AccuPel DVG-5000 3D Video Test Pattern Generator

Trade-ins offered against older AccuPel HDG-3000 and HDG-4000 units. Contact us for details.

AccuPel DVG-5000 Standard    No longer available

AccuPel DVG-5000 Deluxe (With foam carrying case, USB cable, and 3D support)    No longer available

AccuPel DVG-5000 Professional (Same features as Deluxe in addition to motion test patterns)    No longer available

Upgrade AccuPel DVG-5000 Standard to Deluxe    Our price: $100 USD

Upgrade AccuPel DVG-5000 Deluxe to  Professional    Our price: $200 USD

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We are pleased to offer the new AccuPel DVG-5000 3D Video Test Pattern Generator. The DVG-5000 is the latest in a line of highly-regarded video test pattern generators designed by renowned video engineer Greg Rogers. Now with 3D pattern support.

Our ChromaPure partner is now the exclusive distributers of this AccuPel devices and CurtPalme.com is able to offer this product at a special discounted price.

The digital-only DVG-5000 offers several enhancements over earlier AccuPel devices, including new test patterns and native HDMI output all at a lower price.

The new AccuPel DVG-5000 is fully integrated with ChromaPure Video Display Calibration Software and can be bundled with any colorimeters or spectroradiometer. Contact us for details.

Why use a test pattern generator? Why not use a test disc for calibration?

Reasons to use a high-quality test pattern generator:

• Accuracy: Thousands of hours of engineering effort has gone into creating the AccuPel line of generators all for the purpose of creating test patterns of the highest possible quality. All professional calibrators should use an external video test pattern generator, such as the AccuPel.
   
• Speed: Each AccuPel ships with a remote control that allows very rapid access to any test pattern. More importantly, the AccuPel interfaces a PC and video calibration software, such as ChromaPure, via USB. This allows the software to control the AccuPel automatically. This means that whenever the user takes a measurement from the software, the AccuPel first provides the necessary test pattern without further user invention. If you have not used automation with your calibration sessions, you cannot imagine how much faster the process flows and how much easier the calibration procedures become.

Pattern generators are what the pro's use. Professionals start by calibrating just the display, as accurately as they can get it. A pattern generator like the AccuPel DVG-5000 would be used, which they know they can trust. A professional calibrator works backwards up the chain and calibrate each input separately. If the DVD or Blu-ray player is skewed, they'll want to set a mode on the display that compensates for it, but they won't want to use that mode when, say, cable TV is being watched.

Professionals know that they have no idea what the customer’s DVD or Blu-ray player is putting out, but they know they can trust their pattern generator. If you paid a professional to come calibrate your home theater, they would bring in a pattern generator like the AccuPel DVG-5000. Now you can do that too, at a price that is a fraction of the cost of some competing pattern generators.

Why choose AccuPel?

There are four reasons to prefer an AccuPel over other pattern generators:

• Quality: The quality of the engineering that has gone into the AccuPel line of video test pattern generators is unsurpassed.
   
• Ease-of-use: The DVG-5000 is remarkably light-weight and small. Also, each generator ships with its own remote control. This is a feature that test pattern generators that cost thousands of dollars more do not provide.
   
• Cost: AccuPel's have always been a labour of love by a few dedicated and hugely talented individuals. Given the low overhead, it has always been priced at a level lower than other similar products on the market. The DVG-5000 will continue and enhance that tradition with an MSRP even lower than previous models.
   
• The DVG-5000 offers full support for all major 3D formats. The full selection of test patterns available in the standard mode are also available in the 3D mode. In addition to 3D test patterns, the DVG-5000 also provides a special interactive 3D crosstalk test pattern.

Why HDMI?

Until the DVG-5000, AccuPels have always used DVI for digital signal output. Although the units fully supported digital YCbCr output, displays would generally default to RGB, rendering the YCbCr signal unusable. With an HDMI emitter chip that communicates to the display the type of signal being transmitted, full YCbCr functionality is now fully achieved.

Features

• Digital-only output
• HDMI native output
• Full YCbCr support
• Window and full field test patterns at 75% and 100%
• New precision black level test pattern
• Test patterns in all major 3D modes (Deluxe and Professional versions only)
• Full compliment of motion test patterns (Professional version only)

How does the AccuPel DVG-5000 compare to previous models?

