What is High Definition and what isn't?

High definition is a term that is used to describe everything from monitors and cameras to recording devices lenses and post production equipment. One should be aware that the description can be honestly used to describe equipment and processes that are not necessarily the highest possible quality available. A upconverted standard def image can be called a High Definition picture. HDV format is being descibed as HD. f900 is described as a HD camcorder when in fact it records 1440x 1080 pixels not 1920x1080.

"HD" has a TV cache that Panavison and Dalsa are keen to distance themselves from for marketing reasons.

So the Genesis although partially made up of HDCf950 bits and pieces and althought it records onto HD tape is referred to as a "Digital Camera" rather than a HD camera.

What is Digital Cinema?

The term "Digital Cinema" can mean a cinema theater that has a digital projector projecting digitally acquired movies or film originated movies that have been transferred to digital.

Digital Cinema also describes the use of mini DV cameras to shoot a narrative feature that subsequently transferred to film and projected in a traditional cinema!

These are very different viewing experiences!

There is a world of difference between the resolution of a high definition camera and a minidv camera. If you have read that digital cinema looks crappy, it is because the film in question was shot on a minidv or dv camera! Well shot HD material looks great on a big screen.

Having said that Dancer in the Dark which won Palm D'Or in 2000, was shot on minidv then transferred to 35mm film in cinemascope format.

A recent ITU study group has concluded that a well projected film at a local cinema has a resolution of just 700 to 800 lines. Digital projectors already surpass this!

Pictures acquired on HDcam then projected on a Barco Dcinestar do not look "just like a big video picture." Overall it is a clean look but also has a very pleasing texture. Of course 35mm films transferred to digital and digitally projected look even better.

HDV is better than DV but still falls short of pro cameras and formats.

What is HDTV?

High definition television is a general term that describes the new types of transmission systems that are currently in use in Japan, that have recently been introduced in the USA and in Australia. There are 3 types of transmission systems in the USA, fortunately most High Definition Home TVs can decode all of these transmissions. Yes, that's right, United States broadcasting companies did not agree on a common transmission standard.

Why Shoot HD for TV in Europe when there are no HD transmissions?

Europes first HD channel began in 2004. More channels will commence in 2006.

So why shot HD now? For the same reason that some commercials and dramas are shot on 35mm and not 16mm film. The current European transmission system is good enough for the viewer to make a distinction between the (softer) 16 mm and crisp 35mm film. Similarly the viewer will notice that a HD originated program looks better than other video programs. The single technical factor is that HD has a progressive judder, just like film, which is noticeable at all resolutions.

I've seen HD originated programs airing on nasty old NTSC transmissions in the States and noticed a significant difference in quality. In 1998 I conducted a test with Snell and Wilcox. I down converted HD pictures to NTSC digibeta then standards converted it to PAL digibeta. The pictures looked better than if they had been shot on a digibeta camcorder.

As early as 2003 Sony reported 26 episodic TV series shot on HD.

For those of us who are involved in international coproductions HD is plainly the best format to use. Film aside it's as future proof as you can get.

Incidentally, Super 16 mm, unless well lit, shot and graded is widely considered too low a resolution for HD broadcasts. HD video is almost as sharp as 35mm, but is still without the exposure latitude, contrast range and obviously does not have the organic, silver halide look. US networks do not accept 16mm as a primary HD delivery format.

HD images transferred to film end up with less gate weave a very small grain structure but slightly softer than 35mm. In numerous evaluations, not even DPs producers or directors can tell the difference between HD transferred to film and 35mm.

How is HD developing in the USA?

All network Stations are Broadcasting HD over new transmitter towers. Direct TV satellite service has put its second HDTV channel on the air . Discovery Home Theater is broadcasting in HD. As with all digital signals your reception is either perfect or not there at all. There are significant problems with large areas not receiving a good enough signal to get any kind of picture. This will be eventually resolved by improvements in set top boxes and the public replacing their often pre Elvis era roof top aerials.

60 inch rear projection screens are being sold in Circuit City stores around the country.

US$7 billion has been spent building factories that make nothing but large screen HD LCD displays.

Price point is US$1500 by 2007, the year of the Chinese Olympics.

The US public is a little confused with the Digital TV catch word. Along with the transmission of HD channels has come a plethora of digital channels, some windscreen. Because the old NTSC is so low in quality the new digital standard resolution, windscreen channels are often mistaken for high Definition Television!

And in Europe?

Interestingly no such confusion exists in the UK where the recent introduction of digital transmissions has been sold to the public primarily along the lines of offering more channels and so, more choice. The UK public have already been introduced to widescreen.

This adds up to good news for European viewers as HD Transmission will have to be high quality and high bit rates to impress.