2006 as a guest on CNBC’s Wall Street Journal Show. “Not only can you see the puck more clearly, if that’s what you want to do, the wide aspect ratio lets you see more of the game and more of the speed.”

Here’s a quick statistical breakdown:

Having 1080 lines of pixels in HD as compared to 480 lines in SD makes for a significant increase in picture detail. Viewers are able to follow the puck more easily, read players’ names and numbers on their jerseys and even see their facial expressions as noses are slammed into the Plexiglas boards.  

Every NHL playoff game this year is being broadcast in “stunning High Definition” and I’d be shocked if you couldn’t observe a remarkable difference between a Standard Definition TV set and an HD one. If anything, you’ll notice more blood and teeth after fights! Sure, nothing beats sitting in the stands, screaming at opposing teams, cheering for yours and just being immersed in the emotions of a great hockey game --- but I can also feel comfortable on my couch with friends watching a game and not missing a detail.

Dave Yakir is an editor and animator who works in Quicksilver's HD-capable edit suites.