Introducing Murideo Easy Pay

4/25/2019

Getting your hands on professional HDMI testing, troubleshooting and calibration equipment has never been easier. Purchasing HDMI test equipment can be expensive, but with the new 12-month payment plans from Murideo, things just got a lot more affordable.

Murideo offers two Generator and Analyzer pairs:

The Murideo SIX-G and SIX-A: A robust 18Gbps 4K HDMI Generator and Analyzer combination that also comes with a PC software, perfect for calibrators, manufactures, and integrators testing areas.

Get the SIX-A & SIX-G for 12 monthly payments of $349.00

The Murideo Fox & Hound: A 18Gbps 4K HDMI testing kit that is built to be in every integrators truck. Very easy to use and understand, this tool saves integrators time and money, hands down.

Get the Fox & Hound HDMI Testing and Troubleshooting Kit for 12 monthly payments of $199.00

*A credit card must be on file to participate in this promotion. This card will be automatically charged every month.

What Makes a Great Picture?

3/21/2019

AC-EX100-444-KIT-GEN2 is a 100M at 18Gbps 4K60 (4:4:4) over CAT Extender featuring ICT

Working alongside ISF, AVPro Edge and Murideo are manufacturing products that keep the ISF method at the forefront of 4K video distribution. It is paramount to the mission of ISF to get the complete and correct signal from the source through any repeaters in the HDMI network all the way to the display. Our goal is to assure that what the client sees on their display is as close to the director’s original intent as possible.

Few integrators have successfully taken the dive into distributing 4K with HDR because the signal exceeds the limitations of most of the current infrastructure in homes and businesses. CEDIA integrators have either put in systems with 4K and no HDR, limit the system to 1080P SDR, or they put the sources in the room with the HDR display. None of these compromises are necessary. At the ISF Seminar, these missteps will be covered at length to help attendees confidently sell and install these high bandwidth products and systems without the need for any shortcuts or compromises. For example, the course will cover high bandwidth distribution products like the AVPro Edge HDBaseT extenders. Thanks to the proprietary compression algorithm ICT (Invisible Compression Technology), AVPro is able to deliver a pristine image, free from compression artifacts, over category cable. With these and other 4K + HDR solutions from AVPro Edge, including matrix switchers, audio down-mixers, distribution amplifiers and more, the system can be optimized for high bandwidth signal distribution. Then, it will be time to perfect the display.

Thanks to advanced tools and software the calibration process is as easy as ever, and today’s displays typically calibrate very well. With Murideo’s SIX-G Test Pattern Generator and AutoCal by CalMAN, the tedious parts of calibration are now automated, saving calibrators tons of time. This leaves more time for educating the client and giving them a great demo.

Now, let's cover some basics on what calibration is all about and some of the tools that are needed.

What makes a great picture?

It's easy to look at a TV in a showroom and say “that TV looks great!”, but what is so great about it? Most people are fooled by the blazingly blue-ish whites, the way too dark shadow details, the oversaturated colors, the extra sharpness and edge enhancement, and the dreaded soap opera effect. Luckily we've studied what makes a great picture, and at the end of the day it all based on our human biology and how we see. Here are the four things that we look for while judging picture quality:

