SMPTE color bars is a television test pattern used where the NTSC video standard is utilized, including countries in North America. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) refers to this test pattern as Engineering Guideline EG 1-1990. The components of this pattern are a known standard. Comparing this pattern as received to the known standard gives video engineers an indication of how an NTSC video signal has been altered by recording or transmission and what adjustments must be made to bring it back to specification. The pattern is also used for setting a television monitor or receiver to reproduce NTSC chrominance and luminance information correctly. Originally conceived in the 1970s by Al Goldberg of CBS Laboratories, and previously categorized by SMPTE as ECR 1-1978, the development of this test pattern was awarded an Engineering Emmy in 2001-2002.
An updated version of SMPTE color bars, developed by the Japanese Association of Radio Industry and Businesses as ARIB STD-B28 and standardized as SMPTE RP 219-2002, is used to test both 4×3 standard definition and 16×9 high-definition video signals.
Read more about SMPTE Color Bars: Usage
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