# ChromaPure Calibration Software



## mechman

*ChromaPure 2.5.8.24553* is now available for download.

*New Features*

Added support for the Colorimetry Research CR-250 spectroradiometer

Added support for the Spyder 5 colorimeter

Added support for the Display 3 II colorimeter*

Added a control panel in the Options module for the Display 3 colorimeter that provides the user with extensive control over the performance of the meter.

Added luminance to the Meter Correction module.

*Bug Fixes*

Fixed a problem with the DVDO TPG signal generator outputting PC values in some modules.

* The Display 3 II is a Rev B of the X-Rite i1D3 colorimeter. This meter includes new hardware/firmware features that support refresh rate synchronization (must use the AIO read mode). This requires the user to point the meter at a 100% test pattern during initialization.


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## Dale Rasco

Hey Mech, have you used it fairly extensively?


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## mechman

ChromaPure is my software of choice for calibration right now. :T I have a Professional license for ChromaPure and an Enthusiast license for CalMAN

I prefer ChromaPure over CalMAN at the moment because it's a bit more straight forward and it's a bit zippier. CalMAN 4.0 load times are pretty slow. And I run them on a Core i7 740QM laptop. I think ChromaPure might be a tad bit cheaper as well. But I haven't compared them in quite some time. If you looking for calibration software I'd recommend either of them. CalMAN is very easy to use for beginners while ChromaPure is more for people who know what they are doing. 

One of these days I need to get a write up for both of these. :scratch:


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## Dale Rasco

Well, I wasn't looking for software, but now I am considering it all of a sudden. It's the one piece of gear I really don't have yet, but have been considering off and on for a while now.


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## Alan Brown

Dale Rasco said:


> Well, I wasn't looking for software, but now I am considering it all of a sudden. It's the one piece of gear I really don't have yet, but have been considering off and on for a while now.


Software isn't "gear." What are you really looking for?


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## Dale Rasco

I'm sorry, it's my hardware background. I'm looking for a new "tool" to run on my laptop that will allow me to better calibrate a video display...


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## Alan Brown

Dale Rasco said:


> I'm sorry, it's my hardware background. I'm looking for a new "tool" to run on my laptop that will allow me to better calibrate a video display...


What color meter will you be using? What will be your source for test patterns?


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## Dale Rasco

Not sure, I was thinking of getting one of the hardware/software bundles. I don't currently have a color meter.


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## mechman

Depending upon what you want, you could just get an i1Display2 bundle from either company for less than $500. I believe Spectracal offers a bundle with a Colormunki Spectro for around $600. You can also get a Chroma5 bundle from ChromaPure for the same price. The Chroma5 can be bought as a Pro version for $100 more. Tom explains the advantages of the Pro here. Spectracal offers a similar enhanced Chroma5 product with their software as well.

If you want my recommendation, I'd go with a beginner type setup with the i1Display2. Either software package would work. CalMAN includes help within their program while ChromaPure has several video tutorials on their site. Store the meter in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. I keep my i1D2 clone in a ziploc bag that has another bag within containing desiccant.


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## Dale Rasco

Thanks Mech, I appreciate your input and recommendation on this.


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## mechman

Version 2.1 has been released.


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## mechman

Version 2.1.2 is up and available for download.

It fixes various bugs.


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## mechman

Version 2.2 is out.

*ChromaPure 2.2 Release Notes*

This release includes the following new features:


Auto-Calibrate. This is an optional add-on that works with a DVDO Duo or Lumagen Radiance external processor. After selecting some basic options, it provides a comprehensive calibration with no user input. Auto-Calibrate is available to ChromaPure Standard users for $149. It is free for ChromaPure Professional users. ChromaPure Professional users should contact user support for a license upgrade to enable this option.
QuickReports. This new feature allows users to quickly and easily generate basic reports within the application that summarize data in the Pre/Post-Grayscale and Pre/Post Color Gamut modules. These single-page reports can be exported as PDF, Word, or as an image file.
5% measurement increments have been added to the White Balance and Raw Data modules.
We are offering a new version of ChromaPure, ChromaPure Plus. The MSRP for this version is $300. It adds support for the AccuPel video test pattern generators.

It is available for download here.


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## mechman

Updated first post to reflect 2.2.5. 2.3 is due out very soon.


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## mechman

2.2.7 out now. 

*ChromaPure 2.2.7 Release Notes*

New Features


PRO meters now include corrections for LG LED and LCD displays.
In consultation with X-Rite, we made an adjustment to our i1 Display Pro III support that provides significantly better repeatability at low light levels.
The Color Management module now includes a CIE chart.
The Advanced Color Management module now includes support for the Lumagen Radiance as a signal generator.
When initializing the JETI 1211 spectroradiometer, the application now automatically measures and sets the cycle rate of the target display.

Bug Fixes


The AccuPel signal generator would lose default settings after working in the Advanced Color Management module. This has been fixed.
Connection to the selected meter would be lost when cancelling out of the Options module. This has been fixed.
If the user neglected to initialize a meter before selecting auto-advance, the system would become unstable when taking grayscale readings.
The system allowed users to select a null value from the signal generator drop-down. This has been fixed.

Download it here.


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## mechman

Version 2.2.8 of ChromaPure released

Version 2.2.8 is now available for download.

*ChromaPure 2.2.8 Release Notes*

There is only one change in this build. After additional testing and customer comments, we have further refined support for the i1 Display Pro III colorimeter. This version offers a better compromise between speed and low-light repeatability. There are two things to keep in mind about this version.


Single readings below 1 cd/m2 outside of auto-cal will be very slow. This is normal. All other readings should be as fast or faster than in 2.2.7
Do not use measurement smoothing with the Display 3 colorimeter. It will only slow readings down without improving repeatability. It still may be useful with other color analyzers.


