Tech Specs

How to Prepare JPEG Files for the FSU-TV3 Message Board:

The FSU-TV3 Message Board Audience
Designing a message board is like designing for a billboard on the freeway. You have to get your message across in the few seconds as they are viewing the screen. Like drivers of cars, they are not likely to stop for an in depth read. You have to assume you have got to get you message across in mere seconds.

Static boards show for 10 seconds. Considerations for content:

• Vital information should be persistent on the screen: When, Where, Who, What etc…

Keep content to the essentials. The FSU-TV3 audience is not going to want to read a lot detail. Provide a web address, email or phone number for more detail. The audience will follow up if interested.

Designing for the Television Format
Designing for the NTSC television format is different than designing for print or web publishing. Television has a lower resolution, color range, and a smaller display area than print or web. In this document we will cover margins, backgrounds, color palette, and fonts.

Size and Margins:
The format size for our purposes is in pixels 775w x 475h (aprox 10.5 inches wide X 6.5 inches high).

Your file must be a .jpg or .jpeg and the size MUST BE smaller than 300K to upload.

Background:
Use the following guidelines:

• Don’t over power you background.
• Be conservative with your use of screened images.
• Remember this is not a static page, the boards rotate every 10 seconds, and so viewers don’t have the time or inclination to try to decipher the announcement.

Use the following link to pick TV safe colors: www.harrold.org/rfhextra/colors.html

Copyright: Bob Harrold

Use the following link to find out more about color and TV broadcast:
www.its.washington.edu/trafchan/colors.html

Fonts:
TV does not display tiny, fragile fonts well. When designing a board keep in mind that you need fonts with substance and clarity. San-Serifs work best on the screen. You can use a Serif font if has heavy thick serifs that won’t disappear on the screen.

Size is also a factor. You want a font that is at least 20pts or larger. If you use a thin or script font make sure it is large enough to be readable.