B&K Precision 1253 - Manual - Manual (Page 18)

10: Staircase
Description: 11 equal-width vertical bars step from black at 0 IRE (7.5 IRE for NTSC) on the left, to 100
IRE (white) on the right.
Pattern Usage: Useful for visually checking gray-scale tracking performance of a display. Poor
performance is seen as a primary color tint (red, green, or blue), especially at the bright or dark end of the
pattern. Also useful for adjusting gray-scale tracking by eye, when a color analyzer is not available.
Each step of the Grey Bars should appear as a distinctive brightness level. Adjust the display cutoff/bias
controls for a neutral dark gray tone at the dark end of the pattern. Adjust the display drive/gain controls
for a neutral bright gray tone at the bright end of the pattern. This pattern is also good as a reference input
signal when troubleshooting and signal tracing luminance or color amplifier problems within a display
device.
Examples of Uncalibrated Displays: The following images indicate a TV with the Brightness and/or
Contrast levels are not set properly.
Too Dark
Too Bright
Blacks blend together
Not Black