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## mechman

ChromaPure 2.2.9 released

*ChromaPure 2.2.9 Release Notes*

This release adds three new modes to PRO meters, including:

- DLP Rear Projection
- LED Front Projector-Lens
- LED Front Projector-Screen

The DLP Rear Projection Mode can be added to existing licenses without recalibration (contact ChromaPure Technical Support). The LED Projection Modes can only be added to existing licenses during recalibration.

We have also improved the read performance of the Display 3 colorimeter in Front Projection-Lens mode.


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## mechman

*2.2.10 Release Notes*

This release provides some critical updates to the auto-calibration module. No other changes have been made.


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## Doctor X

As a matter of interest, which colour meter is better (more accurate), the Chroma 5 Pro or the Spectracal C6 ?


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## mechman

The C6 is a lot faster. As for accuracy, the C6 is probably more accurate on the low end.


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## yammyguy

Can you use Chromapure for wide gamut PC monitors?


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## ced81

Hello,
has anyone tried it the discus basICColor with chromapure ?

Cédric


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## mechman

Chromapure does not support the basICColor DISCUS. It may in the future. :huh:


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## ced81

Apparently Tom told me that the discussion now support chromapure, It works well.

Cédric


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## mechman

I didn't see it listed on his site anywhere? :huh:


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## ced81

From the update 2.2.12 :

ChromaPure 2.2.12 Release Notes
New Features
Added support for the basICColor Discus colorimeter.
Added support for the Spyder4 colorimeter.


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## samhain

Looking at the new developments such as 125 pt cms and advanced auto calc and also Calman 5. What, in essence are the differences between the two products that matter, i.e. what has one got but the other doesn't, not just with this new feature but overall.


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## KelvinS1965

samhain said:


> Looking at the new developments such as 125 pt cms and advanced auto calc and also Calman 5. What, in essence are the differences between the two products that matter, i.e. what has one got but the other doesn't, not just with this new feature but overall.




Not a huge amount from what I see, though Chromapure have yet to add selectable gamma targets (such as BT1886) but Tom has already said this will be added in a future update. As I already have Chromapure Pro (recently added the autocal upgrade) and have been pleased with the support offered by Tom, I have no reason to change to Calman. For those starting from scratch I think the best thing to do would be to look on both websites and trial software/videos to see which you prefer. I know Calman 3 or 4 _seemed_ much more complicated to me when I was looking and Chromapure just made it all seem so straightforward and demystified the process, but I think Calman 5 is improved in this area.

A calibration done on either software will likely not give any different results (selectable gamma notwithstanding), so it's more to do with how you like the look and operation of the controls, the pricing and which sensor(s) you might use.


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## Joel Barsotti

KelvinS1965 said:


> A calibration done on either software will likely not give any different results (selectable gamma notwithstanding), so it's more to do with how you like the look and operation of the controls, the pricing and which sensor(s) you might use.


While that may have been true prior to AutoCal, but now when you're looking at 125 point calibration, it makes a significant difference.

The control for calibrating the Cube is taken out of the users hands and is solely in the realm of the software, so the quality of the software used to manipulate the cube is extremely important. The radiance wasn't the first device CalMAN supported for cube calibration. We'd been working on 3D Lut support for the Film and Video industry were we support devices with many more calibration points, different gamut and gamma requirements, and PC and Video levels support. Not to mention the accuracy demands of those professional environments.

All of that work trickled down to the consumer product and radiance support.

Our software will consistently give the best results for 3D Lut creation.


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## KelvinS1965

I thought I'd given a fairly unbiased post considering that this is a Chromapure thead and I'm a Chromapure user. 


I'd be extremely surprised if Chromapure _doesn't_ produce accurate results on the 125 point cube (or rather as accurate as the user's meter allows, which may well be the limiting factor for many of us amateur calibrators anyway). 


I've never been a fan of any company putting down their opposition, however subtle...it comes across as unprofessional (to me anyway).


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## lcaillo

I would expect that Joel can back up the statement with data. Can we see some test results?


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## Joel Barsotti

KelvinS1965 said:


> I thought I'd given a fairly unbiased post considering that this is a Chromapure thead and I'm a Chromapure user.
> 
> 
> I'd be extremely surprised if Chromapure _doesn't_ produce accurate results on the 125 point cube (or rather as accurate as the user's meter allows, which may well be the limiting factor for many of us amateur calibrators anyway).
> 
> 
> I've never been a fan of any company putting down their opposition, however subtle...it comes across as unprofessional (to me anyway).


My main point was that now the software has taken over the calibration, the end result is out of the users hand.

If you believe chromapure is better I won't argue that, but doing 3D LUT calibration is entirely dependant on the quality of software used.


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## Joel Barsotti

lcaillo said:


> I would expect that Joel can back up the statement with data. Can we see some test results?


What would you like to see test results for?

The panel being calibrated is a large component of the results, and I don't want to be said to be bringing in a ringer, but I only have access to so many sets as well.


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## mechman

Version 2.3.2 is now available for download. 

*ChromaPure 2.3.2 Release Notes*
*New Features*

Enhanced Support for DVDO Duo Video Processor. The Duo now supports window and field test patterns, 5% grayscale test patterns, and colors at multiple saturations and levels of intensity. You can now use the Duo with the Advanced Color Management module and the 75% of Rec. 709 Gamut in the Color Management module.
The Plasma mode now incorporates a new burst read mode provided by X-Rite that improves repeatability at low light levels on plasma displays. Our tests show that single readings on plasmas have very good repeatability down to 20% stimulus. To get good repeatability below that you may need to use Measurement Smoothing (but not on auto-cal). Continuous readings are fine at any level.
*Bug Fixes*

Some of the colors when using the constant APL mode in the AccuPel were wrong. This has been fixed.
The dE calculations in the Advanced Color Management module at levels of stimulus other than 100% were wrong. This has been fixed.
The gamma calculation at 75% in the Pre/Post-Calibration Grayscale module had been calculated incorrectly. This is fixed.
Auto-Calibrate was adjusting 5% and 10% grayscale levels correctly in the Lumagen, but it was not setting the Lumagen menus to correspond with this selection correctly. This has been fixed.