3D Support (Deluxe & Professional version)

The AccuPel 3D update available on the Deluxe and Professional versions provides 3D performance for ALL of the Accupel test patterns with a selection of 33 3D Formats. Each 3D format is a combination of a 3D structure and an existing video resolution. The DVG-5000 supports all of the structures that are in actual use for distributing 3D content. This includes:

Frame Packing (8 Formats):

• 1080p23.98/24
• 720p59.94/60
• 720p50
• 1080p29.97/30
• 1080p25

Side-by-Side (14 Formats):

• 1080i59.94/60
• 1080i50
• 1080p23.98/24
• 720p59.94/60
• 720p50
• 1080p59.94/60
• 1080p29.97/30
• 1080p50
• 1080p25

Top-and-Bottom (11 Formats):

• 1080p23.98/24
• 720p59.94/60
• 720p50
• 1080p59.94/60
• 1080p29.97/30
• 1080p50
• 1080p25

The generator is very smart and will not allow the user to get into an invalid combination of video resolutions and 3D structures. The front panel Format button will skip all invalid 3D formats, and invalid 3D formats will be ignored if attempted to enter from the remote control. There is no way to enter an invalid format over the USB either. When entering the 3D mode the generator will automatically change to a valid format if necessary. There are no Standard Definition 3D formats implemented, so the user must leave the 3D mode to return to a standard definition format.

ALL previous DVG-5000 test patterns work in ALL 33 3D formats and produce patterns that simply look like their 2D versions. They do not appear in 3D (i.e. they have no depth). It is not the purpose of the generator to produce wild 3D demonstration patterns to entertain the user. The patterns can be used for all of the same purposes they are used on 2D displays (i.e. setting grayscale, color encoding, CMS adjustments, black level, white level, checking overscan, measuring ANSI contrast, measuring full-field contrast, checking scaling, checking convergence on 3 panel projectors, checking resolution, adjusting sharpness and detail enhancement, etc.), but with 3D signals placing the display in its 3D Display Modes instead of displaying 2D signals in its very different 2D Display mode.

It is obvious immediately that a display that is calibrated and looks perfect using 2D signals may look VERY different with 3D signals and need separate calibration in the 3D signal modes. In addition the 3D modes may show bugs, and implementation errors that are not present using 2D signals. In particular the patterns with fine lines (16:9 pattern, overscan pattern, sharpness pattern, crosshair pattern) can be used to spot various problems and bugs in the displays 3D implementation.

Although the patterns appear to be the same in the 2D and 3D signal output modes there are some changes due to the half vertical resolution of the Top-Bottom signal structure and the half horizontal resolution of the Side-by-Side (Half) signal structure. For instance, the multiburst pattern highest resolution burst is half its 2D version resolution in the 3D Side-by-Side mode because that structure only supports half the horizontal resolution of the 2D display mode.

CROSSTALK TEST PATTERN

In addition to the 33 3D formats, there is also an entirely new, interactive test pattern and menu system in the 3D Mode menu for testing 3D Crosstalk from the left eye to the right eye (and visa-versa). Crosstalk is one of the most important determinants of 3D image quality.

The 3D option is a free upgrade for existing DVG-5000 Deluxe owners.

Motion Test Patterns (Professional version)

The Professional AccuPel option adds motion test patterns. This version is designed for those who engineer and test video displays, as well as professional calibrators and reviewers..

Manuals

AccuPel DVG-5000 Video Test Pattern Generator user manual (PDF format)
AccuPel DVG-5000 motion add-on (PDF format)
AccuPel DVG-5000 data sheet (PDF format)

Pictures

Why buy from CurtPalme.com?

CurtPalme.com are calibration experts and authors of the popular free calibration guide: Grayscale & Color Calibration for Dummies. We live and breathe calibration. No matter what your needs we can assist in choosing what's right for you. We offer products for the budget DIY'er all the way up to the seasoned professional, all at CurtPalme.com discounted prices.

Links

ChromaPure software
ChromaPure Grayscale & Color Calibration for Dummies
Official AccuPel DVG-5000 forum thread
ChromaPure Discussion/Support Forum
FAQ: Which meter is right for me?
Colour Science: About Meter Accuracy
Colour Science: Video Calibration Myths

Questions, comments or feedback should be directed to : chromapure@curtpalme.com