240p test suite for DC,PCE,Wii,SNES,GC,MD and SCD

[vol.2]

I'm a little confused about the PLUGE bars in Wii 240p Test Suite. I'm using this to look at black and white point on older CRTs, and I have a variety of signal paths. For example one of the sets I'm working on is getting Wii through composite, fed through an RF modulator. I will be using the set with a variety of sources including game consoles and a DVD player ouput through an extron unit.

In this case, would I use the NTSC 7.5, or the RGB? Would it be different depending on whether or not I was using a game console or a DVD player, or does the "composite video to RF modulator" situation make this always NTSC?

In another set, I have it hooked up via RGB to a PS2, and I use it for both playing PS1/2 games and for playing DVDs back through the PS2. In this case, does the black level change between NTSC and RGB depending on what I'm playing through the PS2 (game VS DVD), or does the PS2 always use RGB black levels, even for DVD playback.

Or am I completely misunderstanding this and is it the method of input that defines the black level (ie, ALL RGB connected setups should ALWAYS target the RGB black level in 240p TS)?

In the past, I would generally just set the black level by finding a black screen via a connected device and just lowering the screen control until I could see no more raster at all in a dark room, but I think that's resulted in some black crush because at least some of the sets I've calibrated couldn't handle displaying detail in dark areas unless I set the black point a tiny bit higher than "completely off;" doing the PLUGE bar thing is totally new to me

[Artemio]

I'm a little confused about the PLUGE bars in Wii 240p Test Suite. I'm using this to look at black and white point on older CRTs, and I have a variety of signal paths. For example one of the sets I'm working on is getting Wii through composite, fed through an RF modulator. I will be using the set with a variety of sources including game consoles and a DVD player ouput through an extron unit.

It makes a lot of sense you are confused. I had to write those tests and use the oscilloscope to understand.

In this case, would I use the NTSC 7.5, or the RGB? Would it be different depending on whether or not I was using a game console or a DVD player, or does the "composite video to RF modulator" situation make this always NTSC?

You use NTSC 7.5 for DVD (NTSC signals) and RGB for game consoles, I tried to make that clear in the included help text, but space is limited. In japan the NTSC-J standard has black at 0, and game consoles follow this since they are Japanese. Basically nobody bothered to convert all game assets to 7.5 setup, and games go below it and game consoles just output what they have to analog, it is not like they have different standards internally and then render to each.

Regarding your composite video to RF, a measurement or tests would need to be made. If it is an old school one, it would most probably just convert directly whatever you feed. If it is digital in some way, It could be doing anything and most probably wrong.

In another set, I have it hooked up via RGB to a PS2, and I use it for both playing PS1/2 games and for playing DVDs back through the PS2. In this case, does the black level change between NTSC and RGB depending on what I'm playing through the PS2 (game VS DVD), or does the PS2 always use RGB black levels, even for DVD playback.

In this case the games will be RGB full and the DVDs NTSC 7.5, since it is the content that dictates that, and not the console.

doing the PLUGE bar thing is totally new to me

Check out the pluge and use the "helped" rectangles that apper with the optional button to check the levels of each bar and how they transfer with your displays and converters.

[vol.2]

Thanks Artemio!

I more or less managed to get the one RF set at about the correct brightness level, but I had a little more difficulty with my other set I'm using with an Extron VSC700. I think everything that goes through it seems to be a lot brighter than just going into the set straight, but I'm still noticing some brightness differences based on the particular content I'm viewing. I think it's impossible to really know because I'm using such a variety of sources, but it's still definitely within the range that I can just turn the brightness knob up or down on the TV and it will compensate with a minimum of black crush.

It makes a lot of sense you are confused. I had to write those tests and use the oscilloscope to understand.

I think I more or less get it now; it's just when there are multiple levels of standards stacked together that it can still get confusing. I do have a scope and know how to use it, but I never thought it would be necessary for just setting brightness. Perhaps I should do so in order that I can manage this process better in the future. I guess I just need to display "black" and measure it, and then check the voltage levels of like 30 IRE and 100 IRE.

In this case the games will be RGB full and the DVDs NTSC 7.5, since it is the content that dictates that, and not the console.

If I have a setup that I know I will be using for both, what would you recommend setting it to? If I'm going to have to mess with the brightness knob on the regular, is there a technical reason that I would prefer to go up rather than down or vice versa?

Also, just as a side note, I'm looking for a pdf or svg file of the crosshatch and grid patterns because I have a 1600x1200 monitor that I need some good geometry and focus patterns for, and I can't find anything that big. If it was something lossless, I could just blow it up, but for the life of me I can't find anything like that out there on the net, and your files are all pngs I think.

Thanks

[vol.2]

So, I like to calibrate for D75, but 240p Test Suite seems to only have D65 and D93 options for HCFR. I went over to the HCFR thread on AVS, and the guy who maintains support for HCFR told me that all color swatches should be identical and it's HCFR that controls the temperature.

So then why does 240p Test Suite have options for D65 and D93 then?

His answer:

Spoiler