• Components
• Video infrastructure
• Video I/O settings
• Viewing environment
• Example setups
  • Apple XDR
  • Atomos Sumo

 

Components

Required:

• A non-linear editing system (NLE) that supports
  • Dolby Vision source content natively, or
  • HDR suited source footage, like S-log or HLG sources – read more about suited source formats here
• An HDR display to monitor your content natively in HDR - read more about monitors in this article

Optional:

• An external video I/O hardware to connect the HDR display to your workstation in order to bypass any color processing from the operating system

 

Video infrastructure

Dolby Vision was designed to process the highest quality video throughout the content creation, and it is therefore recommended to use a video infrastructure that fully supports 12bit, RGB, full range video. It is important to output the highest quality video from the NLE.

 

HDR video input and output settings

It’s important to setup the output from the NLE and the input of the HDR display to the correct and matching settings.
The recommended video I/O settings are:

 

HDR - ITU-R BT.2100 HLG

Signal format	RGB 4:4:4
Signal range	Full or SDI Full
EOTF	HLG (system gamma 1.2)
Black level	0,005 nit
Peak luminance	1000 nit
Color gamut	BT.2020
White point	D65 (Xw 0.3127, Yw 0.3290)

 

Viewing environment

A proper viewing environment should consist of a calibrated display, appropriate seating for the observer relative to the display, as well as proper lighting and room decor.
 

• Surround illumination: the area around the screen should be illuminated using a light source and reflective surface that matches the chromaticity reference white point characteristics of the display in use, i.e., D65

 

• Surround light level: 5 nit

 

• Viewing distance: HD: 3x – 3.2x picture height, UHD: 1.5x – 1.6x picture height

• Room decor: should be of neutral matte materials without dominant colors or distracting images and patterns.

Further, it is recommended to allow an observer at least 10 minutes to adapt to the viewing environment, especially when walking into the room from a brighter environment or the outdoors.

Check SMPTE ST 2080-3 for more detailed info.

 

Potential setups (externally connected displays)

Apple XDR connected to a Mac via Thunderbolt 3

For detailed technical specifications, please visit the Apple website.

 

• Connect the Apple XDR directly via Thunderbolt 3 to your Mac device
• Navigate to “System Preferences > Displays”, select the XDR display and choose the 'HDR Video (P3-ST 2084)' preset (This preset is recommended by Apple for a controlled viewing environment. For more info, refer to ITU-R BT.2100)
  • Although the preset is labeled P3-ST 2084, the XDR accepts HLG BT.2020 signals too and will display those correctly

 

Apple XDR configuration using Final Cut Pro

Setting up Final Cut Pro using the Apple XDR as external video monitor

• Set the FCP library to 'Wide Gamut HDR' and the project color space to 'Wide Gamut HDR - Rec. 2020 HLG'
• Go To ‘Final Cu Pro’ > ‘Preferences’ > ‘Playback’ > ‘A/V Output’
  • The Apple XDR is selected and ‘Show HDR as Tone Mapped’ is greyed out

 

• Go to ‘Window’ > 'A/V Output'
  • Check that ‘A/V Output’ is selected

 

Apple XDR configuration using Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve

• Connect the Apple XDR directly via Thunderbolt 3 to your Mac device
• Navigate to “System Preferences > Displays”, select the XDR display and choose the 'HDR Video (P3-ST 2084)' preset (This preset is recommended by Apple for a controlled viewing environment. For more info, refer to ITU-R BT.2100)
  • Although the preset is labeled P3-ST 2084, the XDR accepts HLG BT.2020 signals, too
• In Resolve, navigate to Preferences > System > General and select
  • Use 10-bit precision in viewers if available
  • Use Mac display color profiles for viewers

 

• Navigate to Project Settings > Color Management and select
  • Display HDR on viewers if available

 

• Navigate to Workspace > Video Clean Feed and select
  • Pro Display XDR

For further info, please visit Apple’s support pages.

 

Atomos SUMO 19

For detailed technical specifications, please visit the Atomos website.

Setup the Atomos SUMO using Final Cut Pro

 

• Step 1 - Connect a SUMO to your Mac as the second video monitor via a proper video I/O device. Blackmagic Design, AJA and other manufacturers provide a wide range of common mobile and desktop I/O devices. 

     

• Step 2 - Setup the correct video standard in the transmitter's application
  • ‘Desktop Video ‘for Blackmagic Design devices
  • ‘AJA Control Panel’ for AJA device.  

Note:

Sumo doesn't support the RGB 4:4:4 signal format, therefore use 10-bit YUV 4:2:2

 

 

• Step 3 - In Final Cut Pro, navigate to ‘Library’ and select 'Wide Gamut HDR' while and set the project to 'Rec.2020 HLG'

 

• Step 4 - Go to 'Preferences-Playback' and ensure the video transmitter has been recognized and applied in the AV Output option.

 

• Step 5 - Check 'A/V Output' under ‘Window’ menu if it has not been checked automatically. 

 

• Step 6 - Set the display parameters as ATM HDR (Button #3), REC2100 (Button #8), HLG (Button #7), BT2020 (Button #6). Then slide the SDR-HDR bar (#10) all the way to 1200%.

           

 

Setup SUMO with DaVinci Resolve

• Step 1 - Connect a SUMO to your Mac as the second video monitor via a proper video I/O device. Blackmagic Design, AJA and other manufacturers provide a wide range of common mobile and desktop I/O devices. 

 

• Step 2- Make sure the driver of your transmitter has been installed. 
  • Desktop Video for Blackmagic Design device
  • AJA Control Panel for AJA device, etc.

 

Note:

A reboot may be required when the installation is finished. 

• Step 3 - In Resolve, go to 'Preferences’ > ‘System’ > ‘Video and Audio I/O' and make sure your transmitter is checked for playback use.

 

• Step 4 - Go to 'Project Settings’ > ‘Master Settings’ > ‘Video monitoring', and choose the video format YUV 4:2:2 as SUMO doesn't support the signal format RGB 4:4:4

 

• Step 5 - Set the display parameters as ATM HDR (Button #3), REC2100 (Button #8), HLG (Button #7), BT2020 (Button #6). Then slide the SDR-HDR bar (#10) all the way to 1200%.