Family Encyclopedia >> Electronics

What is framerate and how does it affect you

Framerate is an often misunderstood media specification, but it's actually quite important. A piece of content's framerate determines a number of factors on how that content is made and how it's consumed, so we'll take the time to explain that to you.

ContentsWhat is framerate? Animation (12 FPS) Film (24 FPS, sometimes adopting 48 FPS) Television (24 FPS in most cases, 60 FPS in some) Games (30+ FPS, 60+ preferred) Reality Virtual (90+ FPS) Closing Thoughts

What is framerate?

What is framerate and how does it affect you

Animation has the lowest number of frames because each frame is drawn individually, especially in the case of old-school animation.

Frames in animation are called "keyframes", and one of the characteristics of good animation is to make the animation smooth despite the low number of frames. If your own vision were limited to 12 FPS, your reflexes would break down severely and tracking moving objects would be incredibly difficult. The fact that animation can look as smooth as it does is a testament to the talent of people in this industry.

Movie (24 FPS, sometimes adopting 48 FPS)

The film starts at this frame rate because it was the standard for actual physical projection film.

However, anyone who has tried playing a game at 24 FPS can tell you that this framerate is very janky, so why is it done this way?

To put it simply:it works. The film has access to a wide variety of techniques that have only recently appeared in the game, such as high-quality motion blur that allows the viewer's brain to fill in the gaps. Perception, in this case, means that the film rarely looks weird to a viewer.

What is framerate and how does it affect you

Note :You must watch the video above at least 720p to see the difference between the two sides.

Recently, however, filmmakers like Peter Jackson and Ang Lee have sought to improve the standards of cinematic realism by shooting in 48 FPS. Reception has been somewhat mixed, but in theory a properly done 48 FPS should only increase immersion, not decrease it.

Television (24 FPS most, 60 FPS some)

While television is generally matched to the frame rate of film, some content is shot and filmed at 60 FPS. It's often called the "soap opera effect" (because low-budget TV shoots straight from video and doesn't work with real cameras), and it has mixed reception around the world. of television. Because people are used to low frame rates in video content, setting it as high as 60 FPS may feel "too smooth" or "unnatural".

Games (30+ FPS, 60+ preferred)

The framerate in games is a very controversial topic. In the old days of gaming, 60 FPS was the accepted standard. Not only did it match the maximum refresh rate of home TVs, but 60 FPS is also the lowest point at which our mind perceives the image as smooth and "glitch-free".

However, the length of the latest generation of consoles and lower development standards have led to some issues. Namely, in order to get more graphics performance on machines like the PS3 and 360, framerate standards have slowly but steadily dropped to 30 FPS on consoles.

This is problematic because the game requires a high reaction time and the perception of fluid movement. The game, unlike cinema, is interactive and techniques such as motion blur cannot be executed at a level of sophistication close to that seen on the silver screen and are arguably detrimental to the experience.

While targeting lower frames has allowed developers to squeeze more eye candy out of machines, it also hurts the playability of games, especially fast-paced, action-oriented titles. In PC circles, a low frame rate is considered much less acceptable, especially if a game is "capped" at that frame rate, meaning your system can't squeeze more performance out of it, no matter what. no matter how easy it is to perform.

What is framerate and how does it affect you

To see how high frame rates can affect your gaming experience, I highly recommend watching the video above from Super Bunnyhop.

To experience it for yourself in your browser, try this page and try tracking UFOs with your eyes.

Virtual Reality (90+ FPS)

Last but not least, the standard VR frame rate currently starts at 90. This is because anything lower than that will cause motion sickness, an unfortunate side effect of VR's currently limited technology. /P>

However, VR and gaming industry leaders believe that even higher images can and should be targeted. Currently, the most widely adopted HFR (high frame rate) standard in games is 144Hz, but the theoretical benefits go far beyond that.

Closing thoughts

These are the prevailing framerate standards of the day. I hope this article has explained to you why things are the way they are in the entertainment industry and how it might progress in virtual reality and gaming in the future!

Image Credit:Frame Rate, Keyframes