Simple playback problem: washed out colors

[Michael Phillips]

In MC 8.3 you can set up different color spaces for internal source, record, and full screen monitor (except pop-ups). In all versions previous to 8.3, the GUI monitors in MC could not be trusted for any real color viewing.

Michael

[Benjamin Steiner]

Are you referring to Settings > Full screen playback > “Expand luminance for computer displays” ?

This changes nothing at all for me. And I would like to have correct colors also out of full screen, in the usual GUI monitors.

Thanks.

[Michael Phillips]

No, it is not that expand luminance, and that has been hit or miss in the last few versions. v8.3 added specific color space settings that include full range, and 2020 in addition to 709. Right-click one of the source/record monitors and you will find it with the target mask selection.

Michael

[Benjamin Steiner]

Thanks, selecting “Rec709 full range” instead of Rec709 goes in the right direction (there is no Rec 2020 by the way, only DCI P3) but the colors are still not as vibrant/saturated as when I play the MXF file in a video player (MPC).

All the following give the exact same colors:
– MXF in MPC
– H264 converted from MXF in MPC
– H264 converted from MXF in Windows Media Player

Somehow the Avid player still washed colors out.

[Shane Ross]

The Avid interface…the PREVIEW and PROGRAM monitors…are not color accurate. They aren’t designed to be color accurate. They are there to show you what you are doing, that’s it. They are actually washed out more than normal so that you can see details in shadows.

If you want color accuracy you’ll need an Input/Output device from someone like AJA or Blackmagic design…and an HDTV.

Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Robert Ober]

If you want color accuracy you’ll need an Input/Output device from someone like AJA or Blackmagic design…and an HDTV.

Our buddy Shane must be having a bad day. He did not mean HDTV. He meant a color accurate and calibrated monitor.

Color correction/grading software like Resolve do not use the computer/monitors ICC profile and send an accurate signal through a video output device to a SDI or HDMI monitor. SDI monitors are generally more expensive and more accurate. There are some pretty good HDMI monitors such as my EIZO CX271.

And of course if three things match and one does not, it could mean the three are wrong and the one is right. Maybe or maybe not in this case.

Happy Editing,
Robert

[Shane Ross]

Well…not everyone is cutting for broadcast, so they don’t need to shell out the $2500+ for a broadcast monitor. They are just grading for the web, or DVD or BluRay, and need something that’s more accurate than the Avid interface. And you can balance an HDTV decently. No, it’s not “high end,” but it is within the means and needs of most.

Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def