If you got one of the first units, please firmware update to firmware Version 100R852 or newer for much better strobe backlight tuning.
The Eve Spectrums are Tuned by Blur Busters beginning with this firmware version.
While these monitors have the slow(ish) red KSF phosphor, they are Tuned by Blur Busters (a new designation separate from Blur Busters Approved). Beginning with V100R852 or newer, we believe this is now among the best strobing (at the moment) you can get in any KSF-phosphor monitor on the market, featuring the following.
- Easy High Quality Pre-Tuned Strobe (50, 60, 100, 120, 144 Hz) via monitor menu
- Retro Friendly Strobe (50, 60 Hz) compatible with consoles, TV, and emulators!
- Strobe any Hz, 50Hz to 144Hz in 0.001Hz increments. No preset limits!
- Strobe any video source, not just GPUs
- Optional Strobe Utility support (see below)
- Optional Large Vertical Total support (requires ToastyX CRU) (strobe crosstalk reductions)
- Optional Quick Frame Transport support (requires ToastyX CRU) (low lag strobing)
Optional Eve Strobe Utility Download for Advanced Beta Testers
This is not a mandatory download -- but this is useful for several use cases. Just like color tuning by colorimeter are mainly used by advanced users, strobe tuning is optional for advanced users.
This is what the optional advanced-user strobe calibration utility looks like, for users who would like to do DIY strobe tuning. (This is the Eve skinned version of the free strobe utility Blur Busters offers to multiple vendors)
Strobe tuning is the following in a nutshell:
- Make sure your Eve Spectrum is running firmware V100R852 or newer for much better "Tuned by Blur Busters" settings. Firmware upgrade instructions: https://eve.community/t/project-spectru ... mware/2908
- Download and run Eve Strobe Utility Installer
This is an official Blur Busters URL with code signature by Blur Busters / Rejhon Technologies Inc.
- Warm up the panel for at least 30-60 minutes; since panels are temperature sensitive and will produce lowest strobe crosstalk when warmed up.
- Enable Backlight Strobing via monitor menus on Eve Spectrum
- Switch to the mode you want to custom-tune (resolution, Hz, custom large vertical total, via NVIDIA Control Panel or ToastyX CRU)
- Launch Eve Strobe Utility
- It runs a built-in TestUFO crosstalk pattern (a scrolling swarm of UFOs)
- First, adjust Strobe Pulse Width to a preferred brightness-vs-clarity tradeoff; adjust to preference.
- Next, adjust Overdrive Gain until the crosstalk is minimized as much as possible.
The goal of this step is to reduce the number of visible vertical lines
- Finally, adjust Strobe Pulse Phase until the screen middle is clearest.
The goal of this step is to move the strobe crosstalk to a less visible area, such as off the top/bottom edges of the screen
Strobe Utility can help you with the following:
- Reduce strobe crosstalk for specific areas of screen during motion blur reduction via backlight strobing (strobe crosstalk = the double-image effect)
- Temperature compensation (reduce strobe crosstalk in cold rooms or hot rooms)
- Panel variance compensation (compensate for minor panel lottery effects in strobe tuning, or panel aging effects)
- Additional levels of strobe brightness/dimness settings
- With sufficient learning/training, ability to achieve better than factory tuning, especially when combined with Large Vertical Totals via a Custom Resolution Utility (NVIDIA Control Panel or ToastyX CRU)
Also, when enabling motion blur reduction, don't confuse strobe crosstalk with framerate-derived double image effects (e.g. like CRT 30fps at 60Hz) -- strobe crosstalk is caused by LCD GtG leaking between strobed refresh cycles.
Also, there will always be some red phosphor ghosting due to the KSF red phosphor in the backlight of Eve Spectrum monitors. This is normal for all current NanoIPS panels, and not as noticeable in games as in the extreme crosstalk test animation. As a rule of thumb, KSF phosphor ghosting on a well-tuned panel is more visible than CRT ghosting but less visible than plasma TV ghosting.
The factory strobe tuning is good enough that there will usually only be a 1 to 5% reduction in strobe crosstalk after breaking-in and re-tuning with Strobe Utility. Larger improvements are possible with Large Vertical Totals via a Custom Resolution Utility (see Tips)
Thus, unless you're an experienced/advanced user, you may not need Strobe Utility; You just simply adjust the "Backlight Strobing" setting in the on-screen menu for most needs.
You can minimize Strobe Utility anytime; it will reside in the System Tray until you right click to exit it.
Errata Note: A sleep or power-off will cause the custom strobe tuning to be reset; write down your three numbers. This will be fixed in a future firmware update. Supplementing this, a future version of Strobe Utility later this year, is intended to have strobe profiles that can be saved, and automatically recalled for a specific refresh rate, specific resolution, and specific vertical total
Optional Advanced User Posts Written by Blur Busters
- Blur Busters Backstory on Eve Monitors
- Multiple Firmware Update Methods for Eve Spectrums (USB vs HDMI)
- Quick Frame Transport Trick for Lower-Lag Strobing
- Large Vertical Total Tweaking For Crosstalk Reductions
- DDC Commands for Adjusting Strobe Settings in other software than Strobe Utility
- Why Does Refresh Rate Headroom Improve Strobing?
To monitor reviewers: There is a compromise effect just like uncapped overclocking. Some vendors such as ULMB caps strobing at a lower Hz, while Eve Spectrum strobing is 100% uncapped and presets-free!
If you're only interested in easy strobing, you don't really have to worry about any of the above EXCEPT making sure your monitor is running firmware version V100R852 or newer.
- Strobing is much better quality on latest firmware (V100R852 and newer)
- Strobing is much better quality at framerates matching Hz. Make sure GPU keeps up.
This is true for all impulsed displays, whether be CRT, plasma, or strobe-backlight, as another method of avoiding double images
- Strobing is much better with refresh rate headroom below max Hz.
This is true for all panels, not just Spectrum. Try 100Hz or 120Hz (also easier on GPU). More LCD GtG time between refresh cycles. Some vendors (e.g. ULMB) caps strobing Hz to avoid crosstalk, but Eve backlight strobing is 100% uncapped and lets users choose! So you can just optionally lower Hz if you're more picky about crosstalk double-images than the average user.
- Make sure to warm up the monitor if it's been turned off for a while.
The monitor is factory strobe-tuned by Blur Busters on an already warmed-up Eve Spectrum running in a room-temperature room, for fastest LCD GtG pixel response. Warm panels reduces strobe crosstalk (least double image effect).