Dynamic Range. This refers to the difference between the darkest and brightest part of the picture. The bigger the difference the better, and this is all due to human vision. In the back of our retina we have millions of tiny cells called rods and cones. Rods are responsible for picking up dark and bright information, and the cones are responsible for the colors that we see. The average human has around 20x more rods than cones, which explains why colors are hard to detect in the dark. Audiophiles understand this as Dynamic Range is the most glaring aspect when judging the quality of an audio system as well.
Color Saturation. This refers to how much color is in the image. Too much color and you will have sunburned news anchors and neon green grass on the baseball field. Too little color and the same news anchors look sick or ghoulish while the same green grass looks washed out or like it is dying.
Colorimetry (AKA color accuracy). Simply put, Colorimetry refers to the overall accuracy of color. We look for things in nature to appear correct such as the blue sky or the white snow in a nature documentary. We also look at colors in company and sports logos. Take the Home Depot logo for example. When you see the logo on TV it should be the correct orange, not a yellow-ish orange or red-ish orange.
Resolution. There are two things we look for when judging resolution. First take a look at the overall shape of the image and especially notice the shape of characters on the screen. If people look overly tall and skinny or short and squatty the screen size settings could be wrong. It is also a good idea to turn off Overscan. Overscan is used by the manufacturers to hide artifacts on the edges of the screen that can sometimes come from a broadcast. Although Overscan hides these artifacts, it hurts the overall clarity and resolution of the image especially on other sources such as Blu-ray discs. Once the Aspect Ratio is sorted out we can take a look at the display’s Sharpness setting. Most people do not realize this, but it is possible to have too much sharpness! Too much Sharpness can cause an artifact called “Edge Enhancement”. It is easy to spot when viewing something with a lot of details such as text on the screen, a person’s face, or the scales that make up an iguana’s skin. Distortion and noise will be apparent and fine details like the iguana’s scales will look distorted. Sharpness can also be set too low, and this makes the image look too soft, almost as if the camera that took the picture was out of focus.

Why calibrate a display?

There are two approaches to why a display should be calibrated. The first approach is easy! All you need to know are the four qualities of a great image that you just read about. Let’s use these and talk about how the picture will be improved after calibration.

Dynamic Range - When Dynamic Range is set correctly, you will have the most amount of detail in the brightest and darkest parts of the picture. This means things like scary shadows in a dark horror movie or the fur on a polar bear’s face and everything in between will be visible.
Color Saturation - The display will have the right amount of color. Things like flowers, food, grass, sports fields, and especially skin tones will look natural
Colorimetry - Things that you are familiar with in real life will be the appropriate color. The ice will be white for hockey fans and jersey colors and other logos will be correct.
Resolution - The image will be as clear as it can be while seeing as many details as possible, and people on the screen will appear to be the appropriate shape and size.

The second approach is all about standards, which can be somewhat abstract to the average Joe. When we calibrate a display we are setting it to known standards. There is a major benefit to this because it will allow you to view the movie, video game, TV show, etc as the creators intended. Calibration is all about honoring the art of content creation. When a filmmaker uses a specific color palette for a scene of a movie, it is done intentionally. Color in movies is used to set the mood of a scene and to evoke emotion within the viewer. This type of emotional manipulation is not only used in film, but video games and TV shows as well. As someone who appreciates the time, effort, and artistry that goes into production, calibration ensures that the reproduction is as close as possible to what was intended.

Now that we have defined picture quality and covered the benefits of display calibration, let’s cover what tools are needed to offer this unique service.

The Murideo SIX-G

What tools are needed?

Test Pattern Generator - This tool is responsible for putting test patterns on the display. Test patterns are used throughout the calibration process to verify a variety of things like black level, white level, color, resolution, and more. There are a few things to look for when shopping for a pattern generator such as portability, size, and functionality. The Murideo SIX-G is a go to as it is 4k and HDR/Dolby Vision compliant, has a rechargeable battery, is small and portable, and field upgradeable. You can also use it for troubleshooting purposes and to test HDMI cables if paired up with the Murideo SIX-A signal analyzer.
Light Meter - This tool will read the light and color of light that comes from the display that you are calibrating. There are many different makes, models, and prices of light meters, and each one serves a specific purpose. When shopping for a light meter, consider its portability, size, and speed. There are two types of light meters; tristimulus and spectral, and the one you pick depends on your budget and how fast or accurate you need the calibration to be. Tristimulus devices are known for their speed while spectral devices are known for accuracy. A lot of calibrators use both by using one to profile the other. Profiling two meters ensures the accuracy of the spectral meter but gives you the speed of the tristimulus meter.
Software - There are a variety of software packages available to drive the calibration with prices ranging from free to thousands of dollars. I personally use CalMAN, but there are others such as Light Illusion, HCFR, DisplayCal, and more. I prefer CalMAN for multiple reasons; such as, its intuitive workflows, compatibility with a variety of different light meters and test pattern generators, and a relatively new feature call AutoCal. AutoCal allows CalMAN to take control of the display and automates the tedious and time consuming steps such as grayscale and color gamut adjustments. This is a huge time saver and will help you get through a calibration efficiently without any sacrifice to accuracy.
Infrastructure – Today’s video signals are passed though many products that can have an effect on the picture you see. In order to distribute a solid 4K, 18Gbps signal, you need products developed to pass this kind of signal. Most products being developed today are not able to meet this data rate. AVPro Edge has developed a line of video distribution products built to handle high bandwidth 4K. When you need to extend, switch, split, scale or downmix; AVPro Edge products will help you get the job done.

