Results for different color space handling

This section describes how MediaLive handles the color space and color space metadata that it encounters in the source input, depending on how you set up the color space in the output.

General process for handling color space conversion

In an output that specifies to convert the color space, MediaLive performs the following steps on each video frame in the output.

Initial verifications

• MediaLive verifies that the source video meets the input requirements and that it is in a supported color space. If it fails this verification, MediaLive always passes through the color space.

• If the source video does meet the requirements, MediaLive verifies that you have correctly configured the output video and codec. If it fails this verification, MediaLive uses the specified codec, but it passes through the color space.

• MediaLive determines if the channel has been configured to use 3D LUT files.

Handling with 3D LUT files configured

MediaLive looks at the source and output color space for each frame.

• If the source and color space are identical, MediaLive doesn't change the color space and therefore doesn't look for a 3D LUT file. For example, if the source is HDR10 and you set up an output for HDR10, MediaLive leaves the color space as it is in the source.

• If the source and color space are different, MediaLive looks for a file that corresponds to the source/output color space combination:

  • If it finds a file, it uses that file for conversion.

  • If it doesn't find a file, it converts the color space using the standard mechanism.

Handling without 3D LUT files configured

If the channel hasn't been configured to use 3D LUT files, then MediaLive converts the color space using the standard mechanism.

For detailed information about the results of each kind of source/output conversion, see the sections that follow.

Result when passing through color space

Read this section if you set up one or more outputs to pass through the color space. The following table shows how MediaLive handles each type of color space that it encounters in the source.

Color space that MediaLive encounters	How MediaLive handles the color space
Content in any color space that MediaLive supports	Doesn't touch the color space or brightness in the output. Passes through any of the three color format metadata fields that are present.

Result when converting color space to SDR

Read this section if you set up one or more outputs to convert the color space to Rec. 601 or Rec. 709. The following table shows how MediaLive handles each type of color space that it encounters in the source.

Color space that MediaLive encounters	How MediaLive handles the color space
Content in the same SDR color space	Doesn't touch the color space in the output. Passes through the color space metadata. Passes through the brightness metadata.
Content in the other SDR color space	Converts the content to the chosen SDR color space and brightness function. The conversion maps the pixels to code values that represent the same color as the original code values. Changes the color space metadata to specify the new color space. Passes through the brightness metadata. This is appropriate because the two SDR color spaces use the same brightness function.
Content in HDR10	When the output codec is H.264 and if you have enabled enhanced VQ, MediaLive does the following: Converts the content to the chosen SDR color space and brightness function. The conversion fits the colors into the smaller color space. Changes the color space metadata to specify the new color space. Changes any brightness metadata to specify the new standard. Removes any display metadata. After the conversion, the content complies completely with the new color space. The color will be less rich. The color will match the new brightness function. If you haven't enabled enhanced VQ, MediaLive doesn't convert anything. It passes through the color space metadata, any brightness metadata, and any display metadata.
	When the output codec is AV1 or H.265, MediaLive does the following: Converts the content to the chosen SDR color space and brightness function. The conversion fits the colors into the smaller color space. Changes the color space metadata to specify the new color space. Changes any brightness metadata to specify the new standard. Removes any display metadata. After the conversion, the content complies completely with the new color space. The color will be less rich. The color will match the new brightness function.
Content in HLG	When the output codec is H.264 and if you have enabled enhanced VQ, MediaLive does the following: Converts the content to the chosen SDR color space and brightness function. The conversion fits the colors into the smaller color space. Changes the color space metadata to specify the new color space. Changes any brightness metadata to specify the new standard. After the conversion, the content complies completely with the new color space. The color will be less rich. The color will match the new brightness function. If you haven't enabled enhanced VQ, MediaLive doesn't convert anything. It passes through the color space metadata, and any brightness metadata.
	When the output codec is AV1 or H.265, MediaLive does the following: Converts the content to the chosen SDR color space and brightness function. The conversion fits the colors into the smaller color space. Changes the color space metadata to specify the new color space. Changes any brightness metadata to specify the new standard. After the conversion, the content complies completely with the new color space. The color will be less rich. The color will match the new brightness function.

Result when converting color space to HDR10

Read this section if you set up one or more outputs to convert the color space to HDR10. The following table shows how MediaLive handles each type of color space that it encounters in the source.

Color space that MediaLive encounters	How MediaLive handles the color space
Content in an SDR color space	Converts the content to the new color space and brightness function. The conversion maps the pixels to code values that represent the same color as the original code values. Changes the color space metadata to specify the new color space. Changes the brightness metadata to specify the new standard. If you completed Max CLL and Max FALL, the values in those fields are inserted in the display metadata. There is no change to the pixel values of the content. In effect, this conversion fits the smaller SDR color space into the larger HDR color space and maps the pixels to new code values that represent the same color. The conversion doesn't actually make the existing color richer. However, the bright parts of the content are brighter, and the dark parts are darker.
Content in HDR10	Doesn't touch the color space in the output. Passes through the color space metadata. Passes through the brightness metadata and the display metadata.
Content in HLG	There is no color space conversion—there is no change to the pixel values of the content. This is appropriate because HDR10 and HLG use the same color space (they are different only in brightness function and display metadata). Converts the content to the new brightness function. Changes the color space metadata to the new color space. Change the brightness metadata to specify the new standard. If you completed Max CLL and Max FALL, MediaLive inserts the values from those fields into the display metadata.

Result when converting color space to Dolby Vision 8.1

Read this section if you set up one or more outputs to convert the color space to Dolby Vision 8.1. The following table shows how MediaLive handles each type of color space that it encounters in the source.

Color space that MediaLive encounters	How MediaLive handles the color space
Content in HDR10	When you convert suitable content to Dolby Vision 8.1, MediaLive makes the following changes: It doesn't change the pixel values, because HDR10 and Dolby Vision 8.1 both use the same color space. It changes the color space metadata to identify the new color space. It applies the new brightness function to the content. It calculates the Dolby Vision 8.1 display metadata for the content. After the conversion, the color space hasn't changed. However, the bright parts of the content are brighter, and the dark parts are darker.
Content in any other supported color space	MediaLive passes through the color space and color space metadata for that portion,