Re: [Avid-L2] Quicklimes with wrong levels flags.

Thanks Marianna for all the great info.

As you surmised, upgrade is not possible at this time, till they upgrade their infrastructure (Storage and CPUs).  It's on the list, but not yet.

I am sorry I went dark on this thread for a couple days, been doing further testing.

The real problem is that there is some finger pointing happening between post and color houses.

While we are producing files with the correct data levels, it's the flags that are at issue.

We all know that it is a simple toggle in Resolve, Nucoda and even coming back into AVID (if you AMA first) to correct the levels flags in the source file, but "technically" old media composer is sending a file that can cause confusion.

Yes, DPX are slow on old Media Composer, and really huge when you start sending files between facilities.

On Media Composer 8.8.5 I have also noticed that levels shift on Aja i/o when switching between RGB 709 and YCbCr 709, in HD projects.  I don't have the capability to check levels in UHD on these systems.  I realize that the i/o appliance can also be a possible variable. I recall that back in the day when I was using this version of software at a house that had both old Nitris i/o and newer Avid branded Blackmagic Design i/o that we had several strange bugs with video and audio sync, depending on which i/o the system used.

There is also a strange relationship between the export settings on this version of Media Composer, and the Custom module.  I have seen that the Media Composer settings can be affected by the last thing you set in the "custom" settings with QuickTime.  For example, if the last export you did with QuickTime had a particular aspect/size or gamma setting, even though you have other saved settings with different values, you have to check the "custom" panel, as it can "hold on to" settings from other exports.  It can also keep incongruous settings (e.g. making a new setting with UHD raster, but if Size in the custom panel last used 1080p, you will get a file 1080p in size).  The only truly safe settings are the ones where you use the "current" setting.  This Custom module looks like it's just a call to the QuickTime settings when at system level.

The basic point that this all boils down to is that on older versions of Media Composer, the box "thinks" only in Legal Range.  While you can ingest full range footage (flat Log for example) Media Composer "thinks" it's legal levels.  Therefore when you export the need is to tell Media Composer not to change the levels, and then remove the flag in the file that says "Hey, this file has legal levels!".

I will check out the cinextoos, looks promising.

(Side note to Bouke, I appreciate all your feedback as well.)

Dave Hogan,

Burbank, CA

On Mar 20, 2023, at 8:30 AM, Marianna <marianna.montague@avid.com> wrote:

Hi Dave

 

Apologies as I meant to send this Friday……..

 

I ran this by Robert who works in our PM team and was a long time user before joining Avid. 

 

He had a few suggestions. 

 

The first suggestion is to upgrade, but that's probably not likely to happen.  ProRes HQ and ProRes 4:4:4:4, are treated as full range in newer MC versions and so are the DNxHR codecs.     DPX is painfully slow on older versions of MC so I get why they want to export a wrapped file.  If the file is going to color, they can flag it in color without having to re-render.  Resolve does this with a simple check box. 

 

Secondly, there are other tools similar to QT Change that handle this for the non-technical person, but they are not free.  cineXtools Meta is one of them that I trust with the metadata of a file.  https://cinextools.com  You might recognize some of the guys in the testimonial videos down at the bottom. 😊

 

There is in fact a way to export without video levels in older MC… this may help: https://community.avid.com/forums/t/196218.aspx   and.    https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/comm/AVID+-+Exporting+and+protecting+your+luminance+levels  

 

I would suggest is for you to export ProRes HQ or ProRes 4:4:4:4.  Many applications (including Resolve) had an issue with the ProRes spec in treating anything below HQ as legal range.

 

Hope that helps but if not let me know and I can deep drill it further.

 

Marianna

 

Marianna Montague
Sr. Director, Customer Experience
t +1 (978) 640-5215   |  m +1 (813) 493-6800 
marianna.montague@avid.com 

Avid | Remote - Florida
United States Of America

www.avid.com
 

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