It is not uncommon for video source devices (i.e. devices capable of outputting a video signal comprising a video image, such as DVD-Video players, High-Density HD-DVD Video players, Blu-Ray disc players, set-top boxes, or PCs) and video sink devices (i.e. devices capable of receiving a video signal and applying further video processing to the signal, and possibly displaying the resulting video images, such as televisions or monitors, which may be analog or digital devices such as Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs), flat panel displays such as Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) or plasma displays, or rear-projection displays such as Digital Light Processing (DLP) or Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) displays for example) to be purchased separately. For example, a consumer assembling a home entertainment system may purchase the video source device component from one manufacturer and the video sink device component from another manufacturer. The consumer's choice of components may be motivated by such factors as consumer preference, availability, or retailer promotions. The consumer may then interconnect the components within the home entertainment system so that the source device outputs a video signal to the sink device. The interconnection may be by way a cable and may conform to a known industry standard, such as VGA, composite/S-video or component out, Digital Visual Interface (DVI), High-Definition Multimedia Interface™ (HDMI™) or DisplayPort®, for example, or may be a wireless display interface (e.g. “wireless HDMI”).
Many contemporary video source devices are capable of performing various video processing functions such as frame-rate conversion, interlacing, de-interlacing, de-noise, scaling, color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction and detail enhancement for example. Each video processing function may be performed by a functional block of a video processor, which may be effected in hardware, software, firmware or combinations of these. A functional block may be implemented in different ways in different video source devices. That is, a functional block in one video source device may apply one video processing algorithm to achieve the desired video processing function while the same functional block in another video source device applies another video processing algorithm to achieve that video processing function, in a different way. For example, some interlacer blocks may apply a scan line decimation algorithm to interlace video while others apply a vertical filtering algorithm. The algorithm that is used by a functional block may be fixed or dynamically configurable. In the latter case, the algorithm that is used at any given time may depend upon such factors as the content of the video signal presently being processed or user preferences for example.
A video sink device may also be capable of applying various video processing functions to a received video signal, including some or all of the same video processing functions that the upstream video source device is capable of performing (referred to as “overlapping video processing functions”). The overlap may be by virtue of the fact that the video sink device is a modular component that is intended to be capable of interconnection with various types of video source devices whose video processing capabilities may vary. The video source device and video sink device may therefore each have different strengths and weaknesses from a video processing standpoint. For example, the source device may be capable of numerous frame-rate conversion functions that the sink device is incapable of executing, while the sink device is capable of numerous de-interlacing functions that the source device is incapable of executing.
It is known to provide consumers with a DVD containing test video images and video clips along with instructions for playing the DVD in a player connected to a television. The instructions may suggest DVD-Video player output settings for testing the DVD-Video player (e.g. 720p, 768p, 1080i or 1080p) as well as DVD-Video player output settings for testing the television (e.g. 480i), for various television types (e.g. 720p DLP, LCD or Plasma; 768p LCD or Plasma; 1024×1024 Plasma; or 1920×1080 DLP, LCD or Plasma). The instructions may also describe how the displayed images or clips should be evaluated for quality. Disadvantageously, it is up to the user to set the DVD-Video player output settings correctly. If settings are not correctly set, the evaluated quality of the displayed images or clips may be attributed to the wrong device (DVD-Video player or television). In view of the complex user interfaces of many DVD-Video players and the inexperience of many users in configuring output settings, the likelihood of an incorrect output setting is high. Moreover, even if the DVD-Video player output settings are correctly set, it is still the responsibility of the user to ultimately configure the DVD-Video player in the proper mode for optimal image quality based on the outcome of the test. Again, the likelihood of an erroneous configuration is relatively high.
A solution which mitigates or obviates at least some the above-noted disadvantages would be desirable.