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Black levels low
All my stuff lately has been outputting with crushed black making my stuff look bad. I went to the control panel and the setting is at 7.5 IRE which is what I want(component out). So I can’t figure out what to adjust. Any help out there? Is it a problem with Final cut?
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3 Replies
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there is a new invention – it’s called a WAVEFORM MONITOR – it lets you check your levels, and observe exactly where your black is. So instead of getting those new chrome exhausts for your Harley this labor day weekend, how about renting a waveform monitor, or buying one off ebay, and checking your levels.
You see, there are too many reasons why you have crushed blacks. It could be your source tapes, it could be the way your camera is set. It could be the way your TV monitor is adjusted. SDI original source material uses 0 IRE for black, but analog material (like Beta) uses 7.5 IRE for black, so it is a common complaint when people are used to seeing their material on an analog source with 7.5 blacks, and then see it coming out of a Digi Beta SDI out, it looks darker to them, because the blacks are at 0IRE (blame SMPTE, not me, or AJA or Apple).
You say you are outputting – but you dont say to what – digi beta, Beta SP, VHS ? Many VTR’s, like DSR-45 DV decks have adjust ments for black level in their menu’s, so if you are set for 0, it’s gonna look dark and crushed.
Without a waveform monitor, it’s pretty hard to tell what is going on – especially from your description.
Bob Zelin
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And while you are at it buy a blackburst generator so Bob does not rip into you on this one also.
Any professional edit suite must use a waveform monitor to verify the signal flow and for fullfilling proper broadcast and/or delivery specifications.
Tony Salgado
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Bob, I admit I try to understand the tech aspects of editing, but its just me and my FCP alone. I too experienced crushed blacks coming out of my digibeta when digitizing SDI into the AJA. Is it that the AJA is taking the digibeta’s signal which is normally 7.5 IRE (right? or wrong?)and sending it to FCP as 0 IRE? How do I correct for that. I don’t want to boost the blacks in FCP and find out when I lay back to digibeta via AJA that I’ve now made it all washed out. Should my waveform be monitoring from the deck or from the AJA? And why not use the waveform in FCP?
I’m ready for you to rail into me now.
-Andrea
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