ISF Calibration is a very unique, custom service that you should be offering to your clients. Labor dollars will contribute to your bottom line and system maintenance will not only ensure that your client’s system is performing it’s best, but it will also bring in recurring revenue. We have studied the numbers over the years and have also found out that ISF calibration also helps prevent TV returns which is a great added bonus. With the help of AVPro and the ISF, we can give you knowledge to not only perform this service, but also how to explain the benefits to your salespeople and ultimately your clients. Again, for more information including dates for ISF Australia and other AVPro Academy classes, contact AVD at +61 7 5561 7530 or visit avpro.training.

CES 2019 - 8K Challenges Space, Light & Time

1/23/2019

It's Not Just About Seeing Pixels
by Joel Silver (ISF)
Boca Raton, FL

Striking differentials in 8K TV picture quality at CES 2019 showcased the awesome potential for 8K - and showed the serious pitfalls of processing massive amount of data into space, light and time.

The best pictures at CES were fantastic and created buying lust - even among the financially challenged press corps. The worst TVs were soft and fuzzy, artifact ridden, and were downright fatiguing to watch.

All Digital TVs (DTV) are simply machines that turn bits into pictures. The first DTVs in 1982 digitized our old analog TV pictures that used either 525 or 625 TV lines.

To better understand this long progress that has evolved to 8K TV, just visualize how we see TVs in space, light and time. Let’s break it down:

Space – The number of visible lines or pixels on screen
Light – How bright the picture is, and how many colors are visible on screen
Time – How many pictures are flashed per second – “temporal resolution” or pictures per second (PPS)

ANALOG TV

To start at the beginning, how did analog bring pictures into our home:
Space – Either 525 or 625 horizontal lines top to bottom
Light – Tube TVs (CRTs) were only 100 Nits bright – but had unlimited steps between black and white
Time – Either 50 or 60 pictures per second (PPS), unchanged since the 1930’s

Standard Definition Digital Rec.601

Space – 640x480, or roughly 300,000 (.3K) pixels to process
Light – 100 Nits – 220 steps from black to white to process at 8 Bit – CRT TV’s phosphor-based colors
Time – Same 50/60 PPS as 1930’s

High Definition Digital Rec.709

Space – Up to 1920x1080, or roughly 2,000,000 pixels (2K)
Light – 100 Nits – 220 steps at 8 Bit – but somewhat improved to 1990 CRT colors
Time – Same 50/60 PPS as 1930’s

Ultra-High Definition – 2012 specs BT.2246-1

Space – Up to 8K – roughly 33,000,000 pixels
Light – Up to 10,000 Nits – at 10 Bit roughly 1000 steps, at 12 Bit roughly 4000 steps
Time – Up to 120PPS – “temporal resolution” is finally improved – and sports are awesome!

Processing 8K TV Data – The Beauty and the Beast!

Creating perfect analog pictures with digital bits will never happen. However, more bits provide the possibility to create pictures that are closer to analog and will look beautiful at very close viewing distances – but only if processing is superb!

