How to render for web?

HDV and DVCProHD are 709, and I would think that XDCAM EX is as well, though I haven't researched that. I don't use Avid or XDCAM EX and can't give you any guidance on the workflow, but before you start making changes, try analyzing the results with a vector scope to make sure you're not on a wild goose chase.

If you have confirmed that the levels are actually changing, then the file you output from Avid was probably converted from 709 to 601, and I would try applying the 601 to 709 color space expansion filter to the source in Procoder to see if that gets you the expected results. If it does, figure out what needs to be done in Avid to preserve the 709 color space -- it may be a project setting, or a render setting when you create the file for Procoder.

I'll also try locating a sample XDCAM EX clip this evening when I get home so I can take a stab at it myself using Edius to figure out what's going on. If you have a original XDCAM EX file of reasonable size (< 100MB) that you want me to try, shoot me a PM of where I can find it.
 
Okay, the color levels in Avid export is 601/709 and that's the option that I chose. So I guess that means if my project is HD, which it is, then the 709 will automatically being used.
 
I looked for actual XDCAM EX samples to play with, but all the links I found were dead.

So I repeated the tests that I had previously done using WMV with QuickTime, and found that QuickTime did in fact alter the colors. I then set out to find a combination of filters that preserve the colors of the input file.

I found that applying a combination of the 601 to 709 Color Correction and Gamma Correction filters (the latter with a Gamma setting of 1.20) inside Procoder preserved the chroma and luma values of the SMPTE color bars.

If you find that this fixes your problem, you can take the QuickTime H.264 preset I posted earlier, add these two filters in the Advanced settings, and then save the entire thing as a new preset.
 
Thanks! Where do I find the 601 to 709 Color Correction and Gamma Correction in Procoder setting? I know it's in the Advance, but I'm not sure under what category or setting name.
 
Click on the Advanced button, and then go to the Video tab -- you sohuld then see a list of filters.

Filters can be applied to the source, the target, or both. In some cases it doesn't matter where you apply the filter(s), in other cases it makes a big difference. For encoding a already rendered file to QuickTime you should be able to apply it to either, though I think performance will be better if you apply it to the Target given that this is a multi-pass encode. You don't want to have to apply the corrections repeatedly with each pass over the source -- it doesn't change the result, but it does slow things down.
 
Okay, I tried all that settings in Procoder you mentioned and I still have the same problems. My next step is to try with a different project and footage and see what the result is.

On a side note. I am also having an overaly problem. Whenever I played the video in Avid, the picture color brightness looks right; however, when I pause or stop playing, the image gets darker similar to the result of the rendered file from Procoder. I'm not sure if this relates to the problem I'm having.
 
What you are experiencing is a mismatch between the gamma of your Hardware Video Overlay and your desktop gamma. The customizes Control Panel applet for your video card should let you adjust it.
 
Okay, I did try to correct the hardware video overlay problem last night. It seems to be fine for now, until I restart my computer.

Anyway, I tried giving the gamma a value of .9 and the preview window does show a lighter footage. However, after rendered, the picture is as dark as before. Not sure what went wrong. The preview window of Procoder looks fine. The window that shows the converting even looks fine. However, when playing the rendered file it looks dark again. I already tried with a different footage/source materials and still the same problem after rendering in Procoder. I post this question to Avid and Procoder site but doesn't seem like anyone know what the problem is. I have yet to post this question in the Quicktime forum though.

Again, your help is much appreciated.
 
Okay, I have concluded that the problem is Quicktime problem. However, I like to know anyone has resolved this problem or know of a good working around solution. I went back into a good QT Ref file that I did about a year back and re-render that in ProCoder and the gamma got shifted. The version I'm using is Quicktime 7.4.1.
Any other suggestion on resolving this inconsistent gamma shifting bug?
 
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