RGB color has two color ranges, commonly referred to as limited range and full range. The background for these is rooted in TV, and you can read up more on the topic here.
Setting the correct color range is very important, as mismatched settings can cause stream color to look washed out or too dark.
What happens when your source is using the full RGB range, but the capture card or OBS Studio is set to limited RGB range. The colors past 16 and 235 are crushed into one color, created the effect of high contrast but losing image detail and clarity.
What happens when the source is limited range, often the default for PCs and consoles, and the capture card or OBS Studio is set to capture full range. Since there is no information to work with between 0-16 and 235-255, a white hue effect is added.
Now that you know what can happen when the configuration is wrong, and how it should look when correct, lets go over how to set everything up. This guide will be done in two steps: Using a limited range source and a full range source.
Full range source (RGB 0-255, PC RGB)
Console / PC RGB output: Full
4K60 Pro device configuration:
Back in the 4K60 Pro properties
Limited range source (RGB 16-235, Standard)
Console PC output range: Limited
4K60 Pro device configuration:
When opening 4K Capture Utility, it will reset the color range setting in the 4K60 Pro driver properties. The next time you open OBS Studio you'll need to set it back to the correct setting when using full range.
Setting the correct color range is very important, as mismatched settings can cause stream color to look washed out or too dark.
What happens when your source is using the full RGB range, but the capture card or OBS Studio is set to limited RGB range. The colors past 16 and 235 are crushed into one color, created the effect of high contrast but losing image detail and clarity.
What happens when the source is limited range, often the default for PCs and consoles, and the capture card or OBS Studio is set to capture full range. Since there is no information to work with between 0-16 and 235-255, a white hue effect is added.
Now that you know what can happen when the configuration is wrong, and how it should look when correct, lets go over how to set everything up. This guide will be done in two steps: Using a limited range source and a full range source.
Full range source (RGB 0-255, PC RGB)
Console / PC RGB output: Full
4K60 Pro device configuration:
- Right click on the 4K60 Pro source in OBS Studio
- Click on "Configure Video"
- In the "OUTPUT COLOR RANGE", select "EXPAND 16~235 -> 0~255"
- Click on "Apply" then "Ok"
Back in the 4K60 Pro properties
- Set YUV Color Space to 709
- Set YUV Color Range to Full
- Open the OBS Studio settings
- Navigate to the Advanced tab
- In the "Video" section, set YUV Color Space to 709 and YUV Color Range to Full.
- Hit "Apply" then "Ok".
Limited range source (RGB 16-235, Standard)
Console PC output range: Limited
4K60 Pro device configuration:
- Right click on the 4K60 Pro source in OBS Studio
- Click on "Configure Video"
- In the "OUTPUT COLOR RANGE", select "Bypass"
- Click on "Apply" then "Ok"
- Set YUV Color Space to 709
- Set YUV Color Range to Partial
- Open the OBS Studio settings
- Navigate to the Advanced tab
- In the "Video" section, set YUV Color Space to 709 and YUV Color Range to Limited.
- Hit "Apply" then "Ok".
When opening 4K Capture Utility, it will reset the color range setting in the 4K60 Pro driver properties. The next time you open OBS Studio you'll need to set it back to the correct setting when using full range.