Space:
The Beauty - Evolving from .3K to 8K provides the potential for smooth artifact free pictures if processing deploys sufficient power and speed coupled with intelligent algorithm engineering.
The Beast - 8K reveals poor processing like a jeweler’s loop reveals defects in diamonds.
Light:
The Beauty – Even a 1000 Nit TV is 10x brighter than our old TVs – and with 200x more steps and 8K pixels, we can control color and light transitions that are life like and relaxing to watch.
The Beast – Brighter TVs reveal motion artifacts and poor color transitions that induce user fatigue.
Time:
The Beauty – We have been watching 60 PPS since 1939. HDR’s space, color and light have revolutionized watching movies in our homes. 120 PPS will do the same for sports!
The Beast – Double the number of PPS increases the cost of processing and the challenges for engineering intelligent algorithms.

The 8K CES Conclusions
For those readers who like to skip to the bottom of a story, here are the quick facts:
1 – There is far more to 8K than just less visible pixels. Improved control over motion in space, plus precision modulation of light and color produces visibly improved “digital to analog conversion”.
2 – If video processing is superb in time, space and color, then 8K pixels enable visibly smoother transitions and deliver more analog like pictures.
3 – Motion artifacts may still occur, but they are one quarter the size and therefore less visible.
4 – 8K 120 PPS will redefine “temporal resolution” and revolutionize watching sports on TVs.
5 – At first, only the Tier One TVs will be awesome with 8K. Many TVs will look worse with 8K. We will get what we pay for in 8K!

CES 2019 showcased what the planet’s best engineering teams can accomplish with 8K’s spatial resolution. They showcased vastly improved space, color and light. I can’t wait to see what these amazing people will do with 120PPS TVs at CES 2020.

I left the CES 2019 show discovering that I need new TVs once again……….it was enormous fun and a most entertaining show!

For more information on ISF or Joel himself please visit https://www.avpro.training/isf.html or https://imagingscience.com/

Installing Home Theaters: How to Calibrate for Audio?

1/2/2019

Here at Murideo we talk a lot about video calibration, but what about audio calibration? The audio inside a home theater is one of the most important parts. So why are so many installers doing home theaters without properly setting up the room to benefit the audio?

We want to change that and are here to help, with the HAA kit from Murideo, and access to HAA training, you can become the a certified home acoustics expert. HAA classes will give you the knowlege you need to successfully set up a room with perfect acoustics. Find our more here. www.avpro.training/haa-audio1.html

The HAA Kit will provide you with all the tools you need to test the room and make sure you are setting up the best experience possible for your client. You can purchase the HAA Kit here. www.avprostore.com/HAA-Complete-Acoustic-Calibration-Kit-PLUS-p/au-haa-kit-plkus.htm

From the HAA Website: The HAA is all about “Great Sound Through Science”. If you are looking for a community that is focused on high performance audio in the home environment, you’ve found it. We’ve been in the business of high performance sound since 2001. We are not an equipment or design sales company but our professional membership is filled with companies that are. Look through our Dealer Locator for a pro near you, or join our community as an Enthusiast member for free to get advice on our forums. Help us build our new public portal by joining and participating. Also, come back from time to time to read our expanding blog and see how our public site grows.

ISF: A look back on 2018 and what to expect in 2019

10/31/2018

The Imaging Science Foundation has been leading the display calibration charge for over 20 years. In that time ISF has grown and adapted to each advancement in display technology that has come to market.

Today is no different, always pushing display technology forward, Joel Silver founder of ISF had this to say:

“The current HDR era is the very best of times for ISF Calibrators and their clients! The early HDR HDMI connectivity issues are now easily resolved by those with Level III skills, and the impressive HDR image quality now available through streaming, discs and HDR downloads is driving sales of ISF calibrations and large screen UHD TVs.

