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Vegas 10 WMV bad levels-read (V9 etc. is fine)
As one would expect, and as in earlier versions of Vegas, Windows Media Video (WMV) files are rendered over the (approximately) full (0..255) levels-range by Vegas 10. However Vegas 10 (only) reads/interprets WMV files as only over the range 16..235, hence producing a “washed-out” look. Earlier versions of Vegas instead read them back over the same 0..255 range that they were rendered at.
Surely a bug.
To demonstrate the cause of the issue (try it!):
From both Vegas 9 and 10, create a project (e.g. 320×240) then insert Gradient (generated FX), and render to WMV. Then in both projects (9 & 10), insert both of the rendered WMV files in tracks below the generated FX. Finally, in each project: display the Waveform Monitor (WFM) with both of its property checkboxes clear, then use Track Solo to see each track in turn.
In both Vegas 9 and 10, the generated media itself is shown by the WFM to cover the full “PC” luma levels range, between about 0 and 255. That’s consistent with what traditionally happens in Vegas.
Now compare the WMV renders against this. In the case of Vegas 9, all tracks display about the same luma levels in the WFM. However in the case of Vegas 10 (sub-versions b or d, at least), both WMV tracks show luma levels linearly squeezed down into the Studio range, 16..235.
This demonstrates that the levels-mapping error takes place only when Vegas 10 reads WMV files, not when it writes (renders) them.
Consequence:
Consequently, in Vegas 10 (sub-versions b and d at least) (but not earlier versions of Vegas), WMV tracks look washed-out. Sure one fix is to correct the levels by applying FX. But this kind of patching-up is ugly – the levels should be read correctly by Vegas 10 in the first place. It is also destructive – essentially the levels are getting remapped (with quantization noise) twice: once by Vegas 10’s WMV mal-read and again by the applied FX. If you kept doing it (multi-generation) you’d end up with a flat grey image.
I have used WMV (and ASF) since 1998 and have mainly used Vegas versions 7 to 9 for serious videography projects delivered in WMV (amongst others), so I’ve got a reasonable experience in this area, and only Version 10 of Vegas, which I just started using following the release of the more stable 10d, has produced this issue.
The issue “bit” me when I tried to use Vegas 10’s waveform monitor for quality-checking the levels in my latest WMV. Now I know better, to only use earlier versions for that, at least until it’s fixed.
PS: I also posted this as reply to a thread from a few months ago, but subsequently realising that thread’s probably forgotten about now, I’m posting it fresh here.
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