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## KelvinS1965

There is an issue with the plasma display reading with this new version, which they are working on. There is a workround I believe, but I don't own a plasma, so I'm not sure what the deal is. Maybe better to wait for a further update for plasma owners. I can find out if anyone does need to know, but I think I can't link directly to the thread as it is on another AV forum.

The last bug fix for the Lumagen was possibly down to a question I asked Tom as I noticed that the 21 point greyscale didn't seem to be saved in the Lumagen after the autocal, just an 11 point one. So it's nice to see that they listen and they do act.


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## TomHuffman

As a general rule, whenever someone makes a self-serving claim that invites the reader to draw inferences without any specificity, you should do exactly what you have done: ask for hard data.

Don't hold your breath until you get it.

BTW, other than gamma, there is no inherent difference between calibrating 6 colors at the edge of gamut and calibrating 124 colors throughout the gamut. Color is color. Each has a precise definition and for each error is measured by dE. Mysterious, vague assertions about the magic properties of the "cube" are just marketing hype designed to mislead and manipulate.


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## Joel Barsotti

TomHuffman said:


> Don't hold your breath until you get it.


Since nobody wanted to give me a specific display to calibrate here's hard data from a VT25. I asked for input 3 posts and month ago and nobody gave me any so I assumed that they didn't care to see the results.



TomHuffman said:


> BTW, other than gamma, there is no inherent difference between calibrating 6 colors at the edge of gamut and calibrating 124 colors throughout the gamut. Color is color. Each has a precise definition and for each error is measured by dE. Mysterious, vague assertions about the magic properties of the "cube" are just marketing hype designed to mislead and manipulate.


The Color Cube is a marketing term, because we initially encountered quite a bit of confusion about stereo scopic 3D, so when we'd say 3D LUT they we had many people assume it was for stereoscopic 3D.

The other assertion I'm making about the Calibrating 125+ points is that it's too much to do by hand. Both packages can visualize data well enough that a calibrator should be able to get identical results calibrating 6 points. When you move to 125 points you've turned the calibration over to the software package and their respective algorithms. So the results for a cube calibration are no longer a by product of calibrator skill, but rather the software package they select.


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## KelvinS1965

Joel Barsotti said:


> When you move to 125 points you've turned the calibration over to the software package and their respective algorithms. So the results for a cube calibration are no longer a by product of calibrator skill, but rather the software package they select.


What in particular are you claiming is better (or worse) than Chromapure's 125 point calibration? I have to confess that I don't fully understand the Calman charts, or rather quite what they are trying to convey. [Actually getting my head around the older Calman was the reason I went for Chromapure myself as back then Calman just seemed to make things more complicated, though I believe you've improved that in recent versions].

I suppose what I would want to see is two calibrations on the same display done by Calman and Chromapure, then measured afterwards to show the differences. How this could be done is beyond me (it would be so many measurements too if it had to be done by hand) as the argument would then be which software should be used to check (HFCR?  ). Then there could be small inconsistencies from one batch of readings to the next (meter drift?), so could make it hard to tell where the errors/differences are really coming from. 

I suspect that in practice it would the meter's accuracy that causes a bigger error anyway, as good as the i1 display Pro is (I'm very pleased with it) that is probably more significant than which software is used. So FWIW I'll stick with the one that I'm happy with as I can't see any point changing now and paying twice and personally I prefer the way that Chromapure do business and conduct themselves on the various forums I visit.


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## Joel Barsotti

KelvinS1965 said:


> What in particular are you claiming is better (or worse) than Chromapure's 125 point calibration? I have to confess that I don't fully understand the Calman charts, or rather quite what they are trying to convey. [Actually getting my head around the older Calman was the reason I went for Chromapure myself as back then Calman just seemed to make things more complicated, though I believe you've improved that in recent versions].
> 
> I suppose what I would want to see is two calibrations on the same display done by Calman and Chromapure, then measured afterwards to show the differences. How this could be done is beyond me (it would be so many measurements too if it had to be done by hand) as the argument would then be which software should be used to check (HFCR?  ). Then there could be small inconsistencies from one batch of readings to the next, so could make it hard to tell where the errors/differences are really coming from.
> 
> I suspect that in practice it would the meter's accuracy that causes a bigger error anyway, as good as the i1 display Pro is (I'm very pleased with it) that is probably more significant than which software is used. So FWIW I'll stick with the one that I'm happy with as I can't see any point changing now and paying twice and personally I prefer the way that Chromapure do business.


The big numbers from above are the 

dE 2000 average for all 125 points: 0.4
dE 2000 max of the 125 points: 2.4 (for an undersaturated blue)
Total time: 32 minutes.

I would never suggest that someone go out an pay twice, and everyone has their favorite companies.

It is a fact that the software is now the determining factor of the cube calibration, wereas previously it was the skill of the calibrator.

In my opinion, CalMAN produces better results and has more customization options for those targets. I'm willing to post hard data to back that opinion up. CalMAN and Chromapures results should be able to be cross checked with each other, no need for HCFR.


