Question / Help OBS version 24.06 -output file desaturated colors

[GregoryCJ]

While running OBS version 24.06 in recording mode on my new iMac -(Catalina 10.15.3) my output file has desaturated color. I made several test renders using both the .mov & mp4 formats with all the different options under the advanced tab > video> color format > color space > color range but still the same desaturated color. I then made a screen capture just using Quicktime >.mov and the color is perfect, an exact replica of my desktop colors.

I probably have missed some other settings within OBS and your suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Narcogen]

12:12:15.338: YUV mode: 601/Full

Use 601/Partial or 709/Partial.

 

[GregoryCJ]

Thanks for your reply. I did try partial 601 & 709 before and just now but the same desaturated colors.

 

[Narcogen]

Do you have images of the QT and OBS recordings (709/Partial) for comparison?

I don't see anything else in the logfiles that would cause this. The usual issue is with bad color space translation from full to partial.

What are you playing back recordings in?

 

[GregoryCJ]

 

[GregoryCJ]

Here are the screen captures you requested including QT , OBS 601 partial and full and OBS 709 partial and full.
As you can see the OBS images are desaturated while the QT is true color. The color format is NV12 and I have tried the other options as well with no luck in getting true color... Disable OSX V-sync is selected as well as reset OSX V sync on exit. Again I made renders with these settings enabled/disenabled with no improvement in the color. Thanks for your attention on this!

 

[Narcogen]

What are you playing back the recordings with?

Is there any special color space or profile being used on your display, or in the program you're making your images in?

 

[GregoryCJ]

Using Quick time player to play back both the screen capture as well as the images from OBS recordings. I am using the native color space settings that came with the iMac... see images. The original image was created in Affinity photo with the sRGB settings.

 

[Narcogen]

sRGB should definitely look correct when recorded in OBS 709/Partial (they are the same space). I am not sure why it isn't.

 

[Narcogen]

I would suggest downloading MediaInfo and having it look at the recordings you've made in OBS and the recordings you made in QT.

MediaInfo 24.01.1 Free Download - VideoHelp

MediaInfo is a convenient unified display of the most relevant technical and tag data for video and audio files.

www.videohelp.com

 

[GregoryCJ]

okay will do.

 

[GregoryCJ]

Okay , done that but haven't a clue as to what it is telling me... can you decipher it?

First one is QT and second is OBS

 

[Narcogen]

From the View menu, choose Text or HTML instead of easy so you can see all the information.

 

[GregoryCJ]

here they are
1st > QT 2nd > OBS

 

[Narcogen]

Your QT recording is using 709/Partial (Limited).

Your OBS recording is using 709/Full.

The desaturation is most likely the result of translation from full to partial when viewing.

 

[GregoryCJ]

Okay , I just ran about a dozen renders using all the variable options in OBS. Video> Color format > color space > color range including OBS 709 partial and all of the tests come out desaturated. Is there something that I am missing, something I'm doing wrong?
I assume that my iMac is standard issue , nothing unique about its color space etc. There must be OBS Mac users . I wonder what their OBS experience is.....is it working for them...or are they just abandoning OBS after not getting it to work..... regrettably I can't see me using your great software if I can't get the color right. Your thoughts would be appreciated .
Thanks for your help!

 

[Narcogen]

I don't know that you're doing something wrong.

What I would be interested to know is, do all your recordings show up as 709/Full in MediaInfo even though OBS settings show that you've chosen 709/Partial.

Because mine don't, and if you are setting OBS for Partial and getting Full that is an issue. The only other difference I can think of is that I'm on 24.0.6 and MacOS 10.14, and you're on 24.0.6 and MacOS 10.15.

Does this issue occur if you use simple output mode?

Does it occur if you add a new account to your Mac (to get a fresh setup for OBS) and just record your desktop?

 

[Narcogen]

Strongly urge doing a test in simple output mode, indistinguishable quality, large file size.

 

[GregoryCJ]

Just tried a render of my desktop image in simple, indistinguishable quality, large file size and got the same desaturated color.... I will have a look at those files thru media info and let you know and also will do a fresh install of OBS and keep you posted.

 

[GregoryCJ]

Another render Settings> 709-partial
And media info verifies it as 709- partial and the image is still desaturated.