TLX rear view camera colors

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Old Apr 2, 2015 | 08:08 PM
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TLX rear view camera colors

Well I thought the grass was brown in my rearview camera because it was winter. But I noticed my grass is green now and my camera still shows it brown! Is this normal?!
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Old Apr 4, 2015 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Dealgirl19
Well I thought the grass was brown in my rearview camera because it was winter. But I noticed my grass is green now and my camera still shows it brown! Is this normal?!
For me it is brown as well when it should be green.
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Old Apr 14, 2015 | 12:48 AM
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Oh goodie, it's not just me!

My grass is orange (suppose that could be brown), but the green garbage can is still green.
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Old Apr 14, 2015 | 06:41 AM
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Maybe the color is skewed to make objects stand out better. Or maybe it's just a crappy camera. :-)
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Old Apr 14, 2015 | 01:40 PM
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Originally Posted by ManbirPrihar
Oh goodie, it's not just me!

My grass is orange (suppose that could be brown), but the green garbage can is still green.




that is so crazy!! it bothers me for sure!
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Old May 28, 2015 | 11:28 AM
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Same problem here. Very weird.
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Old May 28, 2015 | 11:49 AM
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This could be by design. With a small low res camera that needs to work in bright and dark conditions it keeps green, which is all around us, from showing up as grays or blacks. I've seen several backup cameras which seem to alter green.
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Old May 31, 2015 | 12:35 PM
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Was gonna post the sane thing today. Weird
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Old Jun 1, 2015 | 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by jeich182
I've seen several backup cameras which seem to alter green.
I've noticed on my TLX as well regarding this color issue and low resolution. Over the weekend, drove my dad's 2014 Tacoma and the color/resolution was better IMO than the TLX.
Anyway, looks like we'll be stuck with it unless Acura comes up with software or camera changes, but i doubt they will...at least not for the 2015 TLX.
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Old Jun 1, 2015 | 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by ManbirPrihar
Oh goodie, it's not just me!

My grass is orange (suppose that could be brown), but the green garbage can is still green.
The electrical box off my driveway is green and shows green. But grass and tree foliage is brown. Very odd. I am wondering if going into diag mode and playing with color balance can change things. I havent noticed this phenomena with any Honda. But in the scale of problems to have......

Maybe it is a deliberate sepia look...more designer...

Should see what colour it reckons my (green) Land Rover is...
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Old Jun 2, 2015 | 06:16 AM
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My 2011 MDX does the same thing, but to a lesser degree. Again, if green were allowed to show on a relatively poor quality camera/screen it would look like black or gray, especially in low light conditions and that wouldn't help anyone back up.
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Old Jun 2, 2015 | 09:16 PM
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So my grass green Land Rover shows green as it should in the camera. The actual grass around it is oranagy brown. Just as it was when it was all dead grass. It totally baffles me how this is even possible. All the Hondas we have - which back onto grass, show grass to be green. It's more of a "how can this be" than an actual issue. I have toyed in my head with weird infra red sensitivity theories....but it would be nice to have a reason that makes sense....but have to say this camera all the time is duller than any Honda's. Not that it matters. I'd rather it was black and white than wrong colour....I am sure it is possible to change colour balance in diag mode - just havent had time to check it out yet.
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Old Jun 3, 2015 | 11:41 AM
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I wonder if the back up indicator lights are affecting things?
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Old Jun 15, 2015 | 10:06 PM
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Just thought I'd put this comparison picture together regarding the colors.
The camera shows the bushes as yellowish-brown color, while the side rear view mirror shows it as its natural green color. (excuse the cell phone camera quality)....but ya get the gest! Oh, and the reflecting side vent...this picture is taken with overcast/cloudy sky ~5pm and 28% tint. So for those saying the tint does help...it hasn't really helped me yet.




Also, since purchasing the TLX, I have had a '15 MDX and '15 RDX for loaners...both camera qualities were very identical to the TLX. Not surprising.
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Old Jun 17, 2015 | 07:40 PM
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The explanation for "brown grass" is obvious! Acuras are designed in California, and with the unprecedented drought conditions, the software engineers there have spent countless hours developing a system to make the lush, green lawns appear dead and brown. Since you can no longer see beautiful green lawns with the rear view camera- just think of the amount of water saved by no longer watering your lawns...
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Old Jun 17, 2015 | 08:23 PM
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Originally Posted by NJToyMan
The explanation for "brown grass" is obvious! Acuras are designed in California, and with the unprecedented drought conditions, the software engineers there have spent countless hours developing a system to make the lush, green lawns appear dead and brown. Since you can no longer see beautiful green lawns with the rear view camera- just think of the amount of water saved by no longer watering your lawns...
Until someone comes up with a better answer, this has to be true.

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." - Arthur Conan Doyle

I don't even know how it is even possible. All Hondas show green grass as green grass. Has to be a reason why Acuras don't.
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Old Jun 18, 2015 | 10:23 AM
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Originally Posted by a77
Until someone comes up with a better answer, this has to be true.

