29 Jan
2005
29 Jan
'05
7:31 a.m.
Ethan Dicks wrote:
I was tweaking the knobs on a Panasonic "Color
Video Monitor"
(NTSC/"VTR input" version of a Panasonic 19" TV marketed to the AV
crowd, not the home consumer), and I realized that since I don't have
any genuine TV diagnostic tools, but I do have modern things like a
DVD player that can play CDs, etc, wouldn't it be handy to have a VCD
of color bars, etc., as a reference to adjust composite-input devices?
Now I wouldn't mind a real colorbar generator, but a
algorithmically-generated MPEG would be adequate for non-broadcast
use, surely.
Yes, the best source of this is either Video Essentials (out of print, check
ebay) or Digital Video Essentials. Both are by Joe Kane, who most definitely
knows what he's talking about. For calibrating analog devices through
composite, S-Video (Y/C), or YCrCb (YUV, component), Video Essentials is, IMO,
still the best disc out there. For digital devices (LCD TVs, Plasma) or
digital connections (DVI, VGA), Digital Video Essentials is pretty damn good
but I haven't reviewed other discs out there in the digital domain.
There are other discs out there, but a few (Avia Guide to Home Theater) have
severe mastering issues (field order is reversed in a few segments, how did
that get past quality control?!) and as such I don't trust them.
Don't try to generate your own color signals since many computers don't output
signals at spec. I've captured video from tons of computers, new and old (it's
my hobby, see www.mindcandydvd.com), and the only thing you can use from a
computer is a grayscale ramp or color gamut to use as a reference for the
*inevitable color correction you will be performing*.
I have had 10+ years experience in this area, so if you have any questions,
please feel free to ask.
--
Jim Leonard (trixter(a)oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/
Want to help an ambitious games project? http://www.mobygames.com/
Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/