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## lcaillo

TomHuffman said:


> As a general rule, whenever someone makes a self-serving claim that invites the reader to draw inferences without any specificity, you should do exactly what you have done: ask for hard data.
> 
> Don't hold your breath until you get it.
> 
> BTW, other than gamma, there is no inherent difference between calibrating 6 colors at the edge of gamut and calibrating 124 colors throughout the gamut. Color is color. Each has a precise definition and for each error is measured by dE. Mysterious, vague assertions about the magic properties of the "cube" are just marketing hype designed to mislead and manipulate.


The point, Tom, is precisely that gamma may vary over the dynamic range of individual colors. The question is how much better is it to use the 125 point system than to use a 6 point system. As Joel pointed out, this would vary with displays. I would like to see the difference between a 6 point calibration and the 125 point calibration, with the data on the points not calibrated from the 6 point method compared to the adjustments that the 125 point system makes. A measure of variance across the points on each color might be meaningful. It would demonstrate the value, if significant, of the 125 point system, and/or be a measure of color accuracy (or lack thereof) in a display.


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## KelvinS1965

Joel Barsotti said:


> It is a fact that the software is now the determining factor of the cube calibration, wereas previously it was the skill of the calibrator.
> 
> In my opinion, CalMAN produces better results and has more customization options for those targets. I'm willing to post hard data to back that opinion up. CalMAN and Chromapures results should be able to be cross checked with each other, no need for HCFR.


OK, so again I ask in what way is Calman producing better results than Chromapure? The rest is just rhetoric (my HFCR comment was just a little joke BTW  ). However, I think in fairness to this being the Chromapure thread, it would be better to create a fresh thread to compare the two such this be done.






lcaillo said:


> The point, Tom, is precisely that gamma may vary over the dynamic range of individual colors. The question is how much better is it to use the 125 point system than to use a 6 point system. As Joel pointed out, this would vary with displays. I would like to see the difference between a 6 point calibration and the 125 point calibration, with the data on the points not calibrated from the 6 point method compared to the adjustments that the 125 point system makes. A measure of variance across the points on each color might be meaningful. It would demonstrate the value, if significant, of the 125 point system, and/or be a measure of color accuracy (or lack thereof) in a display.



I'm not sure if you are aware, but Chromapure can perform the 125 point calibration as well, not just a 6 point one. My apologies if I've misunderstood your post, but I read it that you don't realise this.


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## Joel Barsotti

KelvinS1965 said:


> OK, so again I ask in what way is Calman producing better results than Chromapure? The rest is just rhetoric (my HFCR comment was just a little joke BTW  ). However, I think in fairness to this being the Chromapure thread, it would be better to create a fresh thread to compare the two such this be done..


I would assert it's better from the exceptionally low average dE's and the from the relative speed that it attained the dE's. 

dE being the best metric we have for color accuracy.

At some point, the results get close enough to perfect that absolute accuracy would be considered equivalent. There are a few other qualities, ability to preserve as much light output at possible, speed and configurability come to mind.

But sure if you want to start another thread we can do that. I have quite a few displays and a couple projectors that I can test on.


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## KelvinS1965

Yes, I think another thread would be fairer given this is the Chromapure one. I'd be interested to see the same display and same meter corrected with Chromapure if that's possible (I'm assuming you have a sample of your rival's software). I got some pretty low dEs when I did my TV using the 125 point Chromapure, but my TV is a little unstable at low levels, so I'll post back once I do my JVC X35 in the next few weeks. However my meter may not be as accurate, which was part of my point above, though if the dEs are below 2 (or is it 3?) then isn't that below what we can see anyway?


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## Joel Barsotti

KelvinS1965 said:


> Yes, I think another thread would be fairer given this is the Chromapure one. I'd be interested to see the same display and same meter corrected with Chromapure if that's possible (I'm assuming you have a sample of your rival's software). I got some pretty low dEs when I did my TV using the 125 point Chromapure, but my TV is a little unstable at low levels, so I'll post back once I do my JVC X35 in the next few weeks. However my meter may not be as accurate, which was part of my point above, though if the dEs are below 2 (or is it 3?) then isn't that below what we can see anyway?


3 is generally what we say for moving content. If you butt fit two swatches against each other you can see down to about 0.5 or so.

Also if you had one shade of gray at a dE of 2.5 toward red, and the next shade was 2.5 towards cyan you would most certainly notice the 5 dE swing between the two shade although they are both technically within 3.


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## TomHuffman

lcaillo said:


> The point, Tom, is precisely that gamma may vary over the dynamic range of individual colors. The question is how much better is it to use the 125 point system than to use a 6 point system. As Joel pointed out, this would vary with displays. I would like to see the difference between a 6 point calibration and the 125 point calibration, with the data on the points not calibrated from the 6 point method compared to the adjustments that the 125 point system makes. A measure of variance across the points on each color might be meaningful. It would demonstrate the value, if significant, of the 125 point system, and/or be a measure of color accuracy (or lack thereof) in a display.


I don't know what "gamma may vary over the dynamic range of individual colors" means. Any time you measure color at anything less than 100% stimulus, then gamma comes into play. But there is nothing mysterious about this. You can calibrate using a fixed power law gamma or a variable gamma method, such as BT.1886, but this is all a relatively simple calculation.

Whether a 124-point calibration offers a meaningful improvement over a 6-point calibration depends entirely on the display. Some displays are quite linear, so that having calibrated at the gamut boundary the colors inside the gamut line up quite nicely. For other displays, the very act of using its CMS to calibrate 6 colors results in colors inside the gamut that are quite inaccurate. Others are just natively non-linear (Sharp Elites). It all depends on the display involved and how well its CMS is designed.