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." - Arthur Conan Doyle

I don't even know how it is even possible. All Hondas show green grass as green grass. Has to be a reason why Acuras don't.
Drove a 2016 ILX as a loaner and its camera showed the grass as green.

Must be a TLX issue. Maybe there will be a software update?
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Old Jun 18, 2015 | 05:42 PM
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smh, yeah, my TLX is the same way.
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Old Jun 19, 2015 | 08:04 PM
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Originally Posted by tlxsteve
Drove a 2016 ILX as a loaner and its camera showed the grass as green.

Must be a TLX issue. Maybe there will be a software update?
This must have changed with the 2016 ILX because our 2014 ILX shows brown grass too. I am curious why that is the case...
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Old Jun 20, 2015 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by weather
This must have changed with the 2016 ILX because our 2014 ILX shows brown grass too. I am curious why that is the case...
I know you believe me, but for the record... Here is a photo of the camera in the 2016 ILX.





Although green grass instead of brown, it still has an HDR quality to it.
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Old Jun 21, 2015 | 11:05 AM
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^^ I never doubted you but thanks for posting and giving us a real photo to visualize.

For the record, you don't have brown grass that, when seen in the camera, actually appear green do you? (lol)
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Old Jun 21, 2015 | 11:37 AM
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Smile Not to worry

Let me begin by saying I am a Broadcast Technician at a large media company, I deal with these issues daily and feel qualified to answer your question.

The camera needs to work well both day and night. In order to do that the camera photoreceptor is designed with the widest dynamic range, even more than your eye can see.
On the other hand the display is designed to reproduce images as aesthetically pleasing to humans as possible as they will be the primary owners/operators.
What you are noticing is the compression artifacting that occurs when you squeeze a high dynamic range image sensor to a normal dynamic range display.
In other words it a compromise between correct color reproduction and the ability to see at night.

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Old Jun 21, 2015 | 10:37 PM
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A reasonable explanation, but does that mean that the TLX does a better job of displaying night time images than other vehicles that show the green grass as green, or do these other vehicles have poor night time images?

Seem like a project for someone to take some backup camera images (day and night) to comparing the TLX with the new ILX.
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Old Jun 21, 2015 | 11:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Quandry
A reasonable explanation, but does that mean that the TLX does a better job of displaying night time images than other vehicles that show the green grass as green, or do these other vehicles have poor night time images?

Seem like a project for someone to take some backup camera images (day and night) to comparing the TLX with the new ILX.
No it does not do a better job, it just means this is a area where Honda decided to compromise. I think that's why they don't have DVD players because they used a 8 bit display as apposed to a 24 bit display to save some production costs. I think you will find the cars that show colors correct also have DVD players in the dash.
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Old Jun 22, 2015 | 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by fndlair
No it does not do a better job, it just means this is a area where Honda decided to compromise. I think that's why they don't have DVD players because they used a 8 bit display as apposed to a 24 bit display to save some production costs. I think you will find the cars that show colors correct also have DVD players in the dash.
I don't think there was a DVD player in the base ILX, but I could be wrong.
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Old Jun 23, 2015 | 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted by fndlair
Let me begin by saying I am a Broadcast Technician at a large media company, I deal with these issues daily and feel qualified to answer your question.

The camera needs to work well both day and night. In order to do that the camera photoreceptor is designed with the widest dynamic range, even more than your eye can see.
On the other hand the display is designed to reproduce images as aesthetically pleasing to humans as possible as they will be the primary owners/operators.
What you are noticing is the compression artifacting that occurs when you squeeze a high dynamic range image sensor to a normal dynamic range display.
In other words it a compromise between correct color reproduction and the ability to see at night.

still dont understand why my green land rover shows green, why my green electrical/cable boxes by the driveway are green but grass and leaves are brown. I mentioned this to the acura service people when I had it serviced yesterday and they said they had never noticed this (and probably thought I was delusional). Like my harking on about the nonsensical HVAC/heated seat/heated steering wheel/heated windshield programming. Very much first world issues but still inexcusable.

If you go into diag mode you can get the screen to display a full palette of colors. The screen appears reasonable capable of displaying most greens. No expert, but this is almost as incomprehensible as socks disappearing in the wash dry cycle.
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Old Jun 28, 2015 | 09:47 AM
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Originally Posted by a77
...this almost as incomprehensible as socks disappearing in the wash dry cycle.
Socks disappearing in the wash/dry cycle I have learned to accept, but underwear/panties going missing leaves me a bit more worried
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Old Jun 28, 2015 | 09:04 PM
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A77
It all has to do with bit depth. Again the camera has a wider dynamic range than the display.
The paint on the surface of the mailbox was formulated with pigments to reflect a rich color to match the taste of the owner.
The color you see reflected from grass was the left over photons that the plant did not need to photosynthesize its food. It does not care what color you see vs what the camera can see. The cameras dynamic range exceeds your eye.

