Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?!

	Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Jonathan Kempe on Apr 16, 2008 at 12:04:14 pm Something is totaly wrong with the Digital Cinema Desktop Preview. I have two screens, One Standard Computer Screen (Samsung Syncmaster 214t), and one Samsung 46" LCD TV. My plan was to use the 46" for fullscreen output in AE. BUT the output is so much darker than the picture on my computer screen that its useless. You can see the picture allright but its very anoiying. This isn´t the case in finder or in Final Cut so its not a simple color setting problem between the screens. In finder and FCP-output the color and lighness on both monitors looks just the same. Does anyone know how to change the GAMMA value of the Video Preview/Digital Cinema Desktop Preview?? Is it possible? If not, anyone has an sollution to the problem. (If you have two screens, have you experienced the same problem?) (I´m running the latest everything....) Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Dave LaRonde on Apr 16, 2008 at 4:03:26 pm Adobe introduced Color Management with the release of AE8. The topic of color management is covered in AE Help. It's also covered in MUCH greater detail in an Adobe technical document entitled "Color Management Workflow in Adobe After Effects CS3". The filename is "aftereffectscs3_color_mgmt.pdf". With 30 pages or so, including handy diagrams, you ought to find the answer to your conundrum. I don't have a URL for the document. You'll have to nose around on the Adobe web site to find it. Dave LaRonde Sr. Promotion Producer KCRG-TV (ABC) Cedar Rapids, IA Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Jonathan Kempe on Apr 16, 2008 at 5:51:52 pm Thanks Dave. I read that document but there is no sullution how to make a different color profile for the "Digital Cinema Desktop" preview. So if I for instance use "HDTV (Rec.709)" as a color profile the problem is still there. The second monitor looks darker than my main monitor. (It doesnt look darker in FinalCut or osx Finder) ?Maybe its an After Effect bug? Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Dave LaRonde on Apr 16, 2008 at 6:28:08 pm Oh, NOW I get it! You're looking at your AE comps on both a computer monitor AND a TV monitor! Sorry, I need to read better. You're never going to get those monitors to match. The reason: TV monitors can only use a limited range of luminance and color values, but computer monitors can use the entire range. If you get video that looks fine on the TV monitor, it'll look washed-out on your computer monitor. Conversely, if you have a comp with lots of dark or intense colors that looks just fine on your computer monitor, it'll look downright black or may even begin to buzz at the edges of colors on your TV monitor. This is nothing new, incidentally: 'twas ever thus. Dave LaRonde Sr. Promotion Producer KCRG-TV (ABC) Cedar Rapids, IA Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Jonathan Kempe on Apr 16, 2008 at 6:41:43 pm OK, I know that problem.... But, this time its different. I´m using a LCD 46" HD flat screen, and not a TV-monitor. AND if I open a quicktime animation file in QUICKTIME and drag it to the LCD 46inch "monitor" the picture(luminance/gamma) looks exactly THE SAME. SO its something fishy with after effects and the Video preview/"Digital Cinema Desktop Preview" If you somehow could adjust the gamma in AE for just the video output "Digital Cinema Desktop Preview" . But You cant! So now I´m exporting from after effects, importing the clip in Final Cut. Then it looks right. :( Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Jonathan Kempe on Apr 17, 2008 at 7:30:27 am I´ve solved the problem!!! I´m working with Apple prores material and that seem to be the problem!! Other material looks just fine. Hmm anyone know how to change the interpretation of the gamma in imported Prores quicktimes? Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Digital Cinema Desktop Preview, VERY DARK OUTPUT?! by Jonathan Kempe on Apr 17, 2008 at 8:25:47 am never ending story.... didnt solve the problem... I have two monitors connected to my Mac Pro, using the second one for full screen playback. My test. Creating a COLOR BAR FILE IN PHOTOSHOP. (with darkgrey and 100% black areas) 1. OUTPUT THE COLOR BARS FROM AFTER EFFECTS -/video preview/ Digital cinema desktop full preview -Project settings/ 16 bits / color working space no The dark grey looks very dark in the second monitor. 2. OUTPUT the same COLOR BARS FROM FINAL CUT - They look perfect 3. OUTPUT COLOR BARS FROM QUICKTIME (Present movie in second monitor) - They look perfect Does anyone with two monitors like to do my little test to try if its just my setup?? Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index