By way of example, I had previously heaped praise upon the Sharp XVZ-20000's color performance because of what I thought was its great CMS. However, I later discovered after measuring inside the gamut that it substantially undersaturated color even while colors at the gamut boundary measured perfectly. This was easily visible with regular program material.


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## PE06MCG

KelvinS1965 said:


> Yes, I think another thread would be fairer given this is the Chromapure one. I'd be interested to see the same display and same meter corrected with Chromapure if that's possible (I'm assuming you have a sample of your rival's software). I got some pretty low dEs when I did my TV using the 125 point Chromapure, but my TV is a little unstable at low levels, so I'll post back once I do my JVC X35 in the next few weeks. However my meter may not be as accurate, which was part of my point above, though if the dEs are below 2 (or is it 3?) then isn't that below what we can see anyway?


Hi Kelvin,

Your point about the limit of 'visible threshold' is a good one because as you know I have a Duo so cannot use 125 point calibration.

Do you have any 'Before' and 'After' results yet.

I ask because I find that my use of 75% sat patterns has shown my cheapo CCFL LCD to be very linear when calibrated this way compared with rubbish results at 100%.


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## KelvinS1965

PE06MCG said:


> Hi Kelvin,
> 
> Your point about the limit of 'visible threshold' is a good one because as you know I have a Duo so cannot use 125 point calibration.
> 
> Do you have any 'Before' and 'After' results yet.
> 
> I ask because I find that my use of 75% sat patterns has shown my cheapo CCFL LCD to be very linear when calibrated this way compared with rubbish results at 100%.


I have some 125 results but they are from my Sony LCD TV which is a bit unstable at low %. I only use it as a test bed to save projector lamp hours, but as I'm replacing the HD350 soon I haven't bothered doing the 125 point on that as I'll wait until I get my X35. 

I did find that when using the old type CMS on my TV that it worked better using 75% like you. However, my yellow then did something odd at 100% which the 125 point of course corrected, but as there is little 100% yellow in 'real' content it seemed a good compromise. 

If I compared some paused scenes of Transformers (with plenty of yellow in) then I could see quite a difference between the 125 point and the 8 point setting (I saved two memories in my Lumagen with the same greyscale and only the 125/8 point CMS settings different). If I'm honest though, it was only that I _knew_ the 125 point measured better as I think in a blind test I wouldn't know which was which.  At least with the 125 point calibration I know that I'm seeing it as close to how it's meant to look, which is probably the whole point.


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## TomHuffman

KelvinS1965 said:


> OK, so again I ask in what way is Calman producing better results than Chromapure?


In fact, I am not even sure what "better" would mean here. Most of the heavy lifting in the process is done by the hardware, the Lumagen and the meter. The Lumagen generates all of the test patterns, makes all of the adjustments, and outputs the corrected result. The meter reads the before and after data.

What does the software do? 

1. It instructs the Lumagen to generate the correct test pattern.
2. It records a reading from the meter.
3. It converts the xyY data into RGB and then compares the uncorrected RGB value with the target RGB value and assigns a dE.
4. It determines whether the measured dE meets a user-specified target. If so, it moves on to the next color. If not, it proceeds to the next step.
5. It uses a proprietary algorithm to determine what correction is needed to get the RGB output closer to the target values and then instructs the Lumagen to apply that correction.
6. It takes another reading and then just repeats 3-5 until the target dE value is met and continues to move through the series of colors until all have been corrected.

It was A LOT of work to implement this, but most of these steps are quite straightforward, if also rather labor intensive. Only step 5 is really tricky and just involves much trial-and-error until you get it right. In fact, there is no difference in principle between the 124-point auto-calibration and the standard 6-point auto-calibration we have had for over a year. It is just a lot more colors and a lot of new Lumagen commands to master. The basic process is the same.

What would constitute doing this "better"? Speed? That is largely a function of the meter, how far out the display is--the further out it is the more corrections are required--and options the user selects--the lower the dE target, the more corrections are required. The efficiency with with the software implements all of this is relevant as well, but no one who is being honest and knows what they are talking about would ever accuse CP of being slower in this regard than the competition. Rather, it is quite the reverse. Accuracy? That is just a function of the dE target selected and the inherent accuracy of the meter. BTW, selecting a CIE94 or CIEDE2000 dE target below 1.5 is sort of pointless. Any lower dE value is almost certainly achieved by only extending the completion time of the calibration without resulting in visibly improved color.

All that is left is the UI and and ease-of-use.


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## KelvinS1965

Thanks Tom, that makes a lot of sense and re-enforces what I had in the back of my mind but wasn't able to get down so succinctly. 

Somewhere I have some old HFCR results that show a 'perfect' result when I used my Lumagen to calibrate my HD350 manually at 11 points greyscale and WRGBCYM CMS but using my old i1LT (D2) sensor. The charts looked pretty, but the picture didn't, so having dEs nearly at 0 didn't count for much in my case, hence my comments about being more limited by the meter (D3 thesedays which is an improvement).

I know that Calman has been improved since I first looked at it, but I've always found Chromapure seemed easier to use and understand, which for an amateur is a big consideration. Before autocal the real time gamma section with the real time RGB was pretty much all I needed to do my greyscale. The actual greyscale 'post calibration' measurements were just to confirm what I already had adjusted.


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## PE06MCG

Historically I bought both Calman and CP at reasonable costs so have merely kept them both up to date.

I like both softwares for different reasons.

I agree with Kelvin that CP's attraction is the simplicity of its operation (which incidentally does not mean that the Professional Calibrator should not use it).
However again I agree with Kelvin that Calman has improved significantly in many ways in appealing to the novice / amateur user rather than needing a degree in technical understanding before its capability can be explored.

Certainly both are now far more logical with their workflows compared with my first attempts using HFCR.

