Your system allows you to set three different types of safe color limits — limits beyond which the system issues a safe color warning. You can set warning limits for the composite signal range, the luminance range, and the RGB gamut.

Most broadcasting companies set specific limits for the composite signal and the luminance range. Programs that do not meet these limits are not normally accepted for broadcast. For example, a typical set of limits for broadcast in the United States might restrict the composite signal to a range from –20 IRE to 110 IRE and limit the maximum luminance to approximately 100 IRE. Some broadcast standards might be even stricter than these values, while others might be somewhat more permissive.

If you are working on a program intended for broadcast, you should determine what the safe limits for composite and luminance are and type them in the appropriate areas of the Safe Color Settings dialog box. You can then instruct the system to warn you when those limits are exceeded. For more information, see Setting Safe Color Limits.

RGB gamut refers to the intensity of each individual color channel — red, green, and blue. This measure of a safe color is less likely to be subject to specific broadcast standards, but it is still an important limit type. Colors that have extremely low or high gamut values might not display well on television screens.