Safe Area Guide Thread

You've probably heard of me say it so many times "Safe Areas!!!"

The reason I do this is let people know about keeping their important info on graphics in a overscan safe zone:
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/8940/demo2ky.jpg

This is what overscan can do:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6876/safeareasha4id.jpg


Notice the graphics are not in the safe area especially the ticker.

Overscan can be a good/bad thing, the whole point of it is to crop the black bars and additional information like data lines to keep the TV set full at all times, but too much can be a nuisance.
Like this:
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/4084/image02lv.jpg

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4788/weather1s8xe.jpg
The Weather Network image is courtesy of here: http://scanline.ca/overscan/

Here is the safe area guides:

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/4405/aspectratioguide640x3600zi.png

[b]or



Without a safe area guide it would give the impression of a normal image rather than a TV mock, it just looks tidier and organised. The more important thing is the design and you can incorporate the safe area into it later.

Your TV looks ancient I think ive said that to you once before!

but many of the mocks here are conceptual, so it doesn't matter about safe areas. it's about the idea and execution of the mock. worrying about safe areas is unnecessary for many mockers, especially those now starting out.

You'd think so but I feel safe areas give a signfigantly better look to a mock by showing how it's look if used in a real world situation over showing how it'd look in their idealised version of overscan. It's a good standard and I'd say for it to stick to just so some form of quality control exists.

I mean, I could easily pull them down for not using broadcast safe white but I don't... I could, just don't.

You say that but they are important because the viewers on some TV's can't see the design fully or important infomation, I agree about the whole point of mocking is idea and execution, but safe areas make it watchable.

And to bbcworld2003, that TV is "new" but Zenith is bad when it comes to overscan.

I don't believe Safe Areas are completely necessary unless you are going to submit the design to the appropriate company because otherwise, once they are on page 2, the mocks will never see the light of day again. And it is just a bit of fun not to be taken too seriously or to be done absolutely professionally.

but it's a *mock*, is it not? it's never going to be seen on a tv, so does it matter?

Yes, but it shows, how your design will cater for different viewers.
But anyway, If anyone wishes to use those guides, do so.

Does anyone remember my STV mocks? They were bad! I didn't know what safe areas meant. But, I think my GMTV mocks are a big improvement. And the safe areas are perfect.

Mocks look better when you stick to the safe areas rule, as they provide a border around the edge of the image. To see some text pushed right into the corner of an image just looks awful.

This is great guide!

What do all of the black lines in the middle mean?