Even expensive TV test pattern generators don't have all of these tests. I don't think anyone will use every test and pattern here, but the beauty is that there are so many specific tests that you really can't find elsewhere. What makes the second edition so good is that, unlike the original, there's far more here for enthusiasts and beginners who don't happen to review TVs for a living. It has dozens of patterns and tests that I've wanted in my review arsenal for years. We'll be checking these out for possible inclusion in future reviews.Īs a TV reviewer, I think this disc is incredibly useful. Now, with a bevvy of 3D test patterns, we can have a more objective way to judge the crosstalk on active 3D displays, for example. Using 3D movies has been our main way of judging 3D. Possibly one of the most important new sections, and one that's incredibly rare in the TV-testing world, is stereoscopic patterns for testing 3D TVs. Some of the patterns here are similar to those many of us TV reviewers loved in the original disc, to see how well a TV or projector deinterlaces 1080i. The Video Processing section, though, is useful for anyone curious about a TV's settings for Film Mode, deinterlacing, and higher refresh settings, like those that reduce motion blur, whether they cause the Soap Opera Effect. The Video Measurements, Equal Energy Windows, and Equal Energy Gamut sections are for those with hardware measurement tools. In addition to an included booklet that explains most of the patterns and tests, its Web site has articles that go into further detail.
The latter, with 1 pixel on/off patterns (in multiple forms) and overscan test patterns, will ensure you get every pixel possible in Blu-ray and other sources, with a minimum amount of scaling/upconverting. In the Advanced Video section, you'll get patterns to test for geometry and sharpness, clipping (possibly adjustable with the contrast control), uniformity, and scaling/zoom settings.
I like Audio Tool.įrom here, the patterns get a lot more specific. You'll need a Sound Pressure Level (SPL) meter for these, either a cheap Radio Shack one, or one of the many apps available. Useful, even if you have a receiver that autocalibrates (which isn't always accurate). Though primarily a video setup disc, the audio calibration section lets you verify/check levels, polarity, AV sync, and so on. A pattern to set Contrast on the "Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark 2nd Edition." These are great, among the better ones I've seen. Though all setup discs have these patterns, not all are as easy to use as they should be. A Brightness pattern from the Spears and "Munsil HD Benchmark 2nd Edition." Starting with setup, you get excellently designed Contrast, Brightness, Color/Tint, and other basic patterns. Most of these sections have submenus that spread out on the horizontal axis. On the left you get your general categories, like Video Calibration, Audio Calibration, etc. Where the original disc had dozens of great patterns, the second edition has hundreds. What "HD Benchmark 2nd Edition" is, to use the same analogy, the rest of the undergrad courses, and beyond. This isn't to say it's limited to being the intro class, as it does have some great patterns for TV setup that even I use. It has extensive tutorials to explain every setting and adjustment. If you're new to the idea of TV setup, "Disney's World of Wonder" disc is still your best bet. The updated second edition adds myriad new setup patterns, and a host of new tests for 3D, refresh rates, motion interpolation, additional patterns for TV setup newbies, and more. Though anyone could buy it, it wasn't as entry-level or as user-friendly as "Disney's World of Wonder" setup discs. The original "Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark", released in 2009, offered some excellent patterns to help setting up TVs, and ingenious test patterns to judge the performance of deinterlacers and scalers.