Introduction
Patterns
Testing, red, green, blue…
Introducing Patterns, the quintessential video test pattern generator for macOS. Backed by Metal, Patterns is the world’s first generator to support HDR on the Mac. It doesn’t stop there, Patterns is also color management compliant allowing for validation through the entire processing path.
What you need to know
Patterns is best utilized when paired with Light Illusion’s LightSpace, ColourSpace or Portrait Display’s Calman software. Without those complimentary programs, Patterns may be used via a web interface allowing manually entry of RGB Triplets for patch generation.
All versions of LightSpace and ColourSpace are supported. Calman supports Patterns at the Calman Studio and Ultimate license levels and requires version 5.11.1.66 or later.
Color accuracy starts here and goes… there.
Accuracy is important, very important. Whether creating or consuming content having an accurate image ensure’s the artist’s intent is as intended. Photography, Visual Effects, Editing, Color Grading, Web Surfing, ect. Color makes a difference.
Patterns is designed to test the system, not just the display. The app is designed to work in the color spaces you work in. While other solutions may test a single path, Patterns is designed to test many; after all, your web browser may be in sRGB but that movie you’re color grading could be in P3-D65, ST 2084, so why would you only calibrate or test sRGB?
NOTE: INCLUDE COLOR SPACE MENU GRAPHIC
Question? Nothing.
Creatives demand accuracy, just one question can delay a project minutes, hours, even days while engineers scramble to find solutions to problems that all come down to confidence in the display creative decisions are decided upon.
Bits, bits, and more bits!
Patterns operates in full float, or 32-bits per component, ensuring a high level of precision beyond your typical 8-bit or 10-bit pattern generator. As the signal travels through the system full float becomes half float, or 16-bit. For ultimate accuracy, we encourage our integration partners to call patterns at 16-bit.
Why does this matter? Well, the Perceptual Quantizer, or PQ, aka SMPTE ST 2084 utilized in today’s High Dynamic Range (HDR) system requires a bit depth of 12 in order for each code value to be below one JND (Just Noticeable Difference). In gamma, a JND of one requires approximately 15-bits of depth. Today’s test pattern generators and programs often operate in 8 or 10-bit natively, inherently introducing error into the system and affecting the accuracy of your measurement. Patterns was designed with this in mind and our API allows for our partners to integrate up to 16-bits to ensure a high level of precision. After all, what good is a measurement if the pattern is wrong.