Supplement: CLIPSTER 3D LUT File Generation with the Kodak Display Manager (Version 1.0) CLIPSTER 3D LUT File Generation with the Kodak Display Manager Supplement
Supplement for the CLIPSTER Documentation: CLIPSTER 3D LUT File Generation with the Kodak Display Manager Document Version 1.0 Copyright 2006 by DVS Digital Video Systems GmbH, Hanover. All rights reserved. The manuals as well as the soft- and/or hardware described here and all their constituent parts are protected by copyright. Without the express permission of DVS Digital Video Systems GmbH any form of use which goes beyond the narrow bounds prescribed by copyright legislation is prohibited and liable to prosecution. This particularly applies to duplication, copying, translation, processing, evaluation, publishing, and storing and/or processing in an electronic system. Specifications and data may change without notice. We offer no guarantee that this documentation is correct and/or complete. In no event shall DVS Digital Video Systems GmbH be liable for any damages whatsoever (including without limitation any special, indirect, or consequential damages, and damages resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, or business interruption) arising out of the use of or inability to use the hardware, software and/or manual materials. Those parts of this documentation that describe optional software or hardware features usually contain a corresponding note. Anyway, a lack of this note does not mean any commitment from DVS GmbH. CLIPSTER is a registered trademark of DVS Digital Video Systems GmbH. Any other product names mentioned in this documentation may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and as such are subject to the usual statutory provisions.
S1 This document describes how to create a 3D LUT file (three dimensional look-up table) via the Kodak Display Manager for a later usage in the CLIPSTER software. With this 3D LUT you can simulate the typical look of a projected motion picture film on a monitor connected to the digital video interfaces of the CLIPSTER video system. When referring to the Kodak Display Manager, this document provides hints on how to create a 3D LUT only. For a more detailed description about the complete procedure please refer to the manuals delivered with the Kodak Display Manager. Additionally, you can perform a verification of the look created on the monitor as well as other tasks with the Kodak Display Manager software which will also not be explained in this document. You can find their explanations in the documentation of the Kodak Display Manager as well. For the following it is assumed that the Kodak Display Manager and its hardware are properly installed on your video system. For the configuration process you have to use the Kodak Display Manager as well as the CLIPSTER software by DVS. For the CLIPSTER software an already composed project file should have been delivered to you that contains the clips (image files) necessary for the configuration on an already arranged timeline. The project file will be available in a folder that comprises the needed clips as well. The task to create a 3D LUT file can be divided into five steps: 1. Preparing the CLIPSTER system and the monitor for the whole creation process. 2. Calibrating the monitor connected to the digital video outputs of the CLIPSTER video system. 3. Creating a characterization file for the monitor. 4. Conversion of the characterization file to a 3D LUT file. 5. Loading of the created 3D LUT file in the CLIPSTER software to view the final result. All steps are described in detail in the following sections. S1-1
S1.1 Step 1: Preparation This section describes how to prepare the video system and the CLIP- STER software for the process to create a 3D LUT file. For this perform the following: Connect the monitor that you want to configure and calibrate to the digital video output (either SDI or DVI output) of the CLIPSTER video system. If appropriate, turn on the video system and wait until the operating system has finished its loading. DVS provides for the configuration process an already composed project file that contains the necessary clips (image files) on an already arranged timeline. The project file is available in a folder that comprises the needed clips as well. Copy the folder that contains the project file as well as the clips to the root path of your system base video directory. The system base video directory is the main path to the video directory where the project and clip directory structure begins, usually the path to the real-time capable video hard disk array. It is a system setting configured in the CLIPSTER Configuration Tool (tab Defaults, group General). The project file and clips may be provided as a ZIP file. In this case extract the folders/files in the indicated path. Start the Kodak Display Manager as described in its manuals. Start the CLIPSTER software and load the project available in the copied folder (<system base video directory>\clipster Kodak Calibration\CLIPSTER Kodak Calibration.cp). The project should be loaded into the CLIPSTER software without any problems. However, if an error message occurs during the loading notifying you about missing clips, you have most probably either renamed one of the folders/files of the project, or copied it to a location other than the root path of your system base video directory. In such a case check the folders/files as well as their location within the system base video directory. However, via the properties of the clips in the bin you can configure the storage location of the clips used in the provided project file manually. The three clips necessary are sorted into three bin folders which are available in the folder area of the bin. Set the video output format in the CLIPSTER Edit Tool (button SET- TINGS ) to a format that can be displayed by the monitor connected to the digital video interface of the CLIPSTER video system. S1-2
