Need some help understanding "Video-Overlay"

[20/20]

My encodes look too dark upon playback.

If I do this:

Open the video (piture seems darker than the original),
make a snapshot of a frame with that same player,
open that screenshot.

What I see is that this screenhshot displays exactly like the preview in AVS.
(same color, brightness)

Can I safely conclude that the software-player displays the video a tad bit darker,
when in fact the stored video-stream in this file really isn't that dark at all?
Or ddoes the software player capture this processed lighter version-stream ?

[jagabo]

What player? Not all players use overlay. Most media players use overlay, most video editors don't. WMP, VLC, MCP all use overlay. Apple's Quicktime Player doesn't.

Open the same video in two different players. Since only one player at a time can use overlay the first player will get it, the second won't. Do they both look the same?

It sounds like you need to adjust the video overlay brightness and contrast settings. This is done via Control Panel -> Display -> Settings -> Advanced -> it varies from there depending on the graphics card and drivers.

[20/20]

What player? Not all players use overlay. Most media players use overlay, most video editors don't. WMP, VLC, MCP all use overlay. Apple's Quicktime Player doesn't.

Open the same video in two different players. Since only one player at a time can use overlay the first player will get it, the second won't. Do they both look the same?

I came to the same conlcusion about the 1st gets it, second wont.
But I thought my eyes were getting getting tired
Yes I use VLC, and installed Mplayer too. Same conclusion. When I first opened Mplayer and
then VLC, Vlc didnt show overlay! 8)

So my video isnt encoded 'dark in the file' afterall right? (pffeeeew)

[jagabo]

When I first opened Mplayer and
then VLC, Vlc didnt show overlay! 8)

So my video isnt encoded 'dark in the file' afterall right? (pffeeeew)

If by "didn't show overlay" you mean the picture wasn't darker than your AVS script preview in VirtualDub, then yes, your video wasn't converted darker, you just need to adjust your overlay settings. Or maybe your desktop is too bright so you need to adjust that.