PiTPG - the new Raspberry Pi test pattern generator for ColourSpace

We have developed PiTPG, a new test pattern generator for ColourSpace,.
It runs on a Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5, with one SD card image for both, and will replace PGenerator as ColourSpace's dedicated Raspberry Pi pattern generator.

What it offers

• Bit-perfect 8-bit and 10-bit patches, in RGB, YCbCr 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2, up to 4K 60 Hz.
• YCbCr is calculated exactly by PiTPG itself, rather than relying on the Pi's own rounding converter.
• HDR10 and HLG, plus both kinds of Dolby Vision: TV-led (including Dolby's calibration modes) and Low-Latency.
• Nothing quietly changed: If a setting can't be done, PiTPG refuses it and ColourSpace shows the reason, so nothing is ever measured in a mode you didn't choose.
• ColourSpace's Manual Measure test patterns are drawn by the Pi at the output resolution.
• A single USB cable to the ColourSpace PC (or Ethernet), with no set-up on the Pi.
• Ted's Edition, with his well known Calibration Images updated to 4K 10 bit.

For existing PGenerator users

• PiTPG is free for all ColourSpace users via Customer Downloads.
• ZRO users can download via General Downloads.
• Existing users of Ted's PGenerator edition can get Ted's Edition from DisplayCalibrations.com.
• The ColourSpace update that introduces PiTPG replaces the PGenerator hardware option.
• PGenerator can still be used via ColourSpace's Network Server and DeviceControl if really needed.
• PiTPG runs on both Raspberry Pi 4 and Pi 5 units.

PiTPG needs a new ColourSpace update, and there are other ColourSpace developments that need to be completed first.
When complete, the new release will be made available via Customer downloads as normal.
Full operational details and set-up instructions via the new PiTPG page.

Steve

Tease!
Seriously, this sounds really cool...

By having a TPG that is more closely integrated into ColourSpace, which is only possible by having direct control over the TPG code, we can provide more tools and capabilities than before.
And as it uses Raspberry Pi hardware we can provide the PiTPG code for free.
Anyone with the depreciated Ted's PGen ISO can get a new PiTPG ISO for free too.

In this way the depreciation of PGen within ColourSpace will not be an issue.
And users gain more functions and capabilities with no additional cost.

Oh - Edit: It also (hopefully) means we can update PiTPG with user feedback...

Steve

Sounds good, not sure if you should drop PGenerator support at first drop, maybe wait a few weeks to see if there are problems with PiTPG and ColourSpace. If users have PGenerator and PiTPG on different SD cards, they could switch back if they encounter a problem.

Cheers,
LeRoy

As stated, PGen can be used via Network Server and DeviceControl.
So that is already covered.

Steve

The website has been updated with information on the upcoming PiTPG.
PiTPG is now available for advanced download in readiness for the nest ColourSpace update release.
(We have to release a new ColourSpace update to enable PiTPG operation.)

Steve

What size SD card will be needed, Steve? I didn't see that particular information in the PiTPG guide, which I just read through. I do plan to use Ted's version as I already use his PGenerator setup.

Hi RollsRoyce - an 8 GB microSD card or larger for Ted's Edition (the image includes all of Ted's patterns in native 1080p and 4K, 8 and 10-bit versions), or 4 GB or larger for the Basic edition.
Any good-quality card will do.
PiTPG reads from the card but never writes to it while running, so card speed makes little difference, and the Pi can simply be unplugged at any time.
I've added this to the PiTPG page too.

Steve

Excellent. Thank you!

In readiness for the next ColourSpace update release we have enabled Customer Download of the first iteration of PiTPG Basic.
Download can be accessed vis Customer Downloads as usual.
This is so you can get a SD card ready in advance.
You cannot use PiTPG until we release a new ColourSpace Update.

For ColourSpace ZRO users, PiTPG can be accessed via General Downlaods.

For non-ColourSpace users there is no point downloading as the close integration with ColourSpace for advanced features operation make it basically unusable.
Stick with PGenerator.

For Ted's PiTPG Edition please contact Ted at DisplayCalibrations.com.

All information can be found on the PiTPG page of the website.

Steve

Hi Steve,

So if you are Colourspace ZRO user, PiTPG is not free and you pay the 10 pound fee for the one time download. Does that entitle you to updates if there are problems with the initial version of PiTPG?

Updates for PGen were never provided via General Downloads - v1.3 to v1.6 for example.
A second General Download had to be made.
The same is true for PiTPG via General Downloads.
(No General Downloads have update access included.)

And please remember that Light Illusion has nothing to do with ColourSpace ZRO support, as the website pages state.
You do not purchase through Light Illusion.

Steve

I'm running tests with signal analyzers to check the digital output levels and ensure everything works bit-perfect.

Pi4/Pi5 boards using PiTPG are bit-perfect in 8/10-bit, but I need to run more tests.

PiTPG doesn't have the limitation we had with PGenerator, which couldn't output AVI for RGB-Video; instead...and due to this limitation, we were using RGB-FULL (as a container) and manually configured the HDMI input levels on the TV/Projector.

(PGenerator can output RGB-Video AVI, but we had disabled it because it was not bit-perfect and we were not able to fix it)

You can use PiTPG with RGB output, and the patscale selection in ColourSpace will define the quantization range.

When you use LEGAL patchscale, it sends RGB-Limited AVI; when you use FULL, it sends RGB-Full AVI, when you use EXTENDED, it sends RGB-Limited AVI.

Please don't send requests for PiTPG Ted's Edition; it will be available when I finish the required testing.

When I finish my own testing, I may ask some help from other Ted's PGenerator customers to do some testing before the release, so I will inform you when I finish my testing.

The 10-bit patterns and the 4K versions look very good, and it's a good visual upgrade.

Ted's PGenerator patterns were 8-bit 1080p.

PiTPG (Ted's Edition) will have both 8-bit and 10-bit 1080p and 2160p.

Users of PGenerator (free-public ISO or Ted's) will be able to connect to the newer ColourSpace versions as 'Network Server', and define the output resolutions/colorspace using the Settings Template in DeviceControl.

Using ColourSpace, you will set the patchscale, patchsize, bit depth, and, using the Settings Template, the resolution, output mode, colourspace output.

We will release a newer Template that will allow ColourSpace users to enable DoVi Verify, DoVi Calibrate, and YCbCr 4:2:2 REC.709/REC.2020 from DeviceControl.

Ted's PGenerator users will be able to inject patterns using Ted's Template.

Customers of LightIllusion are those who have purchased ColourSpace DPS (or higher license level..HTL etc) so you also get access to software updates and 'General Downloads' (supplemental apps or files or stuff, like PiTPG, example LUTs, example Reports, etc).

Customers with ColourSpace ZRO have access only to software updates, not to 'General Downloads' from the LightIllusion site.

When you buy ColourSpace HTL or higher from displaycalibrations.com, you have access to general downloads from the LightIllusion site, software updates, and customer support from Ted.

When you buy ColourSpace ZRO from displaycalibrations.com, you have access only to software updates from the LightIllusion site and customer support from Ted.