The Subjective Sharpness of Simulated Color Television Pictures

This paper describes a visual experiment in which the observed variable is the subjective sharpness of a color picture. The picture is produced by the superposition of primary color images from three projectors. The test picture corresponds, in general sharpness, to the grade of picture that might be produced by existing or contemplated color television systems. The projectors are operated out of focus to achieve the moderate sharpness values required. The amount of defocus of each projector is expressed in equivalent television bandwidth as part of the calibration. Many different ways of dividing up bandwidth among the three primary colors are explored in determining the variation of picture sharpness.