Dealer Basics No. 1: Kaleidescape’s Video Calibration Tools

This is the first in a series of articles covering the basic information that every Kaleidescape dealer should know.

Creating a luxury home cinema experience takes many ingredients, of which a Kaleidescape movie player is one. And for that player to deliver a cinematic image true to the filmmakers’ intentions, the video display—whether a large flat-panel TV or a projection system—must be properly calibrated to deliver an accurate image.

Many calibrators use expensive external test-pattern generators or discs to measure and adjust displays. But that isn’t the only way to calibrate for optimal reproduction. To help integrators get every last pixel of performance out of their installations, Kaleidescape recently launched a series of video test patterns that can be downloaded directly to any Strato player to quickly measure, evaluate, and calibrate a display for optimal results.

These videos are accessed via a new section of the Strato’s system settings menu. Navigating to the Setup Videos section takes you directly to a special section of the onscreen Movie Store where you can download the two videos.

PictureCheck is available in three versions in both 16:9 and CinemaScape aspect ratios: 1080p, UHD, and 4K HDR. The Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) patterns are available only in UHD. For best results, use both videos, since the patterns complement each other.

The test pattern above contains a wealth of diagnostic information, giving you a quick way to set proper black (“brightness”) and white (“contrast”) levels, evaluate the display’s bit depth, color saturation, and ability to reproduce the entire range of greyscale, and check for overscan and pixel mapping.

For calibrators with the tools for measuring and adjusting the display’s greyscale and color accuracy (typically by using a meter called a colorimeter), PictureCheck also contains the test patterns for measuring primary (Red, Green, Blue) and secondary (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) colors in both BT.709 (HD/UHD) and BT.2020 (HDR) colorspace, as well as greyscale patterns from 0-100% (HD/UHD) and 0-1,000 nits (HDR).

(For a detailed guide to using PictureCheck patterns, as well as some suggested demo clips to show off a properly adjusted display, read this guidefrom the Kaleidescape Knowledge Base.)

The ISF video includes three chapters that are extremely useful for adjusting a display’s geometry and overscan, as well as advanced PLUGE (Picture Line-Up Generation Equipment) patterns for easily and accurately adjusting and setting black and white levels. (Note: The PLUGE patterns are not suitable for setting levels for HDR content.)

This main pattern (above) is especially useful when setting up a front projector that employs multiple aspect ratios, either via lens memory or an anamorphic lens system. This will ensure the image is properly squared and sized on screen, and will display exactly how many pixels are being cut off from overscanning.

Setting proper black and white levels for different viewing environments—say a “day” setting when lights are on and a “night” setting for a fully darkened room—will help ensure the image always looks its best. These PLUGE patterns will keep you from “crushing” the levels at either end of the greyscale and give patterns for displaying “blacker-than-black” and “whiter-than-white” levels. (For more on properly setting these levels, read this article by Chris Heinonen of Reference Home Theater.)

By providing innovative test patterns such as these, Kaleidescape makes certain that integrators have the tools they need to guarantee that their clients get the best picture quality their system can produce, continuing to deliver on the company’s promise to provide the ultimate luxury home cinema experience.