How to export HLG in HDR for YouTube

Question

Level 1

8 points

How to export HLG in HDR for YouTube

Using FCPX 10.4, with access to Compressor 4.4. I am shooting HLG/BT2020 footage on a Sony PXW-Z90 camera, and trying to figure out what settings are necessary to get HDR playback on YouTube. So far in my testing, the only method that allows HDR playable files locally on my 2015 Samsung TV, is to share to compressor in HEVC best quality. That same file when uploaded to YouTube is not HDR enabled on my TV app though. If I upload an HLG project as ProRes Proxy, it will similarly not be HDR enabled, but if the project is set to PQ, then the the YouTube app on my TV will show it as HDR, but with horrible levels. The ProRes files will not playback on my TV at all though, but both the HLG and PQ ProRes file YouTube uploads show as HDR and look pretty sweet on my Samsung Galaxy S8 phone.

On my 2015 rMBP, the HEVC exports take about 1-2 minutes per second of footage to render, and are only playable on my television set through a USB device. The PQ exports from FCPX, although HDR enabled, look very bad as levels go, the entire REC709 area basically black crushed. So what are my options here? The h264 export methods all fail the HDR playback locally and through YouTube. I've tried every conceivable settings combination between project type, HDR Tools, and color space override...nothing works as expected.

Paul

Posted on Mar 17, 2018 11:25 PM

Reply

Answer 1

10NewsPhotog Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 18, 2018 4:42 PM in response to 10NewsPhotog

So this is the "best scenario" I was able to find. Ingested the HLG files into a FCPX PQ project, clips set for BT2020 color space. HDR Tools HLG to PQ effect was thrown at the timeline, then exported as ProRes LT (ProRes Proxy is 45Mbps more data than my original files!) . ProRes file was transcoded to 10 bit h264 High10 level 52 by Handbrake and uploaded to YouTube. File below was made following the official Apple and Google instructions for posting HLG HDR to YouTube, but was hard to find a 10 bit h264 encoder, available from Handbrake as a nightly build (non CLI download). Anyone with an HDR set care to tell me if this HDR video looks like HDR...it throws the HDR badge?

4K HDR 10 bit h264 Handbrake transcode of ProRes LT HLG to PQ - YouTube

Reply

Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,064 points

Mar 18, 2018 4:58 PM in response to 10NewsPhotog

I wouldn't use LT. The data rate is too low for an I-frame codec for 4K media. Proxy's even worse. Really low quality. I doesn't matter the file size if you export ProRes or HQ, which would be better. The export is just a DI. It's crazy to compare the date rate of an I-frame codec to a GOP codec.

Reply

Answer 3

10NewsPhotog Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 21, 2018 12:49 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

My originating format is XAVC 100Mbps 8 bit 4:2:0...I was not sure on how much data goes towards what in LT or Proxy...I figured even Proxy 145Mbps would have enough 8 bit 4:2:0 bits to handle the low datarate of my original media.

Looks like I can throw ProRes standard at Handbrake and transcode 10 bit HEVC at 10 frames per second using software encoding on my PC, and those files work on YouTube and playback on my old TV.

Paul

Reply

How to export HLG in HDR for YouTube

Similar questions