With the video output format configured correctly the monitor will display the first frame available in the timeline of the CLIPSTER software (a color bar image). Prepare the monitor/viewing environment and setup the system options of the Kodak Display Manager as described in its manuals. The CLIPSTER video system is now prepared and you have to continue the generation of the 3D LUT with the next step, i.e. with the calibration of the monitor. S1-3
S1.2 Step 2: Calibrating the Monitor To create an accurate 3D LUT you have to work with a correctly calibrated monitor. For this you have to use the color bar image already displayed at your monitor (see section Step 1: Preparation on page S1-2). The figure below provides some explanations about the color bar image displayed at the digital video output of the CLIPSTER video system: Figure S1-1: Explanations about the color bar image The following describes how to calibrate the monitor manually. Nevertheless, you may also use the automatic calibration feature of the Kodak Display Manager software. Further information about this can be found in its manuals. Switch to the Kodak Display Manager software (e.g. with the keyboard shortcut [Alt + Tab]) and select from the Display Mode combo box the entry Manual in case it is not already selected. S1-4
Figure S1-2: Selection of the manual display mode After that follow the standard SMPTE procedures to calibrate your monitor. Adjust the brightness and contrast until the pluge (picture line-up generation equipment) target blends into the background. The pluge target is particularly marked in the color bar image. You can see its location in figure S1-1 on page S1-4. Once the adjustment of brightness and contrast is done, the calibration of the monitor is finished and you have to proceed to the third step, i.e. the creation of a characterization file. S1-5
S1.3 Step 3: Creating the Characterization File A characterization determines the gamma response of the calibrated monitor and tracks the primary colors. You should perform a characterization after each calibration of the connected monitor. During this process the Kodak Display Manager will create a characterization profile that you have to save to a file (*.chr) afterwards. This file will then be used to generate the 3D LUT. To create a characterization file perform the following: If not already active, switch to the Kodak Display Manager software. From the Characterize drop-down menu on the main window of the Kodak Display Manager choose the option Manual Characterization Assistant. Figure S1-3: Selection of the manual characterization assistant This will start the manual characterization assistant which will help you to characterize a display manually, such as a monitor or HD/SD display: S1-6
Figure S1-4: The manual characterization assistant During the characterization process the manual characterization assistant reads a sequence of images that will be measured and evaluated by a sensor attached to the screen of the monitor. The sequence used in this process is a clip of *.dpx image files (DPX patches) already prepared in the delivered CLIPSTER project file. You can find it on the second timeline track (no. 2). However, to use it for the characterization process you have to mute the topmost track first: Switch to the CLIPSTER Edit Tool (e.g. with the keyboard shortcut [Alt + Tab]). Select from the timeline track no. 3 (the top track) in the timeline area the M button. You can find it right in front of the this track. This will mute the third timeline track and it is thus barred from an output. The video output of the CLIPSTER hardware will now display the first frame of the image sequence (color red). To display the images long enough for the Kodak Display Manager to characterize the different colors the CLIPSTER software uses the time stretching feature of the timeline. The clip available in the second timeline track of the project file is set to a time stretching factor of 0.0017. This value should be sufficient for the Kodak Display Manager to detect and evaluate all images, because with a video output format at a frame rate of 30 Hz each image will be displayed for a duration of 20 seconds (recommended value). Nevertheless, in case you need to set your own value, for example, because the video format had to be set to a higher S1-7
frame rate to be displayed by the connected monitor, use the following formula to calculate the correct time stretching factor: time stretching factor= --------------------------------------- 1 frame rate 20s If necessary, adjust the time stretching factor of the clip in the second video track of the timeline via the menu option Time stretching on its context menu. Afterwards continue the characterization process with the following: Switch back to the manual characterization assistant of the Kodak Display Manager. Click on the AUTOMATIC MEASURE FROM SENSOR button to begin the characterization process. After this follow the instructions given on the screen until the following message is displayed: Figure S1-5: Message to place the sensor on the screen When the above message is shown, attach the sensor to the monitor connected to the CLIPSTER hardware and displaying the red image of the image sequence. After this press the OK button in the message window. The actual measuring will begin ten seconds later. There is no need hurrying to continue with the next step because the measuring will automatically recognize when the next image of the sequence is displayed. Once the ten seconds have elapsed, continue with the following: Switch to the CLIPSTER software and start a play-out of the timeline. As soon as the timeline play-out has started, the manual characterization assistant will start to evaluate and measure the colors displayed on the screen automatically. For convenience purposes and to follow the measuring more closely switch back to the manual characterization assistant. S1-8
