Scott Stacy wrote:It's still a puzzling conversation
"Data Levels" vs. "Linear Video" should not be puzzling or confusing at all... if you are looking at a numerical analysis rather than eyeballing the levels. When the observation is that it "looks a little washed out" or "contrasty and saturated"... I can guarantee there is no scope in use.
In 10-bit space, the 0-100% envelope that would define the "black" and "white" absolute limits can be defined in two ways. In non-709 RGB source media, it is correct to set the scaling to "Data", which assigns "0" black (for simplicity of explanation) to a lower threshold of "0" and 100% "white" to "1023." If you examine the render options in the Delivery page, you will see that range expressed as 4-1019, as there are bits reserved for other purposes.
HD Rec709 is scaled 0-100% from values 64-940. Think about what your image would look like if you are viewing one display scaling being interpreted (incorrectly) as the other. If you assigned "black" to be "0", but it is being displayed as "64"... it will appear to be "washed out", or conversely, if "64" is being pushed down to "0", then clipped and/or too contrasty. This also affects the
apparent saturation.
This is not a mystery at all. Display Profiles, I agree, are a total mess -- unfortunately every manufacturer thinks they are the smartest dude in the room and to hell with standards, especially those old dinosaurs at SMPTE, ITU, CCIR, and so on, and their calcified approach to display conformity. Other than the obvious result that things
used to "just work", and now they don't.
Its also sort of unfortunate that BMD didn't directly address the non-support of color management in the GUI sooner -- although the experience that Apple had with the introduction of their rebranded "COLOR" offering (formerly Silicon Color FinalTouch) should have forewarned them that there would be a stampede of users utterly dedicated to not employing conventionally-calibrated platforms. Apparently there is now a way to force a graphics display to emulate a reference monitor, but it still seems like a bad idea. Pretty easy to match the corners of RGB space, but the reality still comes down to the illuminant/phosphor emissivity characteristics of the monitor class throughout the entire gamut. Canada Dry Ginger Ale in a Dom bottle
looks the same, but... it ain't even prosecco. *pop* Happy New Year everyone!
jPo