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For a typical SDR YouTube stream, start with Rec. 709/BT.709 color space and Partial range in OBS, then check that the playlist files are interpreted consistently. A single global OBS range setting cannot reliably correct files authored with different range assumptions: inspect and, where needed, normalize the inconsistent files rather than changing the output setting to fix each one. Treat HDR as a separate workflow.
Color range is not the same as color space
Color range describes how brightness values are coded—commonly Full or Partial (also called limited). Color space identifies a system such as Rec. 709 or Rec. 2100. OBS exposes these as separate concepts, so changing one does not automatically resolve a mismatch in the other. OBS media I/O reference
For SDR uploads, YouTube recommends BT.709 and says it converts full-range uploads to limited range. That upload handling does not guarantee that a mixed playlist will look right in the OBS preview or stream: the source files still need to be interpreted appropriately. YouTube recommended upload encoding settings
Set a consistent starting point for SDR
- Confirm the material is SDR. Do not assume every video in a playlist is SDR just because most of it is. Check files that look different and any known HDR sources.
- Open OBS video settings. Go to Settings > Advanced and review the color space and color range controls. For ordinary SDR YouTube output, use Rec. 709 as the starting color space and Partial range as the starting range. OBS defines its default range as equivalent to Partial. OBS media I/O reference
- Inspect files with visibly different levels or known differing metadata. Compare whether each is SDR or HDR, its full/partial range, its color space or matrix metadata, and how it is being output by OBS. A mismatch can make the image washed out or unusually dark and contrasty. OBS community guide to correcting color range
- Normalize inconsistent files before relying on one playlist setting. Convert or otherwise prepare outliers so they share the intended SDR interpretation. Avoid switching the global output range to compensate for one bad-looking item; that may make the other files wrong instead. This is a practical consequence of OBS’s global range definitions and the documented mismatch symptoms.
- Test representative items. Preview or make a short recording with at least one file from each different group. Check blacks, whites, and ordinary midtones in the rendered result, not only a metadata label. This is especially important for custom FFmpeg output, where older reports described disagreement between metadata and encoded range.
The available documentation does not establish a per-file range override for current OBS Media Source playlists. Check the controls in your installed OBS version rather than assuming such an override exists.
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Keep HDR footage on an HDR workflow
Do not apply the SDR Rec. 709 recommendation to HDR files. YouTube’s documented OBS HDR live workflow specifies an HDR source, hardware HEVC encoding, Main 10, P010, and Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG. For the documented RTMP setup, OBS 30.1 is the minimum version. YouTube HDR live streaming guidance
If a playlist mixes SDR and HDR, range alone is not the difference to solve. Separate the material by intended output or convert it into a consistent workflow before streaming; confirm the resulting image rather than expecting one SDR setting to handle HDR correctly.
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Troubleshoot washed-out or overly dark video
- Washed out: a Partial-range source may be interpreted as Full. Check the source interpretation and output path before trying to compensate with contrast or saturation.
- Very dark or punchy: a Full-range source may be interpreted as Partial. Verify how the file is interpreted and avoid assuming YouTube’s encode will repair a source mismatch.
- Metadata says Full, but the picture behaves like Partial: historical reports involved custom FFmpeg workflows in OBS 28.0.3 and 29.0.1. They do not establish a defect in current OBS. Test the exact OBS version, encoder, and container you use. OBS issue report for 28.0.3 · OBS issue report for 29.0.1
- Webcam or capture-card input looks wrong: check that source’s range control against the actual device output; the correct source setting can differ from the global output setting.
- Playlist alternates between SDR and HDR: handle the HDR items using the HDR-specific setup rather than changing only the range control.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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