Vegas changing colors of mts files on import. Not levels.

[poisondeathray]

Re the original mts file and how its converted to rgb: the avs script I used on the mts file was simply

DirectShowSource("filename.m2ts")

ie no conversion filters at all. So avisynth isn't doing the rgb conversion right? So where's the rgb conversion taking place? Wherever it is taking place, it must be using bt.601 and not bt.709 to show up with the colors it does in vegas...

Correct, it's frameserving YV12 video. But in order to "see" it, it has to be converted to RGB somewhere along the processing chain. If you did it in vdub, and used video=>full processing mode with no compression , it will convert to RGB using Rec.601 . So vdub is doing the conversion. If you used video=>fast recompress with no recompression, it would be uncompressed YV12, and if you imported that into vegas, you would likely get Rec.709 (because vegas is doing the conversion)

If you want to specify the conversion in the script, then avisynth can do the conversion - this frameserves RGB as opposed to YV12 in the example above

DirectShowSource("video.m2ts")
ConvertToRGB(matrix="rec601")

Of course you could use rec709, PC.601, PC.709, etc...

The answer isn't that simple. There are also other factors, e.g. the decoder can be set to different input & output levels, colorspaces, etc...

If you are viewing this in a preview on the monitor (not a screenshot), and are using overlay mixer and DirectX, then the graphics card settings can also affect how it looks, and that can be different than what you have from a screenshot

[banditeer]

But how about when I'm going avs script (no filter) into vfapi into vegas (as I am at the moment). Where's the rgb conversion happening in that scenario? Perhaps it isn't and Vegas is still doing the conversion? If so, its doing it using bt.601 rather than the bt.709 it uses when directly importing mts...

[poisondeathray]

But how about when I'm going avs script (no filter) into vfapi into vegas (as I am at the moment). Where's the rgb conversion happening in that scenario? Perhaps it isn't and Vegas is still doing the conversion? If so, its doing it using bt.601 rather than the bt.709 it uses when directly importing mts...

IIRC, vfapi only serves RGB (cannot serve other types)

So I think vfapi is doing the conversion.

[budwzr]

Run it through VirtualDub and bump the gamma a smidge.

[jagabo]

Run it through VirtualDub and bump the gamma a smidge.

How's that going to help with a rec.601 vs rec.709 problem?

[budwzr]

The visible difference in your samples is in the gamma (black) level.

The OP can't seem to get past this colorspace issue and it's not that big a deal to debate endlessly. It is what it is, and as an editor, if you can't get past trivia like this then you might as well hang it up.

Some people get stuck like this, they're purists, and everything has to be perfect or they get stuck in a circle. I'm just trying to help with babysteps.

[budwzr]

Oops, forgot to answer your question.

Because the difference between the two colorspaces is the amount of gamma.

Run it through VirtualDub and bump the gamma a smidge.

How's that going to help with a rec.601 vs rec.709 problem?

[banditeer]

Hi budwzr

Whilst I appreciate your comments, the color shift bt.601 bt.709 has nothing to do with the gamma. The color matrix shift effects more skin tones, saturation and luminosity of the colors. I am not stuck on the trivia of anything, merely trying to fully understand the technical aspect of what is happening in the editing preocess so I can make an informed decision about how I intend to proceed. I can certainly see a big difference between the use of the different color matrices, even if you can't.

Due to everyone's help here, especially poisondeathray, I now have a handle on what is happening and can control the process properly, which I greatly appreciate. And btw, you might want to take a look at the tone of some of your comments, even the ones you have edited out...

Thanks everyone.