Hi John

Thanks for the feedback.

I have done a couple of driver upgrades since installing the OS and Magix programs via "Device manager > update driver automatically". Unfortunately no change in the HDR fault.

Intels driver update utility could not even find any drivers for my setup for any hardware items. Going to Intels driver downloads page and selecting my processor and Win10, it could not find a graphics driver but selecting "All" operating systems it came up with a package that looked older than the one found through Device Manager. Downloading and running the .exe it installed the same number driver as the Device manager update had installed so the confusion there was just that the driver package has a different number to the Display driver itself. I think I am on the latest now!

My Graphics adapter is showing it supports DX12.1 in GPU-Z so based on the fact that yours only supports DX11.1 may further point to the fact that there is something screwey with DX12 support.

Dammed frustrating as the HDR feature is one I use a lot.

Peter

Hi John

I decided to swop the discreet graphics card from my old PC into the new W10 PC and lo... the HDR functions correctly! Only trouble is the Nvidia driver latest 364.51 installation appears to have corrupted the audio cleaning tools in MEP (all versions). MEP warns it failed to load about 8 or so DSP_dll's stating "mfc120.dll could not be found".

Going to a restore point prior to the date I installed the driver and removing the card put things back to normal but of course HDR does not work again with the onboard GPU. There have been some problems of late with the Geforce drivers causing problems with PC's but the one I used was a hurried Nvidia update as a result of this. There has been a suggestion that Windows update may have caused the mfc120.dll problem and I think the restore point I used was created by Windows update 11/3/16.

So not much further ahead because while the GTX460 got the HDR working, GPU-Z reported it was only supporting a feature level of DX11.2 so I am not sure the problem is a result of DX12 itself or in fact the Intel HD530 graphics driver, or both?

Ho hum....!

Peter

Hi Peter

. . . . So not much further ahead . . .

At least you know the issue is with graphics card, drivers, or DX.   Its just a pain sorting them out.

When changing graphics card, particularly if going backwards, I always used to  uninstall the drivers of the card being removed  before adding in a different card - this avoids 'cross contamination' of drivers ie mixing newer dll's with older ones.

HTH

John EB

Good advice John. Nvidia have included an option in their driver installer in the last couple of years for a clean install. I don't always use it but should.

Some googling brought up a simmilar problem in Sonar which is audio production software:- http://forum.cakewalk.com/SOLVED-Can39t-run-Sonar-Platinum-after-update-quotmfc120dll-is-missingquot-message-m3292492.aspx  - see the last 2 posts which could have worked for me but I probably will not perservere with the GTX460 card because it performed worse than the HD530 Intel on preview of effects and transitions.

Looking at the update history on my machine I see there was only a Windows malicious software removal tool update on the day I installed the Nvidia card and driver so maybe that hooked out the mfc120.dll by mistake. I see that this update KB890830 had failed to install prior to this and has tried to install since it successfully did install???

That's the trouble with Win10's update. You don't know what it is doing until it is done!

Peter

Hi

I think your conclusion re the update and missing dll is correct.

. . . . That's the trouble with Win10's update. You don't know what it is doing until it is done! . . .

Too true - on my laptop often the only way I know an update has been installed is when something stops working - usually the network connection.

I have also turned of the Windows 10 update option of where it gets its updates from - see image below

Cheers

John EB

Hi

I have run the HDR / DX12 problem past Magix support and while they have been able to reproduce it they say they have not had any other reports from customers and consequently it is a low priority.

If others have this problem please contact Magix as soon as possible!

Peter

Only recently started using 2016 and 2017 in earnest and dismayed to find this is still unfixed in both MEP 2016 and MEP 2017 😠

Peter: Like you, I use this feature a lot. It's nearly a year since the last post here which rather surprises me. Is there perhaps an easy work-around that I'm unaware of? Apart from switching display modes, that is.

John: Do you have the same problem? I have no separate graphics card and I thought that was the case with you too? Or do you not use HDR anyway?

All: Anyone else have any feedback from Magix?

BTW: Anyone have a working direct email to Magix Support please? I've been unable to communicate for about a month, after several attempts. PM or email me please.

Hi Terry, I realise this is not what you want to hear but using VPX 365 (fully updated) the HDR feature works entirely as expected! My computer spec is in my signature if you want details of that.

I don't have any version of MEP installed or available to me so can't check that.

Jeff

Hi Terry,

I presume that you have the latest patches.

HDR gamma works for me in MEP2016 Premium v15.0.0.107, don't have 2017. However, unlike Jeff, the latest patch for VPX broke HDR on my Surface Pro or at least I think that it had been fixed before, but maybe not. Moving the HDR gamma slider a little bit in VPX causes the screen to go much darker. Is this what you see? If so, try Compatibility mode under Video mode.

