HectorScope

HectorScope is a 3D waveform visualisation tool that displays luma and chroma information together in a three-dimensional space. Named after its creator Hector Berebi — a working colourist and educator who teaches colour theory through historical and perceptual framings — it provides a unique perspective on your video signal.

Where a classic waveform collapses the image to 2D (spatial position × level) and a vectorscope collapses it to 2D chroma (Cb × Cr), HectorScope plots all three of Y' (luma), Cb, and Cr at once. Each pixel becomes a point in a 3D cube that you can rotate interactively. Patterns that are hidden in a 2D projection — a coloured cast that only affects shadows, or a chroma outlier that sits inside the convex hull of the vectorscope trace — become obvious when you rotate the cube.

HectorScope — 3D waveform visualisation

Overview

Unlike traditional 2D waveforms, HectorScope renders your signal in 3D space, allowing you to:

  • Visualise the relationship between luma and chroma together, not in separate scopes

  • Identify colour distributions that are hidden in 2D projections

  • Examine shadow, midtone, and highlight regions from multiple angles

Interface

The scope displays a 3D representation of your video signal that can be rotated and navigated interactively.

Action
Control

Rotate

Click and drag

Zoom

Mouse wheel

Pan

Hold Shift + drag

Reset view

Double-click

Settings

Access scope settings via the hamburger menu (☰) or right-click on the scope.

Display Options

Setting
Description
Default

Point Size

Size of individual sample points

Auto

Brightness

Overall brightness of the display

1.0

Color Model

RGB or YCbCr color representation

RGB

Rotation Controls

Per-axis rotation controls allow precise orientation of the 3D view:

Setting
Description

X Rotation

Tilt up/down

Y Rotation

Rotate left/right

Z Rotation

Roll

HectorScope rotated to inspect shadow detail

Use Cases

Shadow Detail Analysis

Rotate the view to isolate shadow regions and examine noise or color contamination in dark areas.

Highlight Rolloff

View the transition from midtones to highlights to ensure smooth rolloff without clipping.

Color Balance

Examine the overall distribution of colors to identify unwanted color casts across tonal ranges.

Tips

  • Use in combination with the standard Waveform for comprehensive analysis

  • Double-click to reset to the default view when navigating becomes disorienting

  • Reduce point size for dense signals to see structure more clearly

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