New Free Video Levels Tool for MS Platinum

Musicvid wrote on 5/13/2020, 10:32 AM

This is a new free tool for Movie Studio Platinum (Vegas Pro 14 project here) that allows the editor to make custom output level decisions without the need for video scopes. In some cases, it gives richer colors and range than using the output Studio RGB filter, which is foolproof but conservative.

This project reflects a distillation of ideas from john_dennis, Marco., Nick Hope, musicvid, EricLNZ, several others, and best of all, comes with the Grazie seal of approval!

To use, unzip the project and run in MS Platinum 13 or newer, also Vegas Pro. You can change the project video and properties, or save the presets to use in your own projects. It's all self-explanatory in the demo. Your video will be rendered correctly for Youtube and the web, and home theater using conventional 8 bit playback formats.

Comparison of Failsafe vs. Optimal output levels:

Let me know of any problems with the .ZIP

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TvVgr33F_504xBI5SMJJhqHjtfSTZEUx/view?usp=sharing

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Background Reading:

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vegas-pro-levels-last-and-final-1--120319/

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/pc-to-tv-levels-a-comedy-of-errors--107325/

Comments

john-brown wrote on 7/17/2020, 11:42 AM

@Musicvid

I get this error:

"It's all self-explanatory in the demo." No, it's not. What you are giving is a fait accompli. What, why and how you got there is not obvious to a normal user.

This reminds me of professors in university who would put extremely complex equations on the board (45 years ago) resulting in what we called mung to the fifth, and then would conclude with "Thus it's obvious that..." And the silent screams could be heard "no, it is not obvious."

To go on, here is what is under Help (Vegas 15):

"RGB values on your computer can range from 0 to 255." Great, that a user can understand.

"Studio RGB values range from 16 to 235." That a user cannot understand. What does "Studio" mean?

It goes on:

"Whether you need to use the Studio RGB (16 to 235) setting depends on the DV codec you will use to render your video before printing to tape." Now the user is totally confused. Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Musicvid wrote on 7/17/2020, 12:36 PM

Here is the first version from a Vegas Pro 14 project, before I tailored it for Movie Studio, which does not have scopes, and for which I've been researching workarounds for this very thing since 2011.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m2pgPanYf6CGugJ_wBCsijvDO6xjOC3O/view?usp=sharing

I have not heard of a MSP13 project not opening in Vegas Pro 15. Thanks for the heads up, and I have added that link.

By following the demo step by step, and pausing when needed, I'm not sure what I missed that is not resonating. Doing the background studying I and @john_dennis provided in the links should be a big help.

Of course, I did not write the Vegas Help section that you, and many others have found confusing, but I have spent a good part of the last nine years trying to clarify the conundrum, with varying degrees of success. The discussions that led up to distilling these materials for efficient learning presentation occupied hundreds of pages on the old SCS forum, and many can still be found on Wayback Machine, if you wish to study to avoid the appearance of presumptive thinking.

Musicvid wrote on 7/17/2020, 2:27 PM

What, why and how you got there is not obvious to a normal user.

Here you go! -2011- You'll need to be creative with following the links; some are on archive.org snapshots, some are on Wayback Machine, and I'm sure a few no longer exist. HTH

http://web.archive.org/web/20190501094000/http%3A//www.jazzythedog.com/testing/dnxhd/Hd-guide.aspx

@john-brown

john-brown wrote on 7/17/2020, 2:57 PM

@Musicvid

Thanks for the link and explanation.

Musicvid wrote on 7/17/2020, 4:15 PM

Here's an earlier version of the demo (VP14) that may also help.