HDR for YouTube

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Level 1

18 points

HDR for YouTube

I’ve seen that you can use Compressor to optimize your HDR video for YouTube but wonder if there are any free software options that will work. I tried using Handbrake and saved a test video out of FCP as ProRes 422 then saved it out of Handbrake as 10 bit h264 and h265 but apparently the metadata YouTube expects for HDR isn’t there because it just converted both versions to SDR.

Hate to purchase Compressor right now because I’m currently at a hobby stage so I’m looking for alternatives. Thanks for any input.

Posted on Jan 8, 2022 10:12 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

terryb

Level 4

2,290 points

Jan 8, 2022 12:33 PM in response to Rjay Hansen1

Your source footage is HDR and you're working in a Wide Gamut project, correct? I've not sent HDR footage to Youtube before but isn't it just exporting your Wide Gamut project as either H.264 or H.265 and uploading? Youtube says FCP creates acceptable files. https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7126552?hl=en#zippy=%2Chdr-metadata

Mark Spencer's excellent tutorials on working with HDR footage:

https://youtu.be/rp3zXcyYyuo

https://youtu.be/H4RSS8g5HLU

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Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,344 points

Jan 8, 2022 1:49 PM in response to Rjay Hansen1

What Terry said for detailed information. The simple way is to export to Apple Devices using 10-bit HEVC and upload to YouTube, making sure it’s DolbyVision HLG.

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