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Author Topic: Fathom/TCM Screenings: Horrible black levels or just my theater? William Kucharski Expert Film Handler Posts: 244 From: Louisville, Colorado, United States of America Registered: Oct 2012 posted 01-02-2019 06:00 PM                     I've noticed when I go to Fathom/TCM screenings the black levels are very poor, more of a dark grey than actual black. Regular studio releases in this same theater don't look as bad. Is this an issue with Fathom screenings? How TCM/Fathom are preparing content? An error somewhere in the ingestion/projection process?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-02-2019 06:12 PM                     Could be the processing to DCP by the studios using tired content. Why we need maskings back to hide these presentation impurities.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-02-2019 07:21 PM                     A lot of the Fathom/TCM stuff is satellite broadcast and not DCP. Are there any particular titles you recall not looking good?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-02-2019 07:46 PM                     Ours is DCP - we haven't graduated to Satellite yet. Some of our Fathom presentations were questionable on content production. The Die Hard Fathom screening we had prob wasn't the best.  |  IP: Logged William Kucharski Expert Film Handler Posts: 244 From: Louisville, Colorado, United States of America Registered: Oct 2012 posted 01-03-2019 06:01 AM                     Most of the TCM series last year; The Sound of Music had pretty grey blacks as did Die Hard. White Christmas looked a bit better. I remember from years past North By Northwest and Vertigo looked absolutely horrible.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 01-03-2019 12:52 PM                     I know the DCP Fathoms I've gone to look great, but the satellite ones stink due to compression, black levels, everything. The black levels I'd imagine could be solved with proper configuration of a setup for alternative content. I'd hate to think it's because of the satellite feed itself. But compression, gross at any size especially 40 feet! AJG  |  IP: Logged

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