Both have contributed substantially to my understanding of 125 point calibration which because I do not have a Lumagen (Duo owner) I have envied from a distance.

For some time I have struggled with a Toshiba CCFL LCD that simply would not fully saturate the Blue colour, in fact shifting its hue seems to be also problematic at its near 100% saturation value.

Tom helped me analyse my ACM results (via Chromapure Pro) that probably my Panel would be better if 75% saturation patterns were used for Color Gamut calibration.
I have done this for some time now using the AVS Disc to generate the patterns (lately with CP via its own 75% Duo generated patterns, thanks Tom).

I was confident my calibration was good but being an inquisitive person I kept wondering what the 125 point calibration would do for my Panel.
This would be difficult unless I bought a Lumagen just to get this capability.

Then Joel helped solve this dilemma for me by introducing the Colorchecker capability into Calman 5. This was exactly the tool I needed to check my calibration throughout the full gamut because its 24 patterns were spaced to check exactly that.

So I had results (in terms of dE values) for each of the 24 patterns and an average figure across them and a maximum value for the one needing attention. Like Kelvin I was concerned about the 'Visible Threshold' so was confident my results would hold up against a 125 calibration.
Unfortunately nobody seemed to be using this tool to publish their results so comparison was still difficult.

Joel has helped with this by providing moving and static side by side 'noticeable' dE limits.

I now have my answers and would advise any Duo owners to explore all calibration options of their Displays before they decide to purchase a Lumagen for its 125 point capabilty only, they may be disappointed.

Whatever your choice of software I think you will enjoy it and if you are like me there is no need to choose.


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## KelvinS1965

Nice to see a reasoned and honest reply PE06MCG. :clap: It's debatable as to whether you'd get more of an overall improvement if you replaced the TV rather than the VP, though I did notice that there is an ex display Mini3D on the UK AVforum (I can PM you a link if need be) :devil: for £1099. You'd maybe get a fair bit of that amount back for your Duo too. Not sure if you're a non 3D viewer like me, but the Mini3D can process greyscale and CMS for 3D signals rather than just pass them through as the Duo does, so there are a few reasons to spend a bit more, but I do see your point.


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## PE06MCG

KelvinS1965 said:


> Nice to see a reasoned and honest reply PE06MCG. :clap: It's debatable as to whether you'd get more of an overall improvement if you replaced the TV rather than the VP, though I did notice that there is an ex display Mini3D on the UK AVforum (I can PM you a link if need be) :devil: for £1099. You'd maybe get a fair bit of that amount back for your Duo too. Not sure if you're a non 3D viewer like me, but the Mini3D can process greyscale and CMS for 3D signals rather than just pass them through as the Duo does, so there are a few reasons to spend a bit more, but I do see your point.


Thanks Kelvin but I think me and my Duo are well suited.

My TV is problematic but trying to solve its problems has taught me a lot. Don't think changing my Display hasn't crossed my mind though (She Who Must Be Obeyed may have something negative to say about that though).

Perhaps I should have said that I have lived through virtually all the Duo's early firmwares, some of which were decidedly scary but the hardware as well as the current firmware has not given me a moments trouble.

Not a 3D person but can see advantages in both VP's (a bit like Chromapure v Calman do you think?).

I suppose that I was trying to infer that perhaps Displays are not as non linear as we have been led to believe? My Cheapo Toshiba just wanted calibrating at 75/75 to find its sweet spot maybe other more expensive ones would benefit from this approach.


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## KelvinS1965

I think this is a big part of calibration and of course where a good pro earns his money: Knowing the little quirks of certain displays and what point works best to calibrate at and probably many other things. The thing with being an enthusiastic amateur is that with limited displays you can concentrate on getting the max out of them. I haven't owned a plasma TV or a DLP projector so I haven't 'wasted' any time learning about them, but if it's a JVC DILA or a Sony LCD, then I've read as much as I can about them, tested and practised to get the best out of them. Even my 5 year old 40" stays in the living room as it's still giving a great picture (with the Lumagen of course ) and I like to think that my HD350 was giving near enough as good a picture as many less carefully set up more expensive projectors.  It sounds like you've maxed out your Toshiba too, so you know it's giving it's absolute best now.


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## mechman

2.4 has been released. See the first post for the most up to date release notes.


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## TomHuffman

We discovered a small issue (with big consequences) with Lumagen auto-cal that was immediately resolved, and we uploaded a beta of 2.4.1.

http://www.chromapure.com/distribute/beta/chromapure.zip


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## mechman

Thanks Tom!


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## ConnecTED

ChromaPure 2.5.4 is now available for download.

*ChromaPure 2.5.4 Release Notes*

New Features

Added support for the Lumagen 17x17x17 (4913 colors) LUT calibration

Added support for the Colorimetry Research CR-100 professional colorimeter.

Added support for the Minolta CL-200 colorimeter

Added a Test Gamut report

This report is available to all ChromaPure Standard users. It measures a broad sample of the gamut (215 colors) and generates a report that describes performance throughout the gamut. Use this to determine whether the display requires an LUT calibration. Running this report only requires an active meter and signal generator. The built-in signal generator may be used.

Improvements

Inspired by the need to support the new 17^3 Lumagen LUT, we implemented a much faster method for advanced auto-calibration. The new method reduces the time required to run an advanced auto-calibrate session by more than half. Using an i1Display Pro the time required to cycle through one pass of the color matrix is now approximately

125 Colors: 6 minutes
729 Colors: 28 minutes
4913 Colors: 194 minutes

When using a Klein K-10a or CR-100 the time required is now
125 Colors: 3 minutes
729 Colors: 13 minutes
4913 Colors: 90 minutes

We added support for additional gamma targets in the Gamma module.

