Playback quality in QT

[Peter]

When I create an mp4 using Squeeze (12000 mbps) and I open that file in both VLC and Qucktime, they look so different. VLC looks close to what it should but QT is washed out and lighter. Any idea why? I've attached a screen shot from each player.

[Nicolas Hanson]

This is because QT is confused whether the clip is data range (1-255) or video range (16-235), and in this case it treats it as video range with liftet blacks. That's how QT is and yes we all hate it. 

Edited October 28, 2017 by Nicolas Hanson

[Peter]

Makes sense. Thanks for the info.

[Orash Rahnema]

On 10/28/2017 at 11:19 AM, Nicolas Hanson said:

This is because QT is confused whether the clip is data range (1-255) or video range (16-235), and in this case it treats it as video range with liftet blacks. That's how QT is and yes we all hate it. 

something I've never understood of this behaviour:

If one grade on legal level project, with a legal level display and output a prores 422HQ or an h264 which is legal, why QT stills lift blacks? (sometimes at least) does it get confused and operate some sort of double transform?

Is there a way to get around this problem?

When you send files over to client remotely, do you suggest which player to use? and if that so, which one?

[Nicolas Hanson]

The QT-player interprets all play outs randomly and you can't influence it by adding metadata or other attributes to your files. I have even seen the player change from data to video and the other way around simply by moving the player window to my other computer screen. Don't trust QT, it's a joke and that's the way it is and going to be. 

Your clients will most likely continue watching their films in the QT-player so you just need to accept that it behaves that way.

Vimeo, VLC, WMP and most of the other apps will pay attention to your attributes but QT will not.

 

[Orash Rahnema]

ok cool!

I have taken the habit to send vimeo links, at least that something i can control. still the problem is that also the browser color manage, so it change is seen in chrome or safari for example.

oh well, I don't think all this will be change anytime soon, so i guess we'll have to find a way to work around it.

[Nicolas Hanson]

Different browsers, players and devices will always be around. Trust your grading monitor and let whatever happens with your files out there happen. Nothing you can control, so learn to live with it.

[Peter]

I always tell the client to view the videos in VLC.

[Stef Colosi]

I find QT is trying to do some colour management based on your display profile (which is why it shifts as you move the player to another screen), but as you say, it always looks different to the grading monitor and even to Resolve's Gui player which I set to use the mac's display profile.

You will also see it in Safari which trys to colour manage versus Chrome which does not.

I've recently been trying out IINA as an alternative to VLC. Seems to make use of hardware better and can even cope with UHD HDR HEVC on a 2009 Mac Pro tower, something I've not seen any other player come close to playing on "legacy" hardware.

[Mike Leisegang]

Just my opinion, VLC player to complicated. Puts millions of files on the system.

In the old days MPEG Streamclip was great for HD. ( Nice and basic and did the job well)

There are good players you pay for and are accurate but not everyone has them.

I prefer MPV player, matches Vimeo nicely and an iPad quite well. ( No calibrated monitor, use an iPad, the closest you'l get.)

The art is to use a Codec type that reflects full range then to tweak your playouts so they look

good in the player they will be most destined to be played with.. I normally match my playouts-uploads to

Vimeo bck to my Masters on the system playing each side by side on their own accurately calibrated monitor, a must.

 

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