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Recording a TV screen

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ProfAnonymous

I've been searching the internet/these forums/youtube trying to find the answer, but I have had no success. I assume it is because I am not phrasing my question correctly.

I'm wondering what are the techniques to record a TV/smartphone screen to get that real life sharp image. In other words, how do you get rid of that progressive scanning that the camera catches? Do you have to use a green screen? Are there other techniques?
 
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If you want to record the actual screen without the lines moving, you need to match the refresh rate of the screen and the camera.

But most people just do a composite, it's much easier and looks way better.
 
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It's indeed in the shutter speed.

I see you live in Arizona.
This means the power outlet of the grid is 60Hz.
Changes are big your TV has a refresh rate that is 60Hz as well. However, modern TVs can have different refresh rates: 75Hz, 100Hz, whatever.

By adjusting your shutterspeed you can get rid of it.
It needs to match the refreshrate (or be a multple of it).
Just experiment and you'll see the scanning move and then stop and hopefully disappear at the right shutterspeed.

But sometimes you can adjust the refreshrate of the screen as well. (At least when hooked to a computer, AFIK)

My question to you is: at what framerate do you shoot?
The more you go away from the 1/2*fps shutter, the more stobing the rest of the image outside of the screen will look.

Another thing not to forget is the brightness of the screen compared to the environment. A TV is often a whole lot brighter. Dimming ita bit can help, so is adding lights to the scene. This way you can bring the proper exposure for the on and of screen action within the same shot closer to each other.
 
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Dreadylocks said:
Most people just do a composite, it's much easier and looks way better.
Click to expand...

When you say a composite, are you referring to overlaying a screen capture by applying a mask to the TV in post? Maybe this post belongs in the noob section :D

WalterB, thanks for explaining the refresh rate/shutter speed. That makes sense. However, I'm really looking for that really crisp image that you would see on a TV commercial. I'm assuming that is what compositing gets you?
 
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