BoxIO
The FSI BoxIO LUT box supports both 3D and 1D LUTs for accurate Closed Loop display calibration with ColourSpace, as well as on-set Look Management.
- ColourSpace INF/XPT/PRO/CAL/LTE
- Single Channel 33^3 LUTs
- Dual-Channel 17^3 LUTs
- Multiple Saved LUTs
- TPG Operation
Overview
BoxIO is a SDI input and SDI/mini Displayport output device, compatible with HDMI and DVI devices using an inexpensive passive connector. It is ideal for use with any SDI image workflow path, with SDI or DP/HDMI/DVI display input requirements, making it a perfect for professional operations where precise colour and Look management is required.
The addition of clean loop through SDI outputs mean BoxIO isn't limited to being an end of chain device.
Connections include SDI in, DP and SDI out, and Ethernet/WiFi for LUT uploading.
The silent, fan-less all aluminum design is durable, quiet, and built for 24/7 operation.
Specifications
- 8-bit / 10-bit /12-bit supported bit depths at 4:4:4, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0
- 4:2:2 YCbCr output for TPG operation
- 2x 12-bit 3Gbps SDI inputs
- 2x 12-bit 3Gbps SDI, 2x 12-bit 3Gbps SDI Clean Loop Through, 1x 12-bit mini-DisplayPort
- Ethernet & AdHoc WiFi
- 720p; 1080i; 1080p; 2048x1080; 3840x2160p, 4096x2160p SDI Formats
- 1920x1080; 1280x720 DP Formats
- 33^3 LUT Format for Single Channel operation, plus 1D LUT before & after 3D LUT
- 17^3 LUT Format for Dual Channel operation, plus 1D LUT before & after 3D LUT
- Channel stacking in Dual Channel mode
- Trilinear or Tetrahedral LUT interpolation
- DC 12-18V power (AC adapter included)
- 4K Support up to 30p 4:2:2 for single BoxIO
- 4K Support up to 60p 4:2:2, or 30p 4:4:4 for dual BoxIO
(Features vary depending on the BoxIO version used. See the FSI website for more details.)
ColourSpace Integration
BoxIO operation and function is controlled via the Hardware Options menu, accessed via the Profiling window.
Overview
Operation of BoxIO with ColourSpace is comparatively simple, although there are a range of different options and capabilities which must be set correctly if the expected end result is to be attained.
BoxIO can operate in 3 modes.
- Mode 1 has a single pipeline with 33^3 3D LUT processing
- Mode 2 has two completely independent pipelines, each with its own 17^3 3D LUT
- Mode 3 is the Test Patch Generator, enabled via the Calibration Patches function
In all 3 modes the active video range can be specified independently as 64-940, 64-1019, 4-1019, or 0-1023.
In mode 1 you can specify which SDI input is your active source. The output is mirrored on both SDI outputs.
In mode 2 you can independently specify which SDI input is the source to your process pipeline.
The image pipeline in both mode 1 & mode 2 is 1D ⇒ 3D ⇒ 1D, and each of the 3 LUTs can have 16 saved values (16 different LUTs).
The ColourSpace BoxIO Options menu shows and controls the current state of the box and its configuration. The currently selected 1D, 3D and Back 1D LUTs, selected from the drop-down lists within the Options menu, will be populated when the Upload button within Connected Hardware is pressed. The LUT selected from the Select LUT menu will be uploaded (or set to null, if the Unity Bypass option is selected) on Upload. Any LUT can be manually set on or off, as required from the Options menu.
Initial Setup
- If required, make sure the correct drivers are installed
(If necessary, verify via Windows Device Manager) - Connect input/output signal cables to BoxIO, connecting the signal out to the display to be profiled and calibrated
(Make sure a valid input signal is being input into BoxIO) - Connect BoxIO to the ColourSpace laptop via a network cable, and start ColourSpace
- Set the desired set-up options via the ColourSpace Settings menu, as required
- Open a ColourSpace Profiling window, select Hardware Options, and select FSI BoxIO from the Hardware drop-down list
- Using the Network Address window enter the required IP address, and select Connect
(The default IP address is 192.168.1.244)
Before proceeding further, additional settings and configurations within the ColourSpace BoxIO Options menu need to be correctly setup. This menu reads the present BoxIO configuration when first connected and accessed, and then allows the various setting to be changed as required.
(There are different options available depending on the BoxIO TPG being set on or off, controlled by setting a Calibration patch size. With the TPG off generic BoxIO configuration settings will be displayed. If the TPG is set on, some of the settings change to display specific TPG options.
There are also different options for BoxIO vs. BoxIO Lite)
(When using the TPG, the incoming source and BoxIO TPG output frame rates must be set to the same frame rates. If not, the TPG will potentially not function correctly.)
- With Calibration Patches set to Off, select the desired Mode within FSI BoxIO Options, including Channel operation, SDI Port, and the LUT slots to be used
- To make sure there is no existing calibration data active within the selected Profile/Load/LUT/Slot, and associated colour space selection, etc., select Unity Bypass from the Select LUT option, and press Upload
(To clear all LUT Slots, Unity Bypass will need to be uploaded to all three Load selections) - With Calibration Patches set on, select the correct TPG Output Format, and Video Range
- Using the Calibration Patches option select the desired patch size to use for profiling
As soon as a Calibration Patches selection is made the output of BoxIO will display the patch colour as defined within the ColourSpace Measure and Characterisation menus.
Potentially, when Unity Bypass data is Uploaded all BoxIO settings will be nullified. Should it be desired that different LUTs and other settings remain as defined, upload a the Default Unity LUT, which uploads just the LUT, and does not reset any additional settings. Set necessary settings, such as Brightness/Contrast/Black-Level, before any LUT Upload.
Profiling Operation
To use BoxIO as a Patch Generator with ColourSpace navigate to the desired profiling mode - Manual Measure or Display Characterisation.
Output of BoxIO will mimic the colour displayed, using the patch settings defined via the Hardware Options and Settings menus.
Note: The keyboard 'O' key can be used within the Hardware and Manual Measure menus to quickly Disable/Enable the TPG.
Profiling can then be performed as normal, using the probe connected to ColourSpace, and with BoxIO displaying the required patches on the display being profiled.
LUT Upload
After profiling, a Calibration LUT can be generated as normal within ColourSpace LUT Tools.
With the LUT still held within ColourSpace navigate back to the Hardware Options menu, and select the desired LUT from within the Select LUT options, and Upload to the desired LUT slot.
There are three LUT slots within BoxIO, with the 1D + 3D combination being the normal configuration to use for display calibration, with the back 1D LUT left empty.
- 1D + 3D
- 1D only
- 3D only
- 1D back only
The back 1D LUT can be used to pre-set a display's greyscale and/or gamma as a first pass, and then the display can be re-profiled with the back 1D LUT active, and the 1D + 3D LUT generated from the second profile pass uploaded for the final gamut calibration.
The pre 1D LUT can also be generated independently from the 3D LUT, with both being uploaded separately, with the 1D LUT acting as an input, or shaper, LUT for the 3D LUT. As with any 1D +3D LUT combination, the 3D LUT has to be generated and uploaded first, and the display re-profiled with the 3D LUT active, to enable a 1D LUT to be generated and uploaded independently.