LCD Color Test

[cockeyed]

I don't know if this will prove anything, but I thought it might be interesting to see how different 6-bit & 8-bit panels desplay these test patterns.

1.) Go HERE, download the TFTtest 1.5 program (~ 305k) and install it. No install is required, just un-zip and run the .exe file. It is in Russian, so you might see ???? for some words.

2.) With the videocard set for 32-bit color, run test patterns 2 (color fade), 3 (Color bars), 5 (circle fade) in the top row and give us a report as to how they are displayed on your LCD. Change each pattern using the arrow keys.

(Copy/Paste for your test)

LDC Monitor Brand: Model: RT: # Colors: # Bits:

#2 - Color Fade:

#3 - Color Bars:

#5 - Circle Fade


Following are my results:

LDC Monitor Brand: Acer Model: AL1912 RT: 16ms # Colors: 16.7m # Bits: ?

#2 - Color Fade: I don't see any obvious sign of dithering. The color transition is smooth across the entire test pattern as I would expect to see on a CRT running 32-bit color. Setting my videocard to 16-bit color causes a heavy amount of dithering effect.

#3 - Color Bars: Same as #2

#5 - Circle Fade: Same as #2

 

[MajorPayne]

LDC Monitor Brand: Samsun Model: 930B RT: 8s # Colors: 16.2m # Bits: (6+2bit dither)

#2 - Color Fade: VERY small amount of dithering (just barely detectable).

#3 - Color Bars: Only 1 or 2 spots of slightly visible dithering.

#5 - Circle Fade: No dithering is visibe -- completely smooth transitions all across.

 

[xtknight]

Samsung SyncMaster 710t (17", 1280x1024)
Type: TN+Film
Response time: 12 ms. (black-to-black)
Color depth: 6 bits per pixel with 2-bit FRC/dither
Number of colors: Reported: 16.2M (actually 262K dithered)

Test 2: Color gradient

This test looks rather dismal. In most colors, there are noticable line-streaks due to dithering.

Test 3: Color bars

Also something I would like to point out: If you can see more of the green than you can of the red and blue, this is not because of the monitor. Your eyes are more sensitive to green than red or blue.

In the lower end of the spectrum, dithering is fairly apparent, and in the higher end of the spectrum, the contrast between colors is not very great (at 50% contrast). At 100% contrast, the bar gradients make dithering very obvious in the low-end, while the high-end doesn't look too far off.

Test 5: Circular gradient

This test doesn't output extremely great results either. It's very obvious dithering is occuring in the outer edge of the circle, and the contrast from in to out isn't what I'd call even.

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It would help if everyone noted the measurement used in response time (black-to-black or gray-to-gray). Otherwise, response time means nothing. Typically in either case, this would be the lowest response time it ever hits.

There's also another excellent program on that site called Pixel Persistence Analyzer. It's awesome for comparing response times. So, OP, you may want to ask for some tests in that too.

 

[cockeyed]

So far, it seems that these (TFTtest) test patterns provide some useful information. xtknight, that was a good observation regarding the red, green, blue colors being affected by our eyes. I just DL'd the Pixel Persistence Analyzer program and will have to try it out. Since both of these programs require no installation, they could be put on a floppy and used to do an in-store test of an LDC before purchase. I'm looking forward to seeing some more test results.

 

[FlyBono24]

Viewsonic VP171S (rev. 2)
8-bit panel
8ms response time

#2 - Color Fade: Every color is excellent... except for the grey and turquoise (?) colors... there is a little bit of streaking on those

#3 - Color Bars: VERY faint dithering noticeable on certain colors... it's barely detectable unless you look very close

#5 - Circle Fade: Passed every test with flying colors on this one, except for a SLIGHT amount on the grey circle