Challenges to the Development of a Standardized Professional Studio Color Picture Monitor

The NTSC/FCC color specifications for the US (North American) television system are display dependent with a defined color gamut. Within a decade after the introduction of color, the industry found phosphor sets approximating the NTSC primaries inadequate for brightness and lag. A decision by the EBU to base their colorimetry on an average of modern phosphors was made and proposed as an international standard. It became necessary for the US to choose to develop corrective matrices to shift the modern phosphors used in studio color picture monitors to approximate NTSC or to change the colorimetry of the system. This paper documents the two decade background and justification leading to a choice of a standard set of non-NTSC chromaticaties commonly referred to as the SMPTE “C” set. It also introduces pending supporting documentation designed to improve color consistency and to develop methods for the critical review of program material.

Published

1988-01

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/M00538

ISBN

978-1-61482-917-1