Galaxy Note Gradient Banding Issue Explained - Color Depth

garypix · Feb 24, 2012

It turns out the color gradient banding issue has to do with how each app is set up to display which color depth (16/24 bit).

It has nothing to do with resolution nor pixel density.

Banding(countouring) is a digital artifact common to images, displays or apps of 16bit(thousands of colors) or less.

A 24bit capable display(like our galaxy note) is capable of show 24bit (3x8bit of RGB or Millions of colors) images - if view in a 24 bit app.

If banding is seen, it is most likely that the app is not 24bit capable.

Viewing 16bit or lower resolution gradient images on a 24bit screen (like the galaxy note) will also show banding.

It is up to the app developers whether they want to make the app 16 or 24bit.

This is where I finally found the answer to my question

This is why the image below displays fine on some apps, but appears to have banding on other.

Synner12 · Feb 24, 2012

garypix said:
Viewing 16bit or lower resolution gradient images on a 24bit screen (like the galaxy note) will also show banding.

Is there another phone out with a 24 bit display? If so, it's easy to prove.

My earlier statements still hold true. The graphics will catch up to our devices.

BigBrotherMotown · Feb 24, 2012

Nice!

Dude you just save samsung a BILLION DOLLARS...LOL

paleh0rse · Feb 25, 2012

My only questions:

1) Why are there some Note owners who claim to have ZERO banding issues in all of the same apps that banding / color depth issues are known to occur on most Notes?

2) Is there a way to mod the kernel / software to lock the display into 16-bit mode as a temporary solution?

3) Does ICS do anything to address this issue on devices with 24bit displays?

The fact that the banding is present in major Google apps like YouTube doesn't bode well...

jpeg42 · Feb 25, 2012

palehorse, do you see banding in the image above? do you see issues when running a video off sd card at native resolution? if not, then i am not sure what an exchange will do, but it is worth a shot!

nlghtcrawler · Feb 25, 2012

I think i can answer your first question. I think it's a matter of the person actually seeing it or noticing it. But from a previous post someone claimed their screen was fine but the screenshot showed the banding.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

paleh0rse · Feb 25, 2012

jpeg42 said:
palehorse, do you see banding in the image above? do you see issues when running a video off sd card at native resolution? if not, then i am not sure what an exchange will do, but it is worth a shot!

I see horrendous banding in literally every image or video that contains deep blacks, and in every app except Dolphin HD. And Dolphin, the deep blacks become gray.

paleh0rse · Feb 25, 2012

nlghtcrawler said:
I think i can answer your first question. I think it's a matter of the person actually seeing it or noticing it. But from a previous post someone claimed their screen was fine but the screenshot showed the banding.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

You can't judge it by screenshots -- screenshots don't capture the screen banding. If you view those same screenshots on a PC, instead of on another Note that has the banding issue, you'll see that those screenshot images are actually perfectly fine (no banding).

paleh0rse · Feb 25, 2012

On the Nook Color CM7 build, dalgrin coded an app called Nook Tweaks that included a soft switch for 16bit/32bit modes. Would something similar be possible with the Note? If so, we might be able to lock or Notes in 16bit mode, which might temporarily solve the problem until the apps catch up -- or until the Note's gfx drivers are fixed to properly switch the mode themselves.

garypix · Feb 25, 2012

paleh0rse said:
My only questions:

1) Why are there some Note owners who claim to have ZERO banding issues in all of the same apps that banding / color depth issues are known to occur on most Notes?

2) Is there a way to mod the kernel / software to lock the display into 16-bit mode as a temporary solution?

3) Does ICS do anything to address this issue on devices with 24bit displays?

The fact that the banding is present in major Google apps like YouTube doesn't bode well...

1) I don't know, but I've went to 3 Best Buy stores and 3 AT&T stores and tested around 20 GNotes - and they are all the same. (It's definitely not an hardware issue).

2) Maybe, I'd defer that to android developers.

3) I've heard rumors that ICS is to address this inconsistency issue. The best way to find out for now is to try the same thing on a Galaxy Nexus (24bit/1280x780 display) running ICS. That phone's display hardware is almost the same as ours while running ICS. Also, we can have our international GNote brothers/sisters running the Chinese Version of ICS 4.0.3 owners try it on their phone. As a matter of fact, I'm asking a couple of my friends to try that for me tomorrow when they wake up.

connordroid · Feb 25, 2012

That image in the OP looks fine in every app that I've tried. Are others seeing banding in that particular image?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App

garypix · Feb 25, 2012

that's because your apps showing that image are 24bit capable.

I'm triying to find a 16bit only app to show banding...

Sent from my SGH-I727 using xda premium

samomamo · Feb 25, 2012

I have the At&t Note and it has 0 black blocks
And I am very pick when it comes to screens. I had the international not that had a garbage screen with all videos and everything with dark scenes looked very very bad. The At&t Note I got its perfect with any video from YouTube app to the browser anteaters it plays the dark and black scenes pure. Its a hardware problem go and exchange. If we are running the same software its impossible to be the software problem. It has something to do with manufacturing dates or something.

And I know how to look for the black blocks.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

droidal · Feb 25, 2012

When you watch youtube videos is it HD when the HD and green dot are lit up or when they're grayed out?

samomamo · Feb 25, 2012

Any way I watch there is no black clocks. The low quality plays low but all the colors are normal no ugly blocks. I know they are ugly. That's why I sold my I7000 unclocked version.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

garypix · Feb 26, 2012

please stay within topic (gradation banding).

thanks.

Sent from my SGH-I727 using xda premium

connordroid · Feb 26, 2012

Does anyone else see extreme banding on the splash screen of the xda app? Its pretty bad on my device.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App

garypix · Feb 26, 2012

connordroid said:
Does anyone else see extreme banding on the splash screen of the xda app? Its pretty bad on my device.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App

I see it too.

connordroid · Feb 26, 2012

If everyone is experiencing the banding issue at the xda splash screen couldn't the dev behind the app confirm or deny the explanation in the OP. I'm not familiar with developing apps myself but someone here must be able to acknowledge if the problem is indeed related to app development.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App

borijess · Feb 26, 2012

connordroid said:
Does anyone else see extreme banding on the splash screen of the xda app? Its pretty bad on my device.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App

Yes i see it.

Sent from the Almighty Note!

Galaxy Note Gradient Banding Issue Explained - Color Depth

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