I was just wondering as we can tend to forget the mundane task in post and missing something simple like that can be frustrating especially if under short deadlines/long renders is why I asked about the automation process.

Proper use of the video scopes view of the timeline will NOT let you forget.

I think Antares PreviewLevels will be, what you are looking for. It modifies preview to make the picture look like on a TV, but it does not affect the rendered video. Very useful plugin.
http://www.vegasvideo.de/extension-previewlevels-en.html

Edit:
I didn't notice that videoITguy already mentioned about Antares plugin. So maybe the website link will be the "added value" to this thread :)

If you use the Secondary Preview Monitor facility in Vegas it can be setup to display video correctly without it affecting the rendered output.

Bob.

The alternative method to the one outlined in your first post is:

1. Preview and Edit in Vegas' native RGB environment.
2. Apply the Computer RGB -> Studio RGB levels preset just before rendering.

I don't know if this is easier to remember to do than the first method, but it seems so to me. It's actually a one-step fix where the first method is two steps spread out over time.

I'm at a point now where I want to give Vegas Pro an honest evaluation and what to catch any gotcha's that might affect my post experience hence my asking these questions. I've installed the Antare's plugin.

So if I understand it correctly, I set the plugin to PC or TV and then make my adjustments accordingly to see how it will look on a PC or TV but it doesn't' affect the final render? Am I correct in my understanding on this?

If I'm understanding this correctly, I would use the scopes/waveform monitor, make my adjustments according to the scopes and base my final adjustments to how they look for either PC or TV?

I'm feeling a little confused by this...

Use Musicvid10's grayscale chart as your image. It will make you understand how all these filters change the image. In the final result you should see all steps from white to black.

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20519276/dualgray1.png

Edit:
Yes, Antares modifies preview, but not the final render. However you can make it affect the final render by checking "keep preview levels".

The idea is that on TV, 16 value tone is totally black and 235 is totally white. On your PC 0 is totally black and 255 it totally white. So the image that looks OK on your TV will look dull on PC. Antares plugin helps you to make a preview how more o less your video will look on a TV.

@Peter100 - thanks for the link - opened up the image itself and that's an eyeopener for me

1. Preview and Edit in Vegas' native RGB environment.

+1 on this method.

Wish there was a easy way to remember - can something like this be set as a hotkey combo?

@ Cliff Etzel
Antares plugin is for those who can't remember this method :)

I installed it earlier - with regards to the plugin, do I just leave it set to either PC or TV accordingly and just edit then render? Or do I need to do something different for post using the plugin?

We are discussing now two methods that should give the same results. But you shouldn't mix them, becouse you will get chaos.
Method 1. (after musicvid10)
1. Preview and Edit in Vegas' native RGB environment.
2. Apply the Computer RGB -> Studio RGB levels preset just before rendering.
In this method Atares plugin should be set to "Original"

Method 2.
1. Set Antares plugin to "PC".
2. Apply the Computer RGB -> Studio RGB levels preset.

You can use grayscale chart to test these methods.

With regards to delivering to the Web, would I just leave Antares set to PC, do my color corrections, et al and render out accordingly?

The "TV" setting expands "16" tone to superblacks (0) but does not change whites. You use it for LCD TVs.
"PC" setting expands both blacks and whites. You use it for CRT TVs and PC players.

Delivering to web may differ on your software. I think you should use the mentioned grayscale chart, render it and check results in your web player. If all grayscale steps will be visible, then the method is correct.

Edit:
I made a mistake. "PC" mode is an opposition of "Computer RGB -> Studio RGB levels".
"PC" changes 16-235 to 0-255
"TV" changes 16-235 to 0-235
I've already corrected it in my previous post.
Please, open the grayscale chart image and waveform (Alt-2). Then change Antares options (Original, PC, TV). You will see the differences.

I definitely saw a difference. Original and PC looked the same to me in rendered video clips whereas TV lost detail in both highlights and shadows.

So it appears either not changing it or setting it to PC with the Antare's plugin would be the correct setting for web videos?

Again, I'm apparently thick headed in understanding this correctly.

AFAIK there is no industrial standard for web delivery.
There is a thread about it:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/Forums/ShowMessage.asp?Forum=4&MessageID=879939

For my webplayer I deliver in 0-255, becouse it does not stretch 16-235 scale and image looks dull. But it all depends on computer settings. Please open Nvidia control panel -> Video -> Adjust video color settings -> Advanced. You can adjust the dynamic range for videos played on you computer.
The video range will be displayed on your computer dependly on this settings.

There was a good technicat tutorial from 1980's on YouTube that was explaining nature of image signal. Unfortunaltely I can't find it now. Generally, what I understood from it, is that you need to use broadcast safe range (16-235) mainly for analog broadcast. The tone range is narrower than computer RGB because the signal carries not only image but also technical information for you receiver. For example when your TV receiver should draw the next line.

Webplayers can display whole tone range 0-255, because signal does not carry the technical information.
So, once again, it all depends on software on your server and audience's computers.

The only practical use for 'dynamic contrast' is to correctly play back camera video that was shot full range on a monitor, and the potential for misuse is evident in that last post. It is not an excuse to encode YUV incorrectly and pretend otherwise, because it will be clipped for others whose monitors are set correctly and are being fed correct luminance levels.. The standard for web delivery is precisely the same as every where else -- REC 709.

Misrepresenting conjecture as fact on a technical forum runs a risk -- that of unintentially misleading others.

"It modifies preview to make the picture look like on a TV, but it does not affect the rendered video."

In standard mode it would not affect rendering. But this plug-in also modifies the render window and adds a further option, so you could select to have the render output affected, if you want it to do.

Also, the setting "TV" not only affects the level range but also adopts the gamma from 2.2 (which is meant for PC use) to 2.35, which is the recommended gamma setting for video LCD displays according to the EBU Tech 3321 "EBU guidelines for Consumer Flat Panel Displays".

The one-step method I teach is WYSIWYG and failsafe -- even for PBS delivery (which is arguably the most stringent in North America).

1. Edit, correct, and grade in Vegas' native RGB preview space. Scopes are helpful, but not necessary with this method.
2. Just prior to rendering, apply the Computer rgb -> Studio rgb levels filter to the output.
3. Render.

If Cliff is anything like me, it will be a lot easier to remember than the two step procedure mentioned in the first post.

@Marco - would you then recommend setting the Antare's plugin to TV and edit as such given the vast majority these days of LCD flat panels being used for desktop, laptop and tablet devices?

@MusicVid - when you say:

" 1. Edit, correct, and grade in Vegas' native RGB preview space. Scopes are helpful, but not necessary with this method.
2. Just prior to rendering, apply the Computer rgb -> Studio rgb levels filter to the output.
3. Render."

For #1 - you mean just leave the preview option alone not applying any sort of change from the Antare's plugin? And regarding scopes - still use them to get colors and basic levels right but not be too exacting?

For #2 - after doing color grading/CC work, apply the Computer rgb -> Studio rgb levels filter and not change anything else before render?

It feels like I opened a can of worms on this but the lack of an efficient streamlined workflow delivering a high quality h264 file in Premiere Pro is steering me to Vegas Pro/Handbrake for post work now.

Cliff, "Native Vegas RGB Preview Space" means just what it says: NO PLUGINS ON THE PREVIEW.
Once again, this is a one-step fix.

1.Yes and yes; however, this method produces absolutely bulletproof, compliant video even in Movie Studio, which doesn't come with any scopes. I wish more people understood this.

2. Yes.