huge problem to get color match between mov avi tv etc...

hitcher

hitcher

Member
hi,
I've got a huge problem:

when I do a render of my footage, I can't get an exact match of what I've got in the preview window in vegas.

mov: nearly the same (a little brighter)
wmv: a little darker
avi and mpeg: really darker and more saturate.
TV external preview: really darker, more saturate and more green.

But... if I import the rendered mov, avi, mpeg, wmv in vegas timeline, they look all the same in the preview window :shocked:
So I suppose differences are made by the differents players.

I tried to open the same file with differents players at the same time (avi, mpeg) and I found a strange thing: if you open the same file in differents programs (windows media, BS player, Zoom player etc...) then without closing the first player you open the same file in a second player, every time, the first player is darker than the second! (try it!) no mather which is the first (I think it's an overlay issue)

So, how to do color correction in vegas, if renders looks so different between avi, mov or mpeg?

And more important : if I make a DVD, how to get colors accurate if users play it on a TV or from a PC with projector display or monitor?

Is the only solution is to make a internet version, then a DVD version for TV users, then a DVD version for PC users?

Please tell me not! there must be a simple solution :undecided

Thanks for your help.
 
What version of vegas are you using. I have not noticed this problem but I have not looked for it.

I will run a few tests to see if I see the same thing. I am currently running with vegas 6c.
 
Ok, Test complete.

The Test:

I tested mov, wmv, avi, mpg renders in Vegas 6c. All rendered with the NTSC 24p default settings all the exact same footage. Original footage was NTSC 24pa in an 24p time line. I opened each file in different windows and paused the footage at the exact same spot in random parts of the video stream and visually compared.

Results:
Mov vs wmv = wmv was ever so slightly darker in the darker colors, blacks, blue
Mov vs avi = avi was a little more darker than the wmv
Mov vs mpg = mpg was slightly darker in the darker colors, blacks blue

I then brought all 4 files into vegas on top of each other and muted the tracks to do a 1 to 1 comparison. All coloring was identical. So the files are not darker or lighter. It must be introduced by the media player.

Conclusion:
Windows media player appears to be introducing the darkness in playback.
Quicktime 7 player appears to be lightning the video playback.

Findings:
Mov files were brighter than the original veg output window

wmv were ever so slightly darker in the dark colors than the original veg output window

Avi was noticably darker than the original

mpg was ever so slightly darker in the dark colors than the original veg output window

Solution:
Remember this during color correction and adjust to file type and taste.
 
Well I learned something! Didn't you?

I am not too overly concerned about my findings. But I will change my color correcting to suit the type of file I will be outputting from now on.

Strange that I never noticed this myself.

I will have to say the the darkness is ever so slight and only noticable when doing a side to side comparison.

But what you stated above is what I have been doing for years.
Color correct for TV, Color correct for internet. I just have 2 or 3 veg files for each project with different color correction. Color correction is always the last thing I do anyway.
 
Thanks Hartstudio.

My results are between players and vegas preview window.

But I also tried to open the same file simultaneous in differents players, and notice the phenomen I decribed earlier (first program is darker, always) did you notice it too?
 
Sounds to me like he noticed it, based on his post(s). Hartstudio's answered your Q's on the CC (light/dark) issues.

As far as TV's, everyone's will be different ... you can't control that. Just edit to the masses, but you'll always have a few TV's that are whacked or tinted incorrectly, or too dark/light, etc.
 
Yes, as I stated in my post, I confirmed what you see.

I compared both, vegas preview, quicktime and Microshaft media player at the same time.

In Vegas all forms of media show identical, same color, brightness and contrast.

Media player shows dark video compared to vegas preview.

Quicktime shows brighter than the vegas preview.

I think you will see different results with a different media player.
 
I made a CC preset to apply to get nearly the same picture as the vegas preview in all renders. (so no more big differences between vegas and avi mpeg etc...)
This render is usefull to "calibrate" the vegas preview window.
It should be applied in vegas before making any other CC, then it must be removed for all renders (except mov).

in color corrector set:
-high: angle: 102.3
magnitude: 0.365
(low and mid at 0)

-saturation: 1.333
-gain: 1.164
-gamma: 1
-offset: -33.0

with this preset, my avi, mpeg are matching the preview. WMV are a little clear.
For mov, keep this preset for rendering.

If you can try this on your computer, and confirm the results, it will be great.
Thanks
 
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