DVD Studio Pro 3: In the Studio

Color Schemes

Colors have a large effect on the usability of your DVD content. High-contrast combinations with sharp edges can end up being difficult to read because television sets can't cope with the crisp edges. You'll see a shimmer around the letters.

Of course, the biggest rule here is to use NTSC-safe colors if you're headed for display on a television set. Regardless of the image (photo, menu, text, etc.), the colors shouldn't be outside the NTSC range.

Something else to remember is that NTSC displays augment the contrast in any image. You can plan ahead and keep your image a bit below whatever levels you usually use and it should come out nicely on a TV set.

With this in mind, here are a few points to keep in mind when designing color schemes:

• Stay away from bright colors. White and red in particular cause problems. NTSC white actually is closer to the RGB values of (234, 234, 234), not the (255, 255, 255) of computers. In fact, that 234 number is a good cap to use for all your colors.

• At the other end of the spectrum, too much black also is a bad thing. The low end should be (16,16,16), not (0, 0, 0).

• For text, light text on a dark background seems to be the most readable. You still can achieve the "paper feel" with dark text on a light background if you need it for your design; just use a gray or beige rather than a hard white.

Also, be sure to test everything on a television set. And use a cheap one!