00-255 vs. 16-235 on HTPC, trying to understand what is going on

[sanderh]

0-255 vs. 16-235 on HTPC, trying to understand what is going on

I ve finally managed to get a totally stutter free HTPC where I playback 3 kinds of video files:
1. Standard def. dvd material, 2. .wmv HD files and 3. .mkv HD files.

I use windows XP with sp3 installed on have a ATI HD 4350 video card. My HTPC is connected to my digital projector, the Mitsubishi HC7000 (HDMI out on HD4350 to HDMI1 in on HC7000). I use the latest driver for the 4350, 8.10driver (note that the 8.11 driver does not support the 4350! I ve checked this!).

As for software playback on my HTPC I use Media Player Classic HC with Haali’s Video Renderer (and for .mkv files Core AVC 1.8.5 comes in).

The ‘problem’ I now run into is the so called ‘Luma Range’ in Haali’s Video Renderer (and Input Levels and Output Levels in the Core AVC options). All three (Luma Range, Input Levels and Output Levels) can be set to TV (16-235) or PC (0-255). I do know that it is the color range of the video, but would like to know 2 things:

1. What is the best to pick if you have the ATI HD4350 and a digital projector like me for Luma Range, Input Levels and Output levels?
2. When I select 16-235 the picture that my projector displays becomes more dark and selecting 0-255 makes the picture look more grey and brighter. What should I select?

Thanks for all help!

[moler]

you should chose tv levels 16-235 because only then can you achive what is called blacker than black and whiter than white.
I use the same programs on my htpc and my zanyo z5 projektor and when using a calibrator disk you can only set it right when you use tv levels.

My problem is that i can not get tv levels when playing bluray from power dvd , so i am thinking of starting a new tread to see if someone knows how to get hd audio and tv levels from blu ray.

[andy o]

The problem is where the expansion is being done. If you want everyhing to pass 16-235 to your projector, it might be because your projector is calibrated, but with anything other than video in your HTPC you'd be missing out blacks and whites.

If your display can take it, for HTPC's it's preferable to already send 0-255, but this gives trouble too, as different programs/decoders and drivers will all try to mess with this. That's why you can't play bluray in 16-235, because PowerDVD and TMT are expanding it without being asked to.

I have a similar problem because I use WMC, and that doesn't let you control bright/contrast from within, you need to expand in the ATI/Nvidia control panels. But then, my bluray would be black-crushing and white-clipping.