Video darker on DVD player than original footage

[omnpotnt]

I recently took some footage of my sons' basketball game using a Sony HDR-HC1 HD Camcorder. I imported it using imovie 06 and simply "shared it" to iDVD 06. I did not do any editing at all, simply just combined 2 clips. iDVD did it's encoding etc, and burned the dvd perfectly. The only issue I have is that the footage on the DVD is a fair bit darker than that of the original footage...it just doens'ty have that nice bright "camcorder" feel to it...more of a holly wood movie or something of that nature. I checked it on 3 DVD players, all different brands, but it is pretty much the same look on all of them.

I used both "best quality" and "best performance" settings on idvd. I am using a Mac Pro with quad 3.0 xeon processors, 3 GB of ram and the latest version of all software.

I understand the video won't be as sharp as the origianal footage since I dont' have an HD Dvd player...but I checked using footage from a normal DV Camcorder and had the same issues.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[edDV]

I recently took some footage of my sons' basketball game using a Sony HDR-HC1 HD Camcorder. I imported it using imovie 06 and simply "shared it" to iDVD 06. I did not do any editing at all, simply just combined 2 clips. iDVD did it's encoding etc, and burned the dvd perfectly. The only issue I have is that the footage on the DVD is a fair bit darker than that of the original footage...it just doens'ty have that nice bright "camcorder" feel to it...more of a holly wood movie or something of that nature. I checked it on 3 DVD players, all different brands, but it is pretty much the same look on all of them.

I used both "best quality" and "best performance" settings on idvd. I am using a Mac Pro with quad 3.0 xeon processors, 3 GB of ram and the latest version of all software.

I understand the video won't be as sharp as the origianal footage since I dont' have an HD Dvd player...but I checked using footage from a normal DV Camcorder and had the same issues.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Tell us how you know that it is "that nice bright "camcorder" feel to it..."

What are you playing from and to?

Also how are you playing the result. Explain exactly what you did.


PS: It probably isn't broken. Sounds like a levels issue + downscale will never look like the HDV original. First suggestion is don't erase that original tape.

[omnpotnt]

Firstly, I've seen the footage from the camcorder itself.. Secondly, I was able to get that samequality and brightness using programs, including earlier versions of imovie/idvd years ago...it's been a long time since I have transfered/edited video so i was surprised to find this problem using the latest software out there.

[edDV]

Firstly, I've seen the footage from the camcorder itself..

How were you viewing it? on what monitor/TV?

Secondly, I was able to get that samequality and brightness using programs, including earlier versions of imovie/idvd years ago...

Years ago there was no HC3. Explain.
Again how did you play it and what was the monitor?
Computer and TV may differ. Model numbers will help.

it's been a long time since I have transfered/edited video so i was surprised to find this problem using the latest software out there.

HDV format has almost nothing to do with the past. What were you using back then?

Forgive me for asking the basics.

[omnpotnt]

No Problem, I appreciate the help.

I was viewing everything on a Toshiba 55 inch rear projection tv, using a Harmon Kardon DVD22 Dvd Player. I was watchign the original source footage directly from the camcorder connected to the tv by both S-Video and component Video. The footage I watched from a few years back was put on to DVD from a Sony TRV900 or TRV30 and was viewed on the same TV using the Same DVD Player.

[edDV]

No Problem, I appreciate the help.

I was viewing everything on a Toshiba 55 inch rear projection tv, using a Harmon Kardon DVD22 Dvd Player. I was watchign the original source footage directly from the camcorder connected to the tv by both S-Video and component Video. The footage I watched from a few years back was put on to DVD from a Sony TRV900 or TRV30 and was viewed on the same TV using the Same DVD Player.

The TRV900 or TRV30 were DV format. They can't be viewed from a DVD player without first authoring a DVD. Explain that. The comparison is how the direct camcorder playback would look from the tape. How are you viewing the HC-3?

Edit: HC-1 that is. same thing as far as HDV format.

[omnpotnt]

It's the HC1, not the HC3...

I viewed the dvd made from tapes that were taken with the trv30 and the trv900. I also viewed the source tapes made with the trv30 and trv900 on the tv screen connected to the hc1 via s-video and the dvd's made from those source tapes using idvd looked virtually identical in brightness and coloring .

[edDV]

It's the HC1, not the HC3...

I viewed the dvd made from tapes that were taken with the trv30 and the trv900. I also viewed the source tapes made with the trv30 and trv900 on the tv screen connected to the hc1 via s-video and the dvd's made from those source tapes using idvd looked virtually identical in brightness and coloring .

Sorry about the HC3 vs HC1 confusion but they are both HDV format and thus should perform the same.

Authoring a DV format tape to DVD in the USA (if done properly) and played on a NTSC format DVD player will raise black level 7.5% (0-100 IRE DV format vs 7.5-100IRE NTSC monitor default).

The HC-1 will also be 0-100 IRE referenced so if played directly to a monitor calibrated for 7.5-100 IRE the lowest 0-7.5 will be under black and 7.5% gray will show as black.

[omnpotnt]

I've done nothing different other than using newer versions of iLife '06. Is there anyway to correct this?

[edDV]

I've done nothing different other than using newer versions of iLife '06. Is there anyway to correct this?

I edited the last paragraph got it backwards, sorry. The camcorder (if like DV format) will play directly as 7.5% grey = black on your monitor and white will play as 92.5% luminance. In other words as dark.

This all gets corrected during the encoding and DVD authoring process and is exactly the same as what you did with DV format. Many things have changed with HDV vs. DV but the levels should behave the same.

[edDV]

Big Picture:
(All this was equally true when you authored from DV format)

NTSC and all Americas monitors are calibrated for black at 7.5 IRE (%) and white at 100 IRE (%).

DV, HDV, DVD, and all the digital broadcast formats as well as PAL reference black at 0 IRE and white at 100%.

If you encode a MPeg file with 0-100 IRE reference and play it on a "NTSC" DVD player, it will play as 7.5-100 IRE out the analog outputs and all is well. Any TV that accepts DVI or HDMI expects 0-100 IRE (digital level 16-235) scaling.

If you play a 0-100 IRE camcorder directly to a "NTSC" monitor, it will play dark.

[sdsumike619]

I still don't understand this as many times as it's been explained.....I'll think I get it, but then when it comes time to apply it, I get all screwed up.....

[edDV]

Even after watching this?
http://pro.jvc.com/pro/attributes/prodv/clips/blacksetup/JVC_DEMO.swf