As was pointed out, there still seems to be a problem with some video cards/drivers.

HDR gamma also works fine in VPX on my desktop, which now also works. I just spent the last week going through, firstly, programs would halt for a while and then start back again, then halt, repeatedly, secondly, started having Blue Screen of Death problems, tried everything that I could find to resolve this, gave up and accepted to reinstall W10. Finally, almost everything is back, just some plugins and a few more programs to install. Had a couple of programs where I forgot or deleted the installation files and had to chase after those, along with several other problems. One must be very rigourous about keeping the installation files of everything.

I had to reinstall all versions of MEP (2015 and 2016) and VPX6, 7 and 8, just to get the add-ons. I'm missing the initial Adorage sample pack; I don't remember what it came with, but I do have the version 13 that I downloaded.

I had to reinstall almost all versions of MusicMaker, MusicStudio and Samplitude MusicStudio just to get all of the instruments.

I suggest that you raise a ticket with Magix about HDR gamma not working.

Hi Terry

As with Jeff;s comment - MEP 2016, 2017 and VPX 365 HDR works fine on my laptop using the integrated Intel HD5600 GPU - I have no NVidia or AMD chipset in the laptop. All programs up to date with the latest patches.

I do not use the HDR effect - I can achieve better results using Gamma, Brightness and Contrast for the video captured from my cameras.

John EB

Hi John EB,

I try to avoid Brightness except when it looks like the image is blown out, then I reduce it ever so slightly. Take a look at the scopes in VPX and watch what happens using Brightness. I almost never increase brightness as it raises the whole thing in the scope - whites get blown out, blacks turn grey.

I use HDR Gamma a bit, combined with Gamma low. I haven't mastered the curve yet, as you can see in the image below; I just played with it a bit to see how I could also bring up dark areas and bring down brighter areas. I also slightly lowered Brightness. Note the waveform monitor.

Image with Brightness, Contrast, Curve, Gamma low increased, HDR gamma increased along with HDR blur.

Original image

Image with effects as above

Image with effects plus NB Color Fixer Pro - Touch-up plus Sharpness = 100

I'm still getting some fading in the upper part of the trees.

Interesting watching the Waveform Monitor with and without Sharpness. Also, sharpness lowers the darker areas - shows up right away in the Waveform Monitor.

Of course, since this is a photo, I should have done this in PaintShop Pro.

What else can be done in MEP/VPX to improve this?

Photo taken with BB Z10 cell phone, before entering Oktoberfest in Munich and drinking beer.

@Terry,

Doesn't help you with your problem, but the Instruments in VPX are nice to have.

Thanks all, appreciate the prompt feedback. I've sent a ticketed request. Meanwhile the work around I'm using is to enable the option 'Always use DirectX9' (from Peter, 11 months ago). What negative consequences is that likely to have?

John CB: Sorry to hear that tale of woe but glad you've emerged with a largely working system.

John EB: Any feedback re my email about direct contact with magix.info please?
Thanks John, now received.

Hi Peter,

Missed this work-around of yours earlier. But I'm struggling to reproduce what you described.

I have an object selected on the timeline in MEP 2016 and I have opened NB Titler. Can you step me through the details please? (BTW, I see no Auto Contrast effect here.)

"The only thing I have discovered with much trial and error is that the HDR problem corrects itself if a New Blue Effect like “Auto Contrast” is applied first to the clip….! It also keeps working if the preset "Reset to none" is subsequently selected in the NBlue effects window."

Hi All

There is quite a bit more discussion on the HDR fault in page one of this post:- https://www.magix.info/uk/forum/vpx-patch-may-have-problems-also-tra-problem--1178806/.

The only real solution is to add a discreet Nvidia or AMD graphics card and make sure MEP is set to use that for "preview in the arranger" in the program settings > display options Tab.

Jeff - can you reproduce our problem if you go to the above settings and select the Intel graphics for "preview in the arranger"? Note you should restart the program after changing this setting.

Terry - The negative effects of using DX9 only is that a lot of the effects in late versions of Magix have GPU acceleration based on DX11 or 12 so playback in the arranger may not be as smooth.

Auto Contrast is in the "New Blue Essentials effects" that came with a recent version of MEP, but this is not an ideal workaround as the extra overhead on the GPU and CPU slows things down, surprisingly even when you apply a NB preset effect and then select the "reset to none" preset in the NB effects window. It seems that to remove the influence of the NB "None" effect you need to reset the video effects to none in MEP, however this removes the benefit to the HDR problem as well.

