How much importance do you attach to backlighting? (1 Viewer)

[Pete York]

Which leads into my question, Gregg. How much importance do you attach to backlighting? Is it something you would recommend for every display (for viewing in the dark)?

 

[Gregg Loewen]

Hi Pete This is a great question. Back lights are part of the SMPTE standards for viewing environment. Alan Brown, of Cinemaquest Inc, is an expert in this field. I will ask that he respond directly. Stay tuned. Gregg

 

[GeorgeAB]

I can't speak for Gregg, but I have studied the subject for a couple of decades. "Bias lighting" is a better term than "back lighting" due to the potential confusion between display viewing environment lighting versus the light source used in LCD display construction that illuminates the image. I suggest this new section of the forum be re-named. The current name perpetuates a misunderstanding in the home theater community that has caused much confusion over the years when discussing reference imaging and display performance. Re-naming it might set a constructive, consistent example for others. A better title for this subject matter would be "Display System Calibration." Adjusting the display device alone does not guarantee accurate imaging in the context of the entire video system. It can be easily demonstrated that conflicting viewing environment conditions can distort the viewer's perception of a video display. The image from a perfectly calibrated display can be rendered inaccurate by other factors in the video system. If the viewer's goal is image fidelity, every element in a video display system that affects the picture, and the viewer's perception of the picture, must be considered. The ambient lighting in a room, or the absence of it, can have a profound effect upon the appearance of a display, eye comfort, and viewer fatigue. This reality makes bias lighting an important consideration when designing systems that use televisions and monitors. The cynics typically inhabiting public discussion forums such as this one will be tempted to diminish the validity of my comments on this subject because my company manufactures video bias lighting. The following list includes others in the motion imaging industry who are confirmed to recommend, specify, define, and use color correct video bias lighting: The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The Metropolitan Museum of Art Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) The Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) THX, Ltd. Electronic Arts (EA) Deluxe Microsoft Corporation Image Entertainment Universal Studios PostWorks Joe Kane Productions Ovation Multimedia DisplayMate Technologies CNET Labs Radical Games Factor5 Studios High Moon Studios CinRam Rev13 Films Advanced Television Evaluation Lab- Communications Research Centre- Canada Apple Corporation Filet Post Production Post and Beam Cheyenne Mtn. Entertainment Zombie Studios CBS Television Deluxe Digital Studios Splice Here Slant Six Games New Hat LLC Roush Media Samsung Germany Digital Film Lab- Denmark Nice Shoes, VFX New York Desperate Housewives, Editorial Rockhopper Post Live Nation Studios LionAV Consultants Avical Technicolor-NY Technicolor-Canada Max Post Bandito Brothers Studio Chainsaw Edit Twin Cities Public Television Colorflow Post ABC Television The Moving Picture Company Dolby Labs Dreamworks Animation Univ. of Quebec at Montreal No6 Studios UberMedia-Canada Powderhouse Productions Colorama ColorWorkz IndieColor Simplexity Digital Post The Mews-London Contact Studios Blue Post-Australia The Cutting Room Shapeshifter Post Fading Signal Oroboros Films Keystone Pictures-Canada 90 Degrees West Blizzard Entertainment Jam Edit Hotpixel Post Special When Lit Flanders Scientific Ed Kulzer Post Out Of The Blue NY Blacklist Productions Vision On Pure Van Hurkman Productions Ninja Goldfish Color Image Post Red Futon Films 235 Studios Pinata Studios Flavour Productions-Portugal Color Cafe Greenasia Production Co.-Thailand SRJ Media Services Encore Hollywood Headquarters Post Light Of Day Studio Jupiter Entertainment Digital Post Ink Films In Motion Matero Productions MTI Film POSTDIGITAL Buck NY echoblack productions Studio Element Virginia Tech Independent Edit Engineering & Consulting Services Film Tek: Lost Planet Editorial Oblique FX-Canada Whipping Post Services McIntosh Productions Wildbrain Animation Studio Herzog & Company Digital Cave Media Westwind Media Comprehensive Technical Group Running Man Post Post-Op Media Red Echo Post David Snow Design The Criterion Collection Junebug AVO Fancy Film UBC Digital Multimedia Lab- Canada Quanti Studios Perhaps you can conclude from this list how important correct bias lighting implementation is to achieving and maintaining reference quality imaging. Here are some links to articles that provide more depth on this topic: 'The Importance Of Viewing Environment Conditions In A Reference Display System' 'D65 Video Bias Lighting Fundamental Theory and Practice' Best regards and beautiful pictures, G. Alan Brown, President CinemaQuest, Inc. A Lion AV Consultants Affiliate "Advancing the art and science of electronic imaging"

 

[Pete York]

Great info, gentleman. The links were very interesting. Thank you both!