For a standard SDR YouTube stream, start with Rec. 709/BT.709 color space and Partial color range in OBS, then check how each file actually looks. OBS uses one global video range setting; if playlist files were authored with different range assumptions, normalize the inconsistent files rather than changing the global output setting to compensate for each one. Treat HDR footage as a separate workflow.
Color range and color space are different
Color range describes how brightness values are represented: in simplified terms, full range uses a wider set of code values than partial (limited) range. Color space identifies a color system, such as Rec. 709 for SDR or Rec. 2100 for HDR. OBS lists range and color space separately in its media I/O reference.
Changing one setting does not automatically correct a mismatch in the other. A range mismatch can make an image look washed out or unusually dark and contrasty; differences in color space or HDR/SDR transfer characteristics can also make files look inconsistent.
Recommended OBS settings for an SDR YouTube playlist
For ordinary SDR content intended for YouTube, use BT.709/Rec. 709 as the starting color space and Partial as the starting range. OBS defines its default video range as equivalent to Partial, and a community OBS guide recommends Partial for general streaming. YouTube recommends BT.709 for SDR uploads and says it converts full-range uploads to limited range. That upload handling does not guarantee that a mixed-input OBS playlist will look right before it reaches YouTube.
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- Classify the playlist. Confirm whether the material is SDR, HDR, or a mix. Do not apply SDR settings to HDR clips simply because they are in the same playlist.
- Check OBS’s global video settings. In OBS, open Settings > Advanced > Video and note the color space and range. For a standard SDR YouTube stream, Rec. 709 and Partial are a practical starting point; retain settings appropriate to the actual sources and output path.
- Inspect files that look different. Compare SDR/HDR characteristics, full/partial range, color-space or matrix metadata, and whether the file came from a standard workflow or custom FFmpeg processing. Pay particular attention to files known to have been produced with different assumptions.
- Normalize inconsistent files before streaming. If a clip is interpreted differently from the rest, convert or otherwise normalize that file using a workflow appropriate to its source. Avoid changing the global output range for every clip in turn: a setting that improves one file can make the others wrong.
- Preview or record a short test. Check representative clips in the rendered output, not only the setting labels or metadata. Compare black levels, white levels, and ordinary midtones against a trusted playback of the source.
OBS’s available sources do not establish that current Media Source playlists have a per-file range override. Check the interface for your installed OBS version rather than assuming such a control is available.
When the playlist includes HDR
HDR is not just a different range choice. YouTube’s HDR live-streaming guidance specifies an HDR source and a separate encoding path: hardware HEVC, Main 10, P010, and Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG. Its documented RTMP setup requires OBS 30.1 or later. Confirm that the footage is intentionally being handled as HDR and follow the HDR-specific path; Rec. 709/Partial SDR advice is not a substitute.
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If a playlist mixes SDR and HDR, establish how each file should be treated before building one continuous output. Range alone cannot reconcile different transfer characteristics and color spaces.
Troubleshoot washed-out or overly dark video
| What you see | Possible cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Washed-out image | A partial-range source may be interpreted as full range. | Check the source’s range interpretation and the output path before trying to compensate with contrast or saturation. |
| Very dark or unusually punchy image | A full-range source may be interpreted as partial. | Check the source and output range assumptions. Do not assume YouTube’s encode will repair a mismatch already present in the rendered signal. |
| One playlist clip looks wrong while others look right | The file may differ in range, SDR/HDR characteristics, color space, or metadata. | Inspect and normalize the outlier instead of changing a global output setting that affects the entire playlist. |
| Capture-card or webcam input looks wrong | The device signal’s range may not match its OBS source setting. | Check the source control against the device’s actual output range. The source setting may need to reflect the incoming signal. |
| Metadata says full range, but the output behaves like partial | There have been historical reports involving custom FFmpeg workflows. | Test the exact OBS version, encoder, and container. Reports for OBS 28.0.3 and 29.0.1 do not establish a defect in current OBS. |
OBS’s color-settings guide discusses mismatches between sources and settings. Historical GitHub reports concern specific older custom FFmpeg workflows: OBS 28.0.3 and OBS 29.0.1. They are not evidence that current OBS has the same issue.
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