[timmorris]

I've tried to start a dialogue via PM on Digitalspy forums with Andy Quested regarding his BBC HD test card and the levels he's set for his colour patches so I can generate offsets for use with my Radiance XD and if I understand what he's said to me correctly he appears to be stuck in the analogue age:

Originally Posted by TimMorris
And while I have a digital signal generator - as mentioned in the thread, the problem is that the Sky box itself isn't accurate - it has visible red push on all channels - I'm sure you've seen it. We need a benchmark so that we can apply offsets to the input we choose to use for the box to correct for Sky's lax QA!

Tim


I have to agree there is no current domestic benchmark for calibration and with TVs now having setting dependent on the input AND some STBs using YUV and some RGB...

Although modified the HD Promo test card is representative of the programmes on the channel and the STB you use. But unless you have an EBU phosphor grade 1 or 2 CRT you cannot get the "correct" settings because the "correct setting" now depend on too many other factors.

My hope is , if the test card works for your home system the programmes will look as we intended.

When there is a standard for all domestic displays regardless of the underlying technology of the display, then we can use a standard line up test set.

Andy

I replied suggesting that there is a standard we can calibrate our domestic displays to, namely Rec 709 for HD broadcasts - providing links to standards.

I've since heard nothing from him, but that could be simply because he hasn't noticed my reply. I did get the impression reading through his blog that he thought an accurate test card would be too valuable to broadcast and that his technical colleagues weren't particularly pleased. I'm hoping that he is based at the BBC's R&D labs as I live less than 500 yards away, and I'd love to show him the calibration process I go through.

Has anyone else managed to establish a dialogue with him regarding his test patterns? If so did they get any further than me? I may have got the wrong end of the stick, but if I haven't I'd love to establish a dialogue and get a verified accurate source that we can all use for calibrating offsets for use with Sky.

I had the Sky Arts HD program on my box but that spontaneously erased its entire program library. It's on my brother's box, but if I understand correctly I can't use Copy+ as it is tied to either box, viewing card or both.

Tim

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Good luck Tim....it's slightly worrying to think that he doesn't believe there are defined standards. You might want to point out to him that you have the abiity to remap an oversatured gamut to the correct specs for smptec, ebu and rec 709...

[Stuart]

Has there been any more clarification on this. I would love to be able to fine tune both my V+ and SkyHD boxes but the colour patterns are all but useless without knowing what levels they are.

Also, are the grey patches standard levels?