The upcoming year will bring us wonderful new content in HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision's three offerings, HLG, SL-HDR1,2,3 and a glimpse of 8K and sporting events in 100/120 Hz. Today's innovations have revitalized movie viewing - tomorrow's advances in temporal resolution will revolutionize sports!

We will only offer five North American ISF Level III sessions in 2019 - overseas demand and private sessions will limit the number ISF sessions. We were touched by CEDIA's recognition of ISF's impact on thousands of businesses, and we look forward to seeing you at an ISF Level III event in 2019.”

Joel Silver was awarded the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2018 at the CEDIA Expo in San Diego. You are able to find his award video below.

Being an ISF certified calibrator you become an expert in delivering the best possible picture to the display, With the Level III Class, calibration has expanded from the display to the distribution channel. Attendees will get hands on experience with the latest calibration and video distribution equipment as well as work on a verity of modern projectors and displays. We hope to see you in 2019.

The Level III ISF event is a seminar that Joel himself hosts around the world. Planning for ISF Level III is being done now and we would love your help. Please vote for the city where you would like to see ISF in 2019 below.

Display Calibration: A Quick History

10/22/2018

In the above video, we take a quick look at calibration throughout the years, where it started to the present day.

CalMAN with AUTOCAL by SpectraCal

9/26/2018

Award Winning Technology

Portrait Displays continues to enhance our integrated calibration solutions. With AutoCal, calibrations take less time and are more consistent than using a purely manual approach. CalMAN’s AutoCal brings a major improvement to the setup of the latest generation of top-of-the-line televisions.

What is CalMAN with AutoCal?

Until now...
Calibrating a TV was cumbersome and time consuming. It required constantly using the TV's remote to make individual adjustments for dozens of on-screen patterns.

Introducing CalMAN with AutoCal...
CalMAN with AutoCal displays the patterns, performs the meter readings, and makes all the adjustments for you. It’s fast, easy, and delivers the best picture quality available.

Learn more about CalMAN with AutoCal and our partners' solutions by giving us a call 605-274-6055

AVPro Global Holdings Jeff Murray Presents in New Zealand

9/24/2018

We are honored to have Murideo's own Jeff Murray giving a presentation on 4K and HDR at this years Facilities Integrate Auckland 2018. As AVPro Global Holdings companies continue to expand in New Zealand and Australia we are excited as to support that region. Murideo and AVPro Edge fill a gap in the the market when it comes to testing and distributing 4K and HDR - technology that is expanding to all parts of the globe.

Here are the details about Jeff Murray's Presentation:

Jeff Murray live in Auckland 2018
Wednesday 26 September
4K HDMI with HDR
10am-12pm SPOTLESS SEMINAR SERIES

4K HDMI with HDR

Integrators now must understand how to successfully design and implement an HDMI solution that is capable of distributing 18Gbps of bandwidth.

Jeff’s two hour seminar has been tailored especially for the AV Integrator and will provide thorough insight into how to effectively design and implement a real-world distributed HDMI solution with 4K and HDR (High Dynamic Range).

What is discussed:

How to successfully extend and distribute HDMI with 4K and HDR to multiple zones.
Why EDID matters with 4K and HDR.
Audio best practices when implementing 4K and HDR.
Working with AVR's and other non-18Gbps products.

Who will be there:

AV Integrators
AV Technicians
AV Project Managers
AV Engineers
System Designers
Technology Managers
Media Consultants

Jeff Murray is a Certified ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) instructor of 18 years and is highly regarded in the AV and integration industry as one of the world’s most knowledgeable figures when it comes to distributing 4K HDR signals reliably around the home or commercial environments. Jeff Murray the founder and president of AVPro Global Holdings, the company that created AVPro Edge and Murideo.

