Avia or Digital Video Essentials color filters?

Question

I am looking to replace the color filters that originally came with Avia's disc. I bought one used on ebay for cheap knowing it didn't have the filters. Is there a cheaper alternative to getting replacements then the $19.95 I found online. That is half the price on the DVD new.

Answer 1

Sure, you can use theater light gels. They run about 6 bucks for a sheet and you'll have a lifetime supply if you take care of them.

Also, certain Lucas Films titles come with filters to use with their THX setup easter eggs. Sorry, don't remember which ones but I bet you can find out on line, maybe at Amazon? You could contact THX directly too.

Answer 2

The following links will provide you with the exact replacement color filters for each of the popular display optimization discs (... and at significantly less than $19.95 per set):



AVIA FILTERS REPLACEMENT SET

http://www.ovationmultimedia.com/product...

http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/ova...

The cost of a replacement set is $12.00 (US) plus the cost of shipping



DIGITAL VIDEO ESSENTIALS

Color Filters* for Decoder Alignment

http://www.videoessentials.com/extra_fil...

________________________



Digital displays, such as DTVs, HDTVs and video projectors, use the following CIE (x, y) chromaticity coordinates for the R, G, and B reference primaries specified in the SMPTE 274M-1998, ANSI/SMPTE 296M-1997 and ITU-R BT.709 standards:



   Red primary         0.640   0.330

   Green primary      0.300   0.600

   Blue primary        0.150   0.060



If you wish to pursue the task of finding the correct color filters produced by companies such as GAM, Rosco, Lee, and others, then you will need to match the filter’s CIE colorimetric data with the tristimulus values listed above, if the filter is to work properly. You should also make sure that the cut-off of the spectral response curve for the filter (when published) is as sharp as possible.



GAM Products

http://www.gamonline.com



LEE Filters

http://www.leefilters.com



Rosco Laboratories

http://www.rosco.com



Considering the time and effort involved in tracking-down the proper, third-party color filters you may be better served by purchasing the original replacement color filters from the sources I’ve listed above.

________________________



*“Red and Green Filters: In the program section about setting the Color and Tint controls, VE mentions red and green filters used to judge the quality of the NTSC to RGB decoder. Where can I get them? The best source of filter material we know about comes from Eastman Kodak (EK) and should be available from stores specializing in photographic supplies. The blue filter included with Video Essentials is designed to be as close as possible to the EK Wratten 50 filter. For red, either the Wratten 25 or Wratten 29 should work just fine. For green, the Wratten 54 or Wratten 58 should do the trick. The blue filters we package with Video Essentials come from exposing motion picture print film for a maximum blue. Selecting maximum red or maximum green does work but those two colors are not as saturated as the Wratten filters. Some red gets through the green filter and some green gets through the red filter. We are fortunate in print film’s ability to closely match the Wratten 50 for saturated blue.” ~ Joe Kane Productions



(Note: the gelatin-based Wratten color filters have been replaced by Kodak’s Wratten 2 filters; Wratten filter number 50 is no longer produced and has been superseded by Wratten 2 filter number 47 (tri-color blue.) I’ve included the preceding information for reference purposes only - authentic Kodak Wratten filters are fairly expensive, especially when compared to the color filters included with either of the optimization discs listed above.)



Wratten Filter Codes and Uses

http://www.redisonellis.com/wratten.html



KODAK WRATTEN 2 Optical Filters

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/produc...