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Source Mask and DVD Letterbox black levels
I have a 16:9 short that was re masked to a thinner aspect ratio. I’m trying to output a wide screen DVD and when the DVD player throws its letterboxing up for 4:3 monitor output, the black levels on the MPEG do not match those of the DVD letterbox. I’ve have checked within the editor and levels are correct there. I have encoded with both Sorenson Squeeze and Encore DVD both with the same results. I have also been outputting quicktime references for the renders and have been using the correct colorspace (601/701) as well as the Avid DV Codec. It almost seems that the DVD letterbox blacks are lower than the legal limit, or that the DVD player just isn’t sending video to those areas. How are Hollywood DVDs made where the aspect is often wider than 16:9 yet they display the black mask correctly on widescreen and 4:3 sets without a “stripe of black and gray” (see picture below). The MPEGS I have encoded so far have been set up 16:9 with the appropriate flags for display on both 4:3 and 16:9
Brian Dieck
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4 Replies
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Lower your black bar to 0 from 16. Also, you don’t need to stay broadcast safe for DVD, so you can use the full range.
Max
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Blu-ray producer
New York
Area4.tv -
Thanks for the response! I’m going to try that right now and see what I get. I didn’t realize I could go above or below safe with DVDs.
Brian Dieck
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On that same subject, does this mean that I should send RGB levels out to encode in Sorenson Squeeze, and not 601/701?
Brian Dieck
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I exported and encoded an RGB QT reference instead of a 601/701 one, and now the colors and black levels are all correct. I did this because I couldn’t lower the black of the mask in avid any further, it was dropped all the way.
Brian Dieck
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