APL (AVERAGE PICTURE LEVEL)

The video signal level, during the active picture part of each horizontal line, is mathematically averaged over the period of a frame to come up with APL. A 100 IRE Window pattern has a lower APL than a 100 IRE Flat Field pattern. Television program material is said to have a 15% average picture level over a long period of time. The Window patterns used for setting gray scale in all three titles have a 16% APL so that they will closely represent normal program material in their current drain on the high voltage power supply. The width of the Window was enlarged the extra 1% to accommodate the shape of the Philips PM5539 Color Analyzer which was on the market at the time of A Video Standard. That wide aspect ratio shape was passed on to Video Essentials. The computer world uses a much higher number for APL over time, that of 35%. That is reflected in the ANSI Checkerboard Patterns, VE T17 C27.