After this you will see something like the following on the screen of your video workstation: Figure S1-6: Kodak Display Manager measuring the color values The state of the measuring process is indicated by a progress bar. Once the characterization is complete, you will be notified by a message window. Because each frame of this sequence should be displayed for a duration of 20 seconds and the complete sequence is 53 frames in total, this process will take several minutes. Afterwards you have to save the gained characterization profile to a file: In the window of the manual characterization assistant select the menu option Save Characterization File on the File menu to save the characterization profile to a file. Once this is done, you may close the window of the manual characterization assistant. With this the measured values are saved to a *.chr file and the creation of a characterization file is finished. Next, you have to continue with the fourth step, i.e. the conversion of the characterization file to a 3D LUT file. S1-9
S1.4 Step 4: Conversion to a 3D LUT File In this step you have to convert the characterization file to a 3D LUT file by using the viewer of the Kodak Display Manager: In the main window of the Kodak Display Manager select the item Viewer (see figure S1-2 on page S1-5). This will display the viewer of the Kodak Display Manager on the screen: Figure S1-7: The Viewer of the Kodak Display Manager Next, you have to load the characterization file: Load the characterization file saved in step no. 3 (see section Step 3: Creating the Characterization File on page S1-6) with the button LOAD TRANSFORM at the bottom right of the viewer s user interface. After this the characterization file is loaded and the test image shown in the viewer will alter its appearance to the new look applied by the characterization file accordingly. Now export and convert the characterization file with the button EXPORT TRANSFORM. Make sure to select in the opening dialog window to save a file as a file type the DVS Encrypted 3D LUT Files format. Close the viewer of the Kodak Display Manager. When the characterization profile is exported, you have successfully converted it to a 3D LUT file that can be loaded into the CLIPSTER software to apply its parameters to the digital video output. S1-10
S1.5 Step 5: Loading the 3D LUT In this section it will be described how to load the generated 3D LUT file into the CLIPSTER software to apply it to the digital video output of the CLIPSTER hardware. For this perform the following: Switch back to the CLIPSTER software (e.g. with the keyboard shortcut [Alt + Tab]). Position the timeline cursor at the beginning of the timeline (frame number 0/timecode 00:00:00:00) After this, to mute the second video track of the timeline, select from the track no. 2 (the track in the middle) the M button right in front of it. This will bar the second timeline track from an output and the video output of the CLIPSTER hardware automatically shows the contents of the first video track at the digital video outputs of CLIPSTER, i.e. a test image will be displayed. The contents of the first video track is shown because in your project the second and the third video track should be muted by now. While the second track has been muted just now, the third was muted in step no. 3 (see section Step 3: Creating the Characterization File on page S1-6). Next, you have to load the 3D LUT file: For this open the window to set the video output format with the button SETTINGS available in the timeline area. In the Output settings window select from the Options area the button 3D LUT... The following window will be displayed on the screen: S1-11
Figure S1-8: 3D LUT profile creation in CLIPSTER In this window load the generated 3D LUT file and assign a profile name to it. Further information about this can be found in the CLIPSTER Edit Tool user guide. Afterwards make sure that this new profile is selected from the list box. Once this is done, confirm the new 3D LUT profile with the OK button. This will close the window to administer the 3D LUT profiles and you will be returned to the Output settings window where you have to activate the application of the selected profile: To activate the newly created 3D LUT profile enable the check box Video-3D LUT available in the Options area of the Output settings window: Figure S1-9: Activation of the 3D LUT profile To finish the whole procedure close and confirm your new settings with the button OK. The new 3D LUT file is now enabled for the timeline of the CLIPSTER Edit Tool. The 3D LUT will be applied to the digital video output of CLIPSTER. With this you have successfully completed the whole task of generating a 3D LUT via the Kodak Display Manager. S1-12