Signal Generator

The Signal Generator creates synthetic test patterns for calibration, testing, and demonstration purposes. It's useful when you need a consistent reference signal without external hardware.

Overview

OmniScope includes a GPU-based signal generator that can produce various test patterns:

• SMPTE color bars

• Grayscale ramps

• Resolution charts

• Custom patterns

This is useful for:

• Testing scope functionality

• Calibrating displays

• Demonstrating OmniScope features

• Verifying signal paths

Connecting

1. Open OmniScope

2. Go to Input menu > Connect to...

3. Select Signal Generator

4. Choose your desired test pattern

Available Patterns

SMPTE Color Bars

Standard SMPTE color bar pattern used for broadcast calibration. Includes:

• 75% and 100% color bars

• PLUGE (Picture Line-Up Generation Equipment) pattern

• Reference white and black

Grayscale Ramp

Linear grayscale gradient for checking gamma and contrast:

• Smooth transitions from black to white

• Useful for verifying waveform linearity

Resolution Chart

High-frequency patterns for checking resolution and sharpness:

• Line pairs at various frequencies

• Corner-to-corner sharpness verification

Video Signal Tester

Comprehensive test pattern by Thomas Berglund featuring:

• Color bars with various saturation levels

• Grayscale steps

• Resolution patterns

• Safe area markers

The Video Signal Tester pattern was contributed by Thomas Berglund. Thank you!

Settings

Setting	Description	Default
Pattern	Which test pattern to generate	SMPTE Bars
Resolution	Output resolution	1920x1080
Frame Rate	Output frame rate	30 fps
Bit Depth	Signal bit depth	10-bit

Use Cases

Scope Calibration

Use color bars to verify your scopes are displaying accurate values:

• 75% bars should read at specific vectorscope positions

• White should reach 100 IRE on the waveform

• Black should sit at 0 IRE (or 7.5 IRE for NTSC setup)

Display Calibration

Output test patterns to external monitors via SDI Out to calibrate:

• Brightness and contrast using PLUGE

• Color accuracy using color bars

• Gamma using grayscale ramps

Demonstrations

When demonstrating OmniScope, the signal generator provides a consistent, reliable source without needing external hardware.

Tips

• Use 10-bit output for most accurate testing

• The signal generator is GPU-based for low CPU usage

• Combine with SDI Out to send patterns to external displays

Related

• SDI Out - Output test patterns to external devices

• Waveform - Analyze generated patterns

• Vectorscope - Verify color bar accuracy