July Promos from Murideo - Also Sign up for our next 4K & HDR Training

7/10/2018

Save over $1000 on the Murideo SIX-G & SIX-A Combo or the Fox & Hound Troubleshooting Kit

The Murideo SIX-G and SIX-A combo is the ultimate HDMI testing kit for any integrator. This battery powered, hand held 4K HDR & UHD generator and analyzer set is able to generate and analyze 4K up to 18Gbps, HDCP 2.2, Deep Color and so much more.

Right now save $1,305 on this pair with the SIX-G priced at $1695 and the SIX-A priced at $1495!

The Murideo Fox & Hound Testing and Troubleshooting Kit is ideal for every integrator to have on their truck. Affordable and reliable this kit can confirm correct bandwidth, HDCP, resolution, timing, HDR metadata and many more options that cause system hiccups.

Right now save $1000 and get the Fox and Hound Kit for $1495 through the month of July!

Save 10% on the AC-EXO-444-KIT! This fiber extender allows the user to extend an HDMI signal up to 2 kilometers via single-mode fiber, and up to 300 meters using multi-mode fiber. All HDMI 2.0 a/b signals are supported as the bandwidth is beyond 18Gbps! Plus receive a free Cleerline Cleerfiber cable with purchase!

Receive a free 75M or 125M Cleerline SSF Cleerfiber cable with your purchase of an AC-EXO-444-KIT! This cable provides fiber optic speed in one clear strand of cable that can disappear into any setting for easy indoor point-to-point cable placement! Offer applies to the LC connector cable.

Receive a FREE year of CalMan ($1595 value) when you purchase a Murideo SIX-G Generator at full price!

Join us for our next free educational event, 4K & HDR - Working with AVR’s (and other products not built for 18Gbps) In this webinar we will break down how to solve the problem of working with lower bandwidth products and high bandwidth video at the same time. AVPro Edge’s Jason Dustal will be presenting our unique ways to make sure you always get an optimized picture to the display.

Join Us on July 24th
10am and 2pm CST

These specials will ONLY be available until July 31, please give me a call with any questions about any of the dynamic solutions AVPro Edge and Murideo have to offer, 877-886-5112!

Signal Monitor test and testing fiber based and hybrid HDMI cables

6/13/2018

The Murideo Fresco Six A/Six G combo has a robust HDMI cable test built in (to see a "how to" step by step guide click here).
This cable test was specifically designed for copper based HDMI cables. Testing fiber based or fiber/copper (AOC) hybrid HDMI cables is a little more tricky. Luckily we have a process that will help you test these types of HDMI cables.

Power up the generator
Set the output of the generator so that it is sending a 17.82Gbps signal (3840x2160/60fps/rec2020/8bit/HDR/4:4:4 chroma)
Choose a stationary test pattern (for example a 16 step grayscale)
Connect the HDMI cable in question to the generator and analyzer
Power up the analyzer
Press OK on the analyzer
Use the left or right navigation buttons and locate the “Signal Monitor” page
Press “OK” to start the test
The “Total Number” is the amount of seconds that the test is running for
The “Trigger Number” is the amount of errors that the test has found
Run the test for at least 1 minute
Ideally 0 would be the Trigger Number, but 1-5 would still indicate a good cable
Run the test a second time
If you still have little to 0 errors, the cable is safe to install

The Signal Monitor test is testing for errors per pixel, so having a few errors is OK and should not be visible in the actual image.
Pro tips:

Treat HDMI cables gently. Especially fiber based and fiber/copper hybrid cables
When using zipties/cable ties, do not pull the ziptie as tight as possible. Snug is enough
Avoid running HDMI cables right next to power cables
When making long HDMI runs (15+ ft) consider an AOC cable or an HDMI extender
When running signal cables, ALWAYS run conduit. Having conduit in place makes replacing bad or old HDMI cables much easier
If you are using a directional cable be sure that it is running in the right direction or the cable test WILL fail!
ALWAYS test an HDMI cable BEFORE installation.

Top pic is an example of a PASS
Bottom pic is an example of a FAIL

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+1 605-330-8491
info@murideo.com

An AVPro Global Holdings Company