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Calibration 101
Source: PRO AV Magazine
Publication date: May 1, 2006
By Tom Schulte, CET
Many of the video test patterns used today have been with us for many years — some of which have evolved due to the transformation from CRT-based to fixed-pixel video displays. Test patterns help pro AV professionals performance test, troubleshoot, and calibrate video transmission systems and video displays, enabling them to help maintain high-quality images that accurately reproduce the original intent of program authors. When performance testing or calibrating video systems and video displays, it's important to understand a number of common video test patterns, examining some of their history, technical composition, and utility.
Video test patterns are designed to be applied to the input of a video processing system to be evaluated visually, electronically measured on a video display, or analyzed with an electronic test instrument (e.g. waveform monitor) at a later point in the system. They may also be directly applied to the input of a video display to test or calibrate the display itself. In that case, the test pattern images will be evaluated visually or measured electronically with a light measurement device.
The required visual evaluations typically aren't very subjective because most people with somewhat normal eyesight and an understanding of what they're looking for from each test pattern will give substantially the same evaluation or adjustment.