THX has historically been very secretive about their testing criteria and process. That changed a few years ago, as they opened their doors to select press for tours and descriptions of their testing process. These days, practically any "journalist" can get in, which explains my recent entrance to the THX lair.
Long known for their rigorous testing and certification of audio gear, it wasn't until the digital age of television that THX started certifying video gear. Their explanation was straightforward: NTSC was crap, looked like crap, so what's the point? I'm paraphrasing.
Out in the wild (in stores and online), you can find THX certified plasmas, LCDs, and projectors from companies such as Panasonic, Epson, Runco, Sharp and LG. The latter was the co-sponsor for the event that brought me from my cozy Petri dish of smog and heat, The Valley, to that bastion of hippies bridges and winos wineries, San Francisco.
Tucked in amongst hills and vinyards is the non-descript office building that's the current home of THX. Wood-paneled walls greet you in the cubicled front office. In a Spartan, small theater we received a presentation by John Dahl, a bearded and storied tech guru whose business card describes him cryptically as "Senior Fellow." He went through what steps THX goes through while certifying a product.
In all the years they've been doing this, apparently no product has passed all their tests for certification on the first run through. So they work with the company's engineers to help improve the product so that it will eventually pass all their stringent tests.
Dahl was then joined by Kevin Wines, THX's Image Technology Director. Wines' presentation concentrated on the tests THX developed to certify the new 3D TVs. As you'd expect, this new testing has increased the total time spent evaluating a display, as many patterns are tested for each "eye."
Because all 3D TVs require glasses, the TV is now a system: the TV and the glasses. So TVs are measured and evaluated as 2D TVs, then the glasses are placed in front of the measurement equipment, and further testing is done. Over 400 tests in 30 categories are performed in the course of certification, a partial list is below.
While THX won't reveal every test and what it takes to pass certification (obviously, it's their IP), some clever test patterns were shown to us in one of their test spaces.
The presentation and demos were done on LG monitors, showing support for the co-sponsors. The second half of the event was a private screening of the independent film Cameraman: The Life & Work of Jack Cardiff. If you are at all interested in film history, this is an excellent documentary of one of the best behind-the-camera talents.
After the showing, we got to speak with Craig McCall, the director, and I got the obligatory director+nerd photo:
All those film school classes in college finally paid off in a vibrant discussion of the staggeringly brilliant and mind-numbingly boring Barry Lyndon.
The insights I took from this visit to THX was a further solidification in my mind that the THX certification marks a product of a certain high level of quality. It doesn't guarantee a product is the best in its category, but it ensures it will perform very well, among the best in its category.
I also need to take another look at LG TVs, as it's been a while and the current gen look a lot better than the last lot I reviewed.
Lastly, Jack Cardiff was a genius, and I have a LOT of classic movies to watch again.
Here are some of the THX Testing Criteria.
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