Dark video off DVD at DVinfo.net

Tim Bickford · December 31st, 2006, 11:44 AM

When I view my video from the P-Pro-2 timeline on my NTSC monitor (via - Canopus ADVC-100) it looks great! After I burn to DVD using Mainconcept MPEG encoder in P-Pro-2 the video looks very dark. The photos used in the video look great.

The video was shot with a Canon XL2. Most of the video was shot in the dark with an light mounted on the camera. My IRE levels acording to Color Finesse are as follows:

Two examples..

Example #1 - 5 to 60 IRE
Example #2 - 0 to 30 IRE

I'm wondering if my PC monitor and NTSC monitor are fooling me. Perhaps a encoding issue?

Any suggestions?

Christopher Lefchik · December 31st, 2006, 04:41 PM

Are you viewing the finished DVD on your PC, or on your TV? PC monitors do not display video in the same manner as a television set.

Tim Bickford · December 31st, 2006, 08:45 PM

Christopher,

I'm viewing on the TV - Several tv's. All are dark.

Bryon Akerman · December 31st, 2006, 08:51 PM

Have you calibrated your Computer monitor with your TV? Its important to throw bars up on your computer monitor and on your Television and match those as closely as possible. I have a monitor hooked up through a DV Deck hooked up to my computer, yet I still routinely check my match.

Try this and see how far apart your settings are!

Hope this Helps!

Bryon!

Christopher Lefchik · January 1st, 2007, 09:15 PM

Bryon brought up a good point, though given the differences between computer monitors and television sets I'm not sure how much good calibrating a computer monitor with NTSC color bars will do. In any case, the important question is, have you calibrated your NTSC monitor connected to your Canopus ADVC-100 with NTSC color bars?

Tim Bickford · January 2nd, 2007, 03:16 PM

Chris / Bryon

Thanks for the help.

First of all I use a commodore 1702 for an NTSC monitor. However, I can (and have) calibrated to the color bars generated on my XL2.

I took you advice and attempted to match the display of my PC monitor to my NTSC. No matter what I do the computer PC looks darker. More like what I am seeing after I burn to DVD.

Perhaps it's time for a real NTSC monitor?

Dave Stern · January 2nd, 2007, 04:44 PM

if your IRE levels only go up to 60 (or worse 30), your pic. is very dark to begin with. I am not an expert but your video looks dark based on your levels. Try using a color corrector tool to fix your IRE levels to spread them out more to get a good balanced range 0-100. (I'm a vegas user not a pp2 user so can't say which ones, but you could try a levels filter if there's one avail..brightness would also do it but everything will wash out, but at least you'll see what's happening). Not sure why the one monitor looks ok, maybe that one is calibrated too bright. Hope this helps a little..good luck!

Christopher Lefchik · January 2nd, 2007, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Bickford

First of all I use a commodore 1702 for an NTSC monitor. However, I can (and have) calibrated to the color bars generated on my XL2.

Hmm, found a photo of the back of the Commodore 1702. I notice that it has separate inputs for luma and chroma. This might be contributing to your problem. How exactly do you have the 1702 hooked up to your Canopus ADVC-100?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Bickford

I took you advice and attempted to match the display of my PC monitor to my NTSC. No matter what I do the computer PC looks darker.

Can't say I'm surprised. It's been my experience that computer CRT monitors display video darker than television sets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Bickford

Perhaps it's time for a real NTSC monitor?

It's always best to use an NTSC broadcast monitor, especially for color correction.

December 31st, 2006, 08:45 PM	#3
Tim Bickford Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 448	Christopher, I'm viewing on the TV - Several tv's. All are dark. __________________ Tim Bickford

December 31st, 2006, 08:51 PM	#4
Bryon Akerman Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 175	External monitor Have you calibrated your Computer monitor with your TV? Its important to throw bars up on your computer monitor and on your Television and match those as closely as possible. I have a monitor hooked up through a DV Deck hooked up to my computer, yet I still routinely check my match. Try this and see how far apart your settings are! Hope this Helps! Bryon! __________________ Commandment #11- "Thou shalt Render as thou goest." "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 1:7)

January 2nd, 2007, 03:16 PM	#6
Tim Bickford Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 448	Chris / Bryon Thanks for the help. First of all I use a commodore 1702 for an NTSC monitor. However, I can (and have) calibrated to the color bars generated on my XL2. I took you advice and attempted to match the display of my PC monitor to my NTSC. No matter what I do the computer PC looks darker. More like what I am seeing after I burn to DVD. Perhaps it's time for a real NTSC monitor? __________________ Tim Bickford

December 31st, 2006, 11:44 AM	#1
Tim Bickford Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 448	Dark video off DVD When I view my video from the P-Pro-2 timeline on my NTSC monitor (via - Canopus ADVC-100) it looks great! After I burn to DVD using Mainconcept MPEG encoder in P-Pro-2 the video looks very dark. The photos used in the video look great. The video was shot with a Canon XL2. Most of the video was shot in the dark with an light mounted on the camera. My IRE levels acording to Color Finesse are as follows: Two examples.. Example #1 - 5 to 60 IRE Example #2 - 0 to 30 IRE I'm wondering if my PC monitor and NTSC monitor are fooling me. Perhaps a encoding issue? Any suggestions? __________________ Tim Bickford

December 31st, 2006, 04:41 PM	#2
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Are you viewing the finished DVD on your PC, or on your TV? PC monitors do not display video in the same manner as a television set.

January 1st, 2007, 09:15 PM	#5
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Bryon brought up a good point, though given the differences between computer monitors and television sets I'm not sure how much good calibrating a computer monitor with NTSC color bars will do. In any case, the important question is, have you calibrated your NTSC monitor connected to your Canopus ADVC-100 with NTSC color bars?

January 2nd, 2007, 04:44 PM	#7
Dave Stern Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 391	if your IRE levels only go up to 60 (or worse 30), your pic. is very dark to begin with. I am not an expert but your video looks dark based on your levels. Try using a color corrector tool to fix your IRE levels to spread them out more to get a good balanced range 0-100. (I'm a vegas user not a pp2 user so can't say which ones, but you could try a levels filter if there's one avail..brightness would also do it but everything will wash out, but at least you'll see what's happening). Not sure why the one monitor looks ok, maybe that one is calibrated too bright. Hope this helps a little..good luck!