Help Youtube HDR upload looks bad on SDR Monitors (good on hdr monitors)

[SimrunTech]

So I finally was able to start uploading video to youtube using the HDR settings in the x.265 codec (main 10 profile and rec.2020 with high dynamic) and they look great on my 4k HDR tv, however, for anyone watching on a standard computer the SDR looks really dark and bland.

Youtube is supposed to have a built in SDR converter but its doing a very bad job.

I have had to resort to start processing the video twice, once for HDR and another time for SDR.

Here is my HDR video:

hawk hdr - YouTube

Is there any other method of doing this, somone said there is a way of including a SDR lut? How do I do this?

Currently my video is graded and then exported, I then manually upload the file to youtube. Not sure how I specify an SDR lut, also how would I even make the SDR lut to begin with?

Thanks              

[excited_Genie16B8]

Well...that's just how it is.  You need an HDR monitor for HDR material.

You also need a second grade for SDR.  It's not as simple as applying a LUT.

[SimrunTech]

Yeah thats not good enough, see here:

Upload High Dynamic Range (HDR) videos - YouTube Help

Look under More Control over SDR conversion, but this is very specific to Davinci Resolve.

I would need something like this for adobe, where It has a SDR conversion lut that can convert the HDR output to SDR (the same way it would have been had I chose the MAIN color profile instead of MAIN10).

Right now I have to upload 2 versions of each video! an HDR version and SDR version because the HDR version converted to SDR by youtube looks so bad.

ADOBE what are you going to do to address this, youtube has a way to assist in SDR conversion we just need you guys to come up with something that does the same.

Maybe have an option for CONFORM to SD where it spits out a LUT to convert the HDR output to SDR?

[Ann Bens]

Premiere Pro: Hot (1864 ideas) – Adobe video & audio apps

[excited_Genie16B8]

YouTube is offering a gimmick.  Even they admit the results won't always be good, and who knows if the "good" ones are accurate.

You need two grades if you want to deliver two versions.

[SimrunTech]

Man this sucks, now I have to upload 2 versions of my videos:

Composite Arf Bae Hawk Carf RC Jet - 4K UHD SDR video - YouTube

and

Composite Arf Hawk RC Turbine Jet - 4K HDR - YouTube

There has got to be a better way, they even have a "more control over SDR conversion"

All I need is way to export a LUT after finsihing my HDR process so youtube can use it to convert the HDR to SDR while keeping the colors correct.

How do I create a Main Color Profile Rec 709 from my Rec 2020 video?

[dwayneb39288528]

Not true. I have used Davinci Resolve for HDR and SDR versions looks brilliant via YT auto conversion. 

Here are a few samples

Forza Horizon 4 Gameply 4k + HDR - YouTube

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider 4K Ultra GTX 1080Ti HDR benchmarks - YouTube

FIRST 25 MINS OF FORZA HORIZON 4 IN HDR [4K] - YouTube

[R Neil Haugen]

Just spent the week at NAB, including doing a couple presentations in the Flanders/MixingLight booth on what Pr does for color management/handling of formats, codecs, and ranges.

There were both very nice SDR and HDR Flanders monitors to hook up to for our presentations, and one of the guys I followed was Alexis Van Hurkman showing how he shot and graded a recent project in HDR.

Robbie Carman & Dan Moran, others presenting on HDR/SDR grading and conversions. And a lot of time in the aisles talking with people including Warren Eagles.

There doesn't seem to be a silver bullet for HDR/SDR work. I think all of them often can get by ... mostly ... with a convert if they have to, but even then, with a bit of trimming after the conversion. Van Hurkman was saying he still finds it best to just do separate grades, completely.

And ... for viewing HDR from working in Pr, you MUST get the signal out of Pr to a monitor via a very specific AJA I/O4K+ or Kona 4 or 5, each via HDMI, to a full HDR monitor, as the internal monitors are hard-wired for Rec.709. I've forgotten ... I think the AJA is for Mac, the Kona for PC ... or it's the other way around. Also, there are currently four options to export in PQ or HLG ... all off this chart, and note all the steps involved.

Neil