Setting Black Levels
Dear Gary: I wonder if you or Joe Kane could help me with a problem that I can’t seem to resolve. I just bought a Pioneer DV 525 DVD-Video player to add to my Sony DVP-S7000, which lacks DTS. In trying to set brightness using the PLUGE with gray scale pattern on the Video Essentials disc I discovered that there were no above and below black bars visible. The below black bar was not a surprise, since I knew my Dwin Transcanner didn’t pass it, but the absence of the above black bar was a shock, and this made setting black level very much a guess on my graphics grade projector. Also, there was an obvious lack of shadow detail when compared directly to the Sony player and viewing the Video Essentials disc. I tried connecting the player to a direct-view monitor via S-video cable and found that the player does pass below black information. It is apparent that there is some kind of compatibility problem between the player and the Dwin. I have tried all the video setting options on the player (Cinema, Normal, etc ) and it makes no difference. It appears that screen black is not being passed! Is the black level of the Dwin just too high for this machine? Do you have any ideas about why this is the case? Suggestions on how to resolve this problem would be most welcome.
Gordon Lilley
Video Technical Editorial Director Joe Kane Comments:
The most likely cause of the problem is that the black level is set at 0 IRE on the player and the processor is set to accept a +7.5 IRE black. Look in the operating manuals of both devices for an ability to change the condition of one or the other product.
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