John EB - Re my previous discussions and theory that this HDR problem occurs only on machines with just Intel graphics only on New installations of Win10 and not upgrades from Win7 or 8, can you confirm your laptop has a new installation of 10?

John CB -

I haven't mastered the curve yet

I find this feature quite useful although I am in no way fully competent in it's use. In your example I would not increase the contrast slider because you shot is already too contrasty. I would apply 15 to 20% HDR max, and probably the same amount of selective brightness to boost things a bit in the middle tones. Then, use the bottom green point in the corner of the curves control, to bring the blacks up to just above 0 by sliding it straight up, then bring the hot sky down to just below 255 by pushing the top green corner point straight down. This has the effect of raising the black level mainly in the dark areas and the light areas mainly, respectively. If you want to confine the effect to a range of dark or light then put an anchor point somewhere along the white line with a left click.

I have not found an image that could be improved by using the Brightness slider by more than 1 or 2%.

It would be really useful if the adjustments with the sliders were portrayed in the shape of the curves dialog, I reckon.

Peter

Hi Terry,

Try one of the other NB effects, I don't think that Titler counts as an effect. I just tried using NB Film Color and it worked....until I deleted the NB effect. Then it went back to being problematic. Here is what happens when I apply HDR Gamma in VPX on my Surface Pro, before applying the NB effect, and after deleting it. I think that I may have a new "feature."

John CB -

I haven't mastered the curve yet

I find this feature quite useful although I am in no way fully competent in it's use. In your example I would not increase the contrast slider because you shot is already too contrasty. I would apply 15 to 20% HDR max, and probably the same amount of selective brightness to boost things a bit in the middle tones. Then, use the bottom green point in the corner of the curves control, to bring the blacks to just above 0 by sliding it to the right, then bring the hot sky down to just below 255 by pushing the top green corner point to the left. I have not found an image that could be improved by using the Brightness slider by more than 1 or 2%.

It would be really useful if the adjustments with the sliders were portrayed in the shape of the curves dialog, I reckon.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I'll try that out. With photos, I use PaintShop Pro X9 and a few of the plugins that I purchased and just let them figure it out (presets) until it looks good, but with video, I struggle. Lot's to learn.

Thanks,

Hi JohnCB

Sorry I just edited that section as I had got the direction to move the green dot the wrong way around. Have a play though and watch the effect in the top, bottom and middle part of the wave form.

until I deleted the NB effect. Then it went back to being problematic.

Did you delete it in the MEP windows or apply the "reset to none" preset in the NB effects "pop up" window?

Hi Peter,

I deleted the effect in the kf window area, not by returning to NB. I see what you mean now that the NB effect must remain, even if it is set to none, or even if it is unchecked. That works.

I tried playing around with the sliders and the curve as you suggested (amended). Looks better, but I still needed the sharpness. I need to try again on my desktop as the Surface Pro screen is too small to see the impact.

Thanks,

John

Jeff - can you reproduce our problem if you go to the above settings and select the Intel graphics for "preview in the arranger"? Note you should restart the program after changing this setting.

Hi Peter, short answer, No.

I made the change you asked about, restarted VPX, opened a video file, selected a clip and went to Video Effects etc., and discovered I could not even open the Brightness and Contrast panel (it said no video object was selected, when it was)! Investigating the settings screen for that "preview in the arranger" I discovered the mode had switched itself to "Compatibility Mode VideoForWindows". Changing that to "Standard Mode" (with the Intel graphics) and the HDR effect was available and could be used as expected.

😥

Thanks Jeff. I guess that only leaves the "it only happens on a new installation of Windows 10" theory as yours is an upgrade from Win7. Maybe John EB can confirm my question about the Windows installation on his Laptop.

Peter

Hi all,

This and the related HDR threads are making for interesting reading.

To add my own latest tests, here are some hopefully self-explanatory illustrations:

I still cannot try the NewBlue work around. Am I missing a necessary tool? Or some simple way of using Titler?

Thanks Jeff. I guess that only leaves the "it only happens on a new installation of Windows 10" theory as yours is an upgrade from Win7. Maybe John EB can confirm my question about the Windows installation on his Laptop.

Peter

Hi Peter. Not sure I fully agree with my set-up being an upgrade (in the normal way of understanding that term)!!

As I wrote before, my route to Win 10 on this new computer was, indeed, to install Win 7 Pro 64 bit and nothing else and then immediately do the "upgrade" to Win 10 Pro 64 bit. So, the only "hangover" possible from Win 7 is the basic OS files. In your scenario, on my computer, there would have to be "something" in a new Win 10 install that conflicts with MEP/VPX but that is "corrected" by having previously had Win 7, however briefly and without ever having actually "used" the older OS.

Jeff