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Nvidia cards don't display full RGB color via HDMI—here's a fix

Soldato
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Just a heads up if some you guys are effected they is a fix. This happens on Both HDMI and DP only as far as I have seen.
This could also be the reason some users say AMD's graphics looks better on colours etc!

A quick test to see if you effected, "Click link" on the image you should see four squares.. A white, Gray, Black, and a Black/Gray
http://i.imgur.com/Bw61l68.jpg

Copy and Paste
If you're using HDMI output with an Nvidia graphics card, you likely aren't getting full and accurate color range, specifically at the black and white ends of the spectrum. For some reason, Nvidia cards default to Limited RGB (16-235 levels of differentiation per color) when using HDMI, despite a PC display's ability to support full RGB (0-255 colors).This driver issue has been affecting the HDMI output of Nvidia cards for years, and could be limiting your color range without you knowing it. Luckily there's a fix.
PC Gamer contributor and all-around PC modding hero Peter "Durante" Thoman has released a simple patch to fix the Nvidia color issue. Before Thoman's patch, the only way to fix the issue was via editing your driver's .ini files before installation.
Limited RGB is a setting designed for TVs, which use a video range of 16-235. In full RGB, each of the three additive primary colors (red, green, blue) has a full range of zero to 255 color value, but in limited RGB the extremes of that spectrum are stripped away. Any color value of 16 or below is just displayed as 16, and anything in the 235-255 range defaults to 235. Presumably, using HDMI output made Nvidia cards think they were displaying to a TV, locking into the TV-designed limited RGB setting even when a full RGB-capable monitor was in use.
A quick test to see if you're experiencing the issue is to open this image, courtesy of a helpful Reddit poster. If you see four distinct shades, two white on the left, two black on the right, then you're in the clear. But if you only see a black and a white column, you have the problem.
Being forced into limited RGB meant not getting the full colors you should be able to display. Why settle for muted grey when you could have deeper blacks and brighter whites? Thoman's patch takes care of the issue, but you will have to reinstall it every time you update your drivers.
Despite this having been a problem for years, Nvidia seems to have finally taken notice of the issue. According to a screenshot of a conversation with an Nvidia rep, the issue will be fixed in the next driver branch release. That driver is still in development, so there's no ETA, but at least it's on the way. Until then, we have Durante.

http://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-cards-dont-full-rgb-color-through-hdmiheres-a-fix/
 
Its a complete non issue, people have known about this and how to switch for ages... good that nvidia are finally going to fix it

Ive used both hdmi and dp on a multitude of monitors and never had them set themselves to limited range, and even if they did it takes three clicks to click the other option

What might be a NONE issue to you doesn't count the mass on here does it.

:rolleyes:
 
Ah yeah, think its the intel HD on my tablet that results in heavy blacks with full range issues. Anyhow its pretty obviously wrong.

Crush blacks will happen when the display doesn't support full RGB. You loose details in the dark scenes.

So is this now fixed in the latest beta driver from nvidia?
 
But I see

one white
one grey
one light black or very dark grey
one dark black

:confused: I have a grey one:confused:

You should what you seeing is the correct way it should be.. I think they got mixed up when writing that bit.

You would only see two white and two black if your Colour was outputting limited RGB.

Four shades should be seen like you seeing.
 
I have:

Top left: White
Bottom left: Gray
Top right: Black
Bottom left: Dark Brown :S (looks like mud)

Do you mean Bottom Right? This should look like a mix between Black and Gray.. Its this shade that gives you details in shadows in games etc

It defo shouldn't look Brown... Try putting you GPU colour setting to default or monitor display settings.

If you changed them.
 
I have FirePro Control Centre instead of Catalyst Control Centre, I have a check box for 10-bit pixel format, should this be checked or unchecked?

That's what's called Deep Colour.. It's a personal thing if you thing. Some people with find it over does the colour others find it makes it better.

Personally I would leave it off..
 
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