LED Genlock Test Tool

Why we need this tool?

Genlock is crucial for LED virtual production as it ensures that the camera and LED screen refresh in perfect sync, preventing screen tearing and motion artifacts in the captured footage. During production, there are many situations where checking Genlock status is necessary, such as adding a new camera or rebooting a camera after a power loss.

This simple yet powerful tool allows for quick verification of whether the camera’s Genlock is synchronized with the screen. If they are out of sync, it also provides a fast and intuitive way to visually confirm Genlock offset adjustments.

How it works?

When checking whether Genlock is working, the LED operator enable the Genlock test tool and moves it into the camera’s field of view. If the Genlock settings are correct, the camera should consistently display a clean image of either a cat or a dog, but never both.

If the camera captures both the cat and dog simultaneously—even if only a small portion of one or if they appear to flicker—it indicates that Genlock is not functioning properly. In this case, the Genlock offset of the camera’s Genlock device needs to be adjusted.

This video was recorded with my iPhone, which is definitely not Genlocked to the LED. As a result, you can see the cat and dog “fighting” on the screen.