Bug Fixes

When selecting the 75% of Rec. 709 Reference Gamut, the Advanced Color Management module remains fixed at Rec. 709.

Known Issues

If, for whatever reason, you want to run Advanced Auto-cal more than once, we recommend that you close ChromaPure and then re-start between attempts. There is a as-yet-unidentified problem when performing multiple runs of advanced auto-cal during the same calibration session. We are investigating the problem and hope to have a fix in a future release.


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## ConnecTED

ChromaPure 2.5.5 is now available for download.

*ChromaPure 2.5.5 Release Notes*

2.5.5 primarily fixes bugs and refines previously released features.

*New Features*

We have added an OLED (White) mode to the list of PRO corrections that are used with the Display 3 PRO and other colorimeters.

*Improvements*

We increased the precision of the DVDO TPG video generator by upgrading from percentage values to 16-bit video code values.

Advanced Auto-calibrate now detects the specific Lumagen model and activates only those color matrix sizes supported by the model.

The speed of grayscale/gamma calibration in Lumagen auto-cal has been increased.

We provided a new reset option to Lumagen auto-cal that leaves the grayscale/gamma setting unchanged for those who prefer to do this manually. If you select this option, then grayscale/gamma auto-cal is not available.

We added an option to the Gamut Test Report that allows use without a signal generator. The user will provide test patterns from a Blu-ray or DVD disc and the application will automatically take measurements at user-defined intervals.

We added a progress bar to the Gamut Test Report.

The window size used in the Built-in test patterns was reduced to about 6% to avoid gamma errors near 100%.

*Bug Fixes*

We have fixed the initialization problems with the i1Pro 2.

We have fixed the Front Projection mode initialization problem with the i1D3.

We have fixed a problem with the AccuPel in which it would freeze after displaying test patterns selected from signal generator toolbar.

We fixed gamut errors in Advanced Color Management when EBU was selected as the reference gamut.

We fixed formatting errors in the Advanced auto-cal dE report chart that would show numbers exceeding 100%.

We fixed the white reference value the in ColorChecker module when using the Built-in test pattern generator.

We fixed dE errors that appeared when running Advanced Auto-cal with BT.1886 selected as the target gamma.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 2.5.5.1* is now available for download.

ChromaPure 2.5.5.1 Release Notes

This contains a few critical stability and performance updates.

Because this is the last 2.x release, we recommend that all ChromaPure users upgrade to this version.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 2.5.5.19070* is now available for download.

*Release Notes*

''The only functional difference is that we set it so that if you select the "leave grayscale alone" option in adv. auto-cal, it does not set the Lumagen to 12-point, thus erasing any 21-point calibration.

My recommendation is to let auto-cal do the grayscale/gamma. When it is finished, you can go into the Lumagen, change to 21-point (this does not erase a 12-point--it just interpolates the in between points), and then make minor adjustments if/where necessary.''


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 2.5.6.42258* is now available for download.

*Release Notes*

The only change is a fix for the grayscale problems with the "Reset calibration settings to the default" reset mode in Lumagen auto-calibration.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 2.5.7.29716* is now available for download.

*Improvements*

We changed the "Reset to Factory Default" option in Lumagen auto-cal to work in the YCbCr mode.

*Bug Fixes*

We fixed a problem with the "Reset calibration settings to default" in Lumagen auto-cal that would result in inaccurate pre-calibration values.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 2.5.8.24553* is now available for download.

*New Features*

Added support for the Colorimetry Research CR-250 spectroradiometer

Added support for the Spyder 5 colorimeter

Added support for the Display 3 II colorimeter*

Added a control panel in the Options module for the Display 3 colorimeter that provides the user with extensive control over the performance of the meter.

Added luminance to the Meter Correction module.

*Bug Fixes*

Fixed a problem with the DVDO TPG signal generator outputting PC values in some modules.

* The Display 3 II is a Rev B of the X-Rite i1D3 colorimeter. This meter includes new hardware/firmware features that support refresh rate synchronization (must use the AIO read mode). This requires the user to point the meter at a 100% test pattern during initialization.


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## ConnecTED

Tom Huffman has announced that the ChromaPure 3.0 release date is only a matter of weeks, not months.

All of the core components are finished, they are working with the small bug fixes, clean-up, and documentation.


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## mechman

ConnecTED said:


> Tom Huffman has announced that the ChromaPure 3.0 release date is only a matter of weeks, not months.
> 
> All of the core components are finished, they are working with the small bug fixes, clean-up, and documentation.


Excellent! Can't wait to give it whirl on my new bulb for my Epson 3010. :T


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## ConnecTED

Hi CP users, Tom Huffman has announced today that ChromaPure 3 will be released finally in the next few days.

In advance of the official release, Tom uploaded a demo which provides some indications about the new look and feature set of the new version release.

http://www.chromapure.com/movies3/userInterface.html


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.1* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Bug Fixes

The code that accommodates international regional formats was not included in the initial 3.1, which led to unexpected behavior on non-English language PCs.

Attempting to switch between the default tablet UI and vertical or horizontal versions of the traditional UI caused the application to shut down.

There was no intensity selector when the Calibration Disc mode was selected.

The Color Management module suffered from various types of instability and unexpected behavior.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.2* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Enhancements

We have added support for HDR color calibration. Please use 50% intensity and 50% saturation settings to calibrate HDR sources in the Color Management module.

Bug Fixes

The Murideo test pattern generator did not behave normally and could cause the application to close unexpectedly.

The Lumagen and AccuPel auto-connect feature did not work for a small minority of users. We could never reproduce the problem here, so could not provide a fix. Instead, we have disabled auto-connect. Starting with this release, when setting up either of these devices you will have to manually select the correct Com port.

