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TESSERA PROCESSOR SOFTWARE 1.4.2

 

Released: 25 August 2017

Includes fixture firmware release: 1.4.2

Previous public release: 1.4.1

Processor Firmware

 

M2/T1/S4

Tessera Remote

 

Mac OS X  |  Windows

Tessera Control

 

Mac OS X  |  Windows

WHAT'S NEW?

REDUNDANCY​

Brand new in Tessera Version 1.4 is support for redundant cabling. On M2 and S4 processors, it is now possible to configure two outputs to operate as a redundant pair. The first output acts as the primary port, while the second output acts as the backup. A cabling loop can now be created from the primary port, through a string of panels, and then back to the processor. In the case of signal loss or errors with the primary feed, the panels will automatically switch to the backup feed, thus ensuring that video continues to be displayed despite a cable failure anywhere within the loop.

Redundancy can be independently enabled for each pair of output ports by enabling the tick-box on the System tab. Once enabled, the processor will indicate 'Loop OK' if the two ports are correctly cabled together in a loop with no breaks.

Redundancy options on the System tab, including the loop status indicator and a double-height load bar for a redundant output pair on ports 1 and 2. Ports 3 and 4 continue to operate independently without redundancy.

When operating in redundant mode:

  • The processor and all panels must be running firmware V1.4.0 or later.

  • Panels must be cabled in a single chain of up to 50 panels, with each end of the chain connected back to the processor. Ethernet switches must not be used to 'split' the signal. Other Ethernet hardware (such as fibre extenders) is supported as normal.

  • Redundancy should be enabled on the processor before cabling up panels in a loop.

  • The same capacity limits that normally apply to a single port will apply to the pair of ports. (E.g. 525K pixels per pair when running at 60Hz, 24bit.) This effectively halves the overall processor capacity, as each output signal is being 'doubled up'.

  • The processor load bars for the two ports will combine into a single bar indicating the load for that pair.

  • Switching between redundant mode and normal mode will temporarily black-out the video signal for all connected panels on all ports, so should not typically be performed 'live'.

  • The active feed (primary or backup) currently used by each panel can be viewed in the Online Panels screen.

  • If both the primary and backup signals are operational, each panel may choose to use either signal. If a panel receives a video error on the currently active port, it will switch to the other port for the next frame. In the case of complete signal loss on one port, the panel will switch to the other port within a few frames.

  • Each loop must be cabled between the two adjacent ports on the same processor. (I.e. Port 1 to Port 2, and Port 3 to Port 4.)

 

Redundancy is not available on the T1 processor, as this model only has a single output port.

DARK MAGIC

We are pleased to announce the release of Dark Magic. This feature substantially improves visual performance at low brightness.

Often, LED panels are run at substantially lower brightness than their maximum, such as for indoor and 'on-camera' applications. This results in an unavoidable reduction in effective bit depth, which can lead to visible artefacts such as banding and loss of detail, especially in dark areas of the image. Dark Magic helps to alleviate these issues by processing the video signal at up to 26 bits per channel (78 bits per pixel) within the R2 and then increasing the effective bit depth of the output.

Enabling Dark Magic will typically substantially increase the visual quality of the output when operating at low brightness, though a small amount of 'fizz' may become visible at very short viewing distances. Increasing the viewing distance will overcome this, or alternatively Dark Magic can be disabled using the tick-box on the Global Colour tab. Dark Magic can also be controlled on a per-group basis within the group properties, which can be useful for performing side-by-side comparisons (such as the image shown here).

The greatest improvements can be seen when running very high brightness panels at a much lower brightness, especially if the bit depth of the driver chips is relatively limited due to the panel design.

Dark Magic is available for all Tessera R2-based non-subfixture panels, and is enabled by default when creating a new project in V1.4 or later. Project files created in earlier versions of the software will not support Dark Magic; a new project file must be created directly within V1.4 or later.

LOW END BOOST

In the same way that the Gamma control adjusts the midtones of video content, the new Low End Boost control adjusts the brightness of darker video content areas. For the most accurate reproduction, this control should normally be left at 0%, but in some cases a higher setting may help to recover detail in dark areas of the content. Care should be taken not to push this control too far as it may start to reveal limitations in the content such as compression aftefacts and camera noise that normally would remain hidden.

 

Low End Boost is controlled from the Global Colour tab on the processor, and can also be specified on a per-group basis within the group properties.

Low End Boost is available on all Tessera panels, but defaults to 0% when creating a new project for the most accurate reproduction. Project files created in earlier versions of the software will not support Low End Boost; a new project file must be created directly within V1.4 or later.

KNOWN ISSUES

OSCA seam correction can fail for certain panel combinations

Combining a selection of panels with pixel pitch below 3mm and above 5mm can cause OSCA seam adjustment to fail for the 5mm panels.

 

To work around this, either create a show in 1:1 mode, or select the 5mm+ panels on their own.

Settings from Tessera Control not applied to newly discovered fixtures

 

If using Tessera Control to alter Brightness, Temperature or Gamma, these settings are not sent to newly discovered fixtures until a change is made to the value.

Tessera Remote and Tessera Control may not work on Mac OSX El Capitan

 

When running on a Mac OSX El Capitan the Tessera Remote and Tessera Control applications can fail to detect network ports. This appears to be limited to cases where no default gateway is specified on the computer's network interface.

 

In situations where no default gateway is set using DHCP, we recommend specifying a default gateway manually. Alternatively you can use a Mac running OSX Yosemite or earlier, or using a Windows computer.

Tessera Remote fails to import project files

 

In some cases Tessera Remote can fail to import project files from local storage. As a workaround create the project from scratch, or use a local monitor, keyboard and mouse to import the project file before connecting with Tessera Remote.

Some input devices on KVM switches do not work

 

We are investigating reports that trackpads do not function correctly when connected to the processor via a KVM switch. As a workaround we recommend using a mouse, or connecting input devices directly to the processor's USB ports.

Monitors connected via DisplayPort-to-VGA adapters are unstable

 

Local user interface monitors connected to the processor via active DisplayPort-to-VGA adapters give an unstable image or the monitor does not detect at all. As a workaround we recommend using a DVI or DisplayPort monitor.

BUG FIXES

Since 1.4.1

  • 3658 - Add option for using R2 pins 64+66 for calibration SPI x16 bank select bits

  • 3568 - Add support for using one-hot encoding in internal calibration SPI mux

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