For a typical SDR recording that you make in OBS and upload to YouTube as a prerecorded live stream, start with Partial (limited) output range and BT.709 color space. OBS uses Partial as its default video range, and YouTube recommends BT.709 for SDR uploads and says it converts full-range uploads to limited range. The exported file’s color metadata should match how the video was mastered.
What OBS color range and color space mean
They describe different aspects of the video signal. In OBS’s Media I/O reference, Partial and Full are separate YUV video ranges, while Rec. 601, Rec. 709, sRGB, and Rec. 2100 PQ/HLG are separate color-space choices. “Default” range is equivalent to Partial in that reference.
In practical 8-bit video terminology, Partial (also called limited or legal range) uses a narrower nominal code-value span than Full. If a signal is interpreted or converted using the wrong range, the result may look washed out, or dark and bright details may appear clipped. The exact appearance depends on where the mismatch occurs: source, capture, OBS output, file metadata, or playback display.
Recommended OBS settings for an SDR YouTube upload
Set the output range to Partial
For an ordinary SDR upload, Partial is the compatibility-oriented starting point. It is OBS’s documented default, and YouTube says it converts full-range uploads to limited range. YouTube’s upload guidance also recommends 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, progressive scan, H.264, and matching the frame rate to the recorded content; its SDR bitrate values are recommendations rather than requirements.
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Set the color space to BT.709
Use BT.709 for standard SDR material. YouTube recommends BT.709 as the standard color space for SDR uploads. Do not choose an HDR color space such as Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG for a standard SDR recording. HDR workflows require different standards and are outside this recommendation.
Make the file metadata describe the actual master
The color tags in the encoded file should describe how the video was mastered. YouTube identifies mismatches in transfer characteristics, color primaries, or matrix coefficients as possible causes of color problems. A setting that makes the preview look pleasing is not a substitute for correct output tagging.
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Check the entire signal path before changing settings
- Identify the source signal. Determine whether the computer, console, camera, or other source is actually sending Full or Partial range. Do not assume that every RGB source should be set to Full.
- Check capture-source interpretation separately. A capture device may have its own range setting. Its interpretation should match the signal arriving from that device. Device defaults depend on the model and driver, so verify against a known source or chart when possible. Practical community guidance identifies full-range XRGB and some MJPEG cases as exceptions; treat this as device-specific advice, not a universal rule.
- Choose the OBS output and file tags for the deliverable. For typical SDR YouTube output, use Partial and BT.709. OBS’s default range is Partial, though exact interface labels and encoder behavior can vary by version.
- Compare the original export with YouTube playback. Check whether the local file looks right before upload. If it does but YouTube playback does not, compare the YouTube video in another browser or on another device, as YouTube recommends. This helps distinguish file tagging or processing from a playback-display issue.
Why a prerecorded upload is not the same as a live encoder feed
This guidance is for a prerecorded file uploaded to YouTube, even if you later present that video as a live broadcast. YouTube’s live-encoder guidance also recommends Rec. 709 for SDR, but live ingestion is a separate workflow; use the upload recommendations when preparing a file for upload rather than treating encoder guidance as the file-export specification.
Troubleshoot washed-out or clipped YouTube video
- The local export is already washed out or clipped: inspect the source range interpretation, capture-device settings, OBS output range, and color-space choice. Confirm that the file’s color metadata matches the way it was mastered.
- The local export looks correct, but YouTube playback does not: compare playback in another browser or on another device. Then check the file’s transfer characteristics, primaries, and matrix coefficients against the master.
- Changing Full and Partial makes the result worse: restore the SDR baseline of Partial output range and BT.709, then check the source and capture stages rather than forcing every stage to the same label. Input interpretation and output range are separate decisions.
- You are working with HDR material: do not apply this SDR recommendation mechanically. Rec. 2100 PQ and HLG are distinct OBS color-space options; use an HDR workflow appropriate to the material and destination.
Keep a prerecorded YouTube stream running without leaving OBS on
If the file is ready and your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live continuously, you can run the DIY workflow from a computer, or use a cloud service. StreamNeo keeps a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the video in the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on.
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