TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index)

TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) evaluates colour reproduction using a model of a television camera and display chain. The EBU’s TLCI-2012 method uses the measured spectrum of a light to calculate its performance, commonly reported as a Qa score.

How to use it

Higher scores indicate smaller colour errors within the model. TLCI helps assess whether a light may create correction problems, but it is not a measurement of brightness or a promise that every camera and subject will behave identically.

Comparing specifications

Compare measurements at the CCT and operating conditions you intend to use. A single headline rating may describe only one setting. Keep TLCI separate from CRI and SSI; the three numbers come from different methods and should not be averaged together.

Practical example

When matching an interview key with an existing LED ceiling light, test the sources together on skin and wardrobe. A good TLCI score on the new key does not establish that the ceiling light matches it in colour temperature or tint.

Related terms

CRI (Colour Rendering Index) · SSI (Spectral Similarity Index) · CCT (Correlated Colour Temperature)

References

EBU: Television Lighting Consistency Index

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