Running the report for Lumagen Advanced Auto-calibrate would sometimes cause the application to close unexpectedly. Even when it did run, the dE values for post-calibration color gamut were incorrect.

After initializing the meter, users would find that when subsequently navigating back to the Initial Setup page the meter's mode would be apparently set to CRT.


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## ConnecTED

ChromaPure 3.1.2 has been re-released to fix a problem with the luminance measurements of color in HDR10 mode.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.3* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Enhancements

We have simplified the X-Rite i1D3 initialization procedure. We have eliminated auto-detect and provided the user with the ability to select 25Hz, 50Hz, or 60Hz as the sync value.

We added degamma to HDR10 which allows ChromaPure to support HDR10 using external signal generators.

Bug Fixes

Here is a list of issues that have been fixed.

There was a cluster of problems regarding importing calx session files.

3.0.8 calx files did not import correctly. The gamut data in the CIE chart is still broken. This will be fixed in the next release. All other issues were resolved.

When double-clicking calx files the application would open, but no data would appear.

Imported calx files did not show average summary data.

Imported calx files that contained auto-cal data prevented the user from accessing the data logs and full color information.

When clicking Measure All without having a meter initialized the system would generate a lengthy loop of error messages.

There was a refresh problem that occurred when changing Color Intensity. The values did not update in Color Management until the user restarted the application.

There was a refresh problem that occurred when changing the Reference Gamut. The saturations for the gamut did not update. NOTE: When changing the Reference Gamut you will lose all of the data from the previous gamut. If you want to keep this, save the data first or run a report.

Load and Save were missing from the classic UI.

The Signal Generator drop-down would not allow the user to access all of the test patterns.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.4 Beta* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Bug Fixes

This 3.1.4 beta fixes some problems getting stable readings at low light levels with the i1d3 and with the proper display of the signal generator test pattern drop-down.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.4* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

New Features

The White Balance module now includes gamma information.

Users can now select a Slow mode for the i1D3. Use this feature only when measuring black level, such as when measuring contrast. This is necessary because the default AIO measurement mode will not read below 0.01 nits.

We have added support for the Quantum Data 780E signal generator.

We have added a new gamma reference, HDR10 – Projector. Use this gamma target when calibrating front projectors using HDR10.

The options module now includes a selection for Gamut Overlay. Select this option to see another color gamut superimposed on the reference gamut. This is useful when calibrating Rec. 2020. It allows you to see how the measured colors fit into other gamuts.

Enhancements

The Built-in signal generator has been adjusted to facilitate easier use. Users no longer need to rely on a madVR utility to get proper levels.

Bug Fixes

We have fixed data import problems with ChromaPure 3.0.8 data.

We have fixed an issue that affected the user’s ability to scroll through the drop down list of individual test patterns for external signal generators.

We have updated the Excel report to conform to the data structures of 3.1.x.

NOTE: DVDO Duo Auto-calibration will be relesaed soon as part of 3.1.5.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.5 Beta* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Bug Fixes

The Brightness and Contrast Built-in test patterns have been modified to match the proper levels.

Initialization problems with the JETI 1501/11 have been fixed.

The target gamma line for HDR - Projector in the Gamma and Grayscale modules has been fixed.

The Slow Mode has been activated for Display 3 PRO meters.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.5* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

New Features

Auto-cal for the DVDO Duo has been enabled.

ChromaPure now supports the Lumagen Pro and HDR/Rec. 2020 test patterns.

We added support for the AccuPel 6000 signal generator.

We added a HDR10 – Projector selection to the list of available gammas. This provides the same curve as regular HDR10, but at lower luminance levels expected from projectors.

Enhancements

The ChromaPure application and calibration disc now list the colors in the saturation scale in the same order. Current owners of the disc can request a free update (download) or have a new disc mailed to them for a S&H fee of $3.00.

Context sensitive Help has been enabled.

21-point grayscale has been enabled for Lumagen auto-cal.

Bug Fixes

This release fixes three reporting errors.

RGB grayscale charts in the Custom report now reflects 21 point grayscale when selected in the calibration session.

Reports now correctly plot the HDR gamma target line.

Three of the charts in the Custom calibration report no longer cut off data.

Known Issues

The Lumagen Manual Control Tool does not currently sync with the selected grayscale mode. To fix this just clikc the Reset button on the tool prior to making grayscale adjustments. The tool is automatically synced when using auto-cal.

When selecting HDR10 for the Lumagen Pro do so after setting up the generator, but before displaying the first test pattern. HDR10 is activated only AFTER generating a test pattern.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.6 Beta* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.


Bug Fixes

This beta release fixes some errors with the signal generator toolbar that affect both the standard Lumagen Radiance and the Radiance Pro.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.6 Beta 2* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Bug Fixes

We had been getting intermittent reports of instability with auto-cal. As part of the 3.1.6 release, we have improved ChromaPure's error handling, and as a result of this we were able to track down the problem. This release fixes it.


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## ConnecTED

*ChromaPure 3.1.7* is now available for download. It is free for license v3 users.

Bug Fixes

The application would drop data from the Color Management module when importing a previously saved .calx file.

The application would drop data from the Gamma module that included multiple gamma runs when importing a previously saved .calx file.

When selecting fL as the default luminance measurement unit, the Raw Data module would continue to show cd/m2 in some areas.

The Excel report was broken.

The application was not applying Pro corrections to the CR-100 colorimeter, and attempting to initialize the meter whose license contained Pro corrections would result in a fatal exception.

Deleting all of the data from the Raw Data module would result in a fatal exception.

Data in the Measured Color and Reference Color panels was difficult to read. We changed the color scheme to improve readability.


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