You seem very interested in color theory, here is a Wikipedia page on the subject:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_depth

Enjoy your reading.
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Old Jun 28, 2015 | 11:23 PM
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Originally Posted by fndlair
A77
It all has to do with bit depth. Again the camera has a wider dynamic range than the display.
The paint on the surface of the mailbox was formulated with pigments to reflect a rich color to match the taste of the owner.
The color you see reflected from grass was the left over photons that the plant did not need to photosynthesize its food. It does not care what color you see vs what the camera can see. The cameras dynamic range exceeds your eye.

You seem very interested in color theory, here is a Wikipedia page on the subject:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_depth

Enjoy your reading.
Then.......how do you explain the green grass on 2016 ilx camera?
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Old Jun 28, 2015 | 11:41 PM
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I was not involved with the spec out of either car.

All I can say is this seems to bother you a great deal, perhaps you bought the wrong car.
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Old Jun 29, 2015 | 06:52 AM
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I used to be more than happy with my TLX and really had no complaints, but now that I've noticed my back-up camera doesn't faithfully reproduce colors I think I'll go and trade it in on a car with a better camera.

P.S. The previous was sarcasm!!
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Old Jun 29, 2015 | 08:53 AM
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You know what they say:

"The grass is always greener in the other car"

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Old Jun 29, 2015 | 12:57 PM
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This thread sure went down hill.
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Old Jun 29, 2015 | 03:21 PM
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As I mentioned a first world problem for sure. More a curiosity than a problem and while thankful for the technical reason for how this is possible, it still leaves the why question. The new HR-V has a reasonable color faithful camera/display combo, like every other Honda. I have not noticed my TSX having any wondrous powers of night vision, and conclude that it is just a mishap of camera/screen incompatibility, that did not show up in laboratory testing. Just like the sometimes crazy behavior of the HVAC systems. As mentioned above, considering the car was developed in California maybe there really was no green grass around.....
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Old Jun 29, 2015 | 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by fndlair
No it does not do a better job, it just means this is a area where Honda decided to compromise. I think that's why they don't have DVD players because they used a 8 bit display as apposed to a 24 bit display to save some production costs. I think you will find the cars that show colors correct also have DVD players in the dash.
No Hondas have DVD playable on the dash - yet show proper green grass. Though to be fair, some more recent Hondas can show video from cell phones (Fit, Civic, CR-V, HR-V). But even the non video screens still show proper green grass. Odysseys and Accords have nice big screens, do not show video of any sort, but so show green grass. So it is as I said more likely an accident. Probably discovered too late to do anything about, and not deemed that important. Which is true.
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Old Jul 2, 2015 | 11:46 AM
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So besides all the talk about the green color.....has anyone else experienced any other colors being different?
I reversed parked today next to a RED civic. And the red color is orange in the camera!
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Old Jul 2, 2015 | 01:48 PM
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Originally Posted by kongx7
So besides all the talk about the green color.....has anyone else experienced any other colors being different?
I reversed parked today next to a RED civic. And the red color is orange in the camera!
OK. Let me put it this way...

8 bit color = 256 colors

24 bit color = 16,777,216 colors

If the color does not match one of the 256 colors the screen can reproduce it will select the closest one it can. Colors beyond the bit range of the screen will look either flat with no detail or desaturated. The choice is up to how the A-D converter is programmed. Obviously, The engineers chose detail over color correctness. The red Civic displayed the closest color that the monitor is capable of giving you.
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Old Jul 2, 2015 | 02:11 PM
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Originally Posted by fndlair
OK. Let me put it this way...

8 bit color = 256 colors

24 bit color = 16,777,216 colors

If the color does not match one of the 256 colors the screen can reproduce it will select the closest one it can. Colors beyond the bit range of the screen will look either flat with no detail or desaturated. The choice is up to how the A-D converter is programmed. Obviously, The engineers chose detail over color correctness. The red Civic displayed the closest color that the monitor is capable of giving you.

I see. Guess i should have read your earlier posts. But, no biggie! Can live with it now until an update/fix comes along (if any).
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Old Jul 3, 2015 | 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by kongx7

I see. Guess i should have read your earlier posts. But, no biggie! Can live with it now until an update/fix comes along (if any).
If the display is only an 8 bit then it can't be updated unless the hardware is capable of being updated as well. I don't know the specs of the displays, but if it's only 8 bits it would need a different processor and probably more extensive modifications to show more such as 24 bits. I think!
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Old Jul 4, 2015 | 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by fndlair
OK. Let me put it this way...

8 bit color = 256 colors

24 bit color = 16,777,216 colors

If the color does not match one of the 256 colors the screen can reproduce it will select the closest one it can. Colors beyond the bit range of the screen will look either flat with no detail or desaturated. The choice is up to how the A-D converter is programmed. Obviously, The engineers chose detail over color correctness. The red Civic displayed the closest color that the monitor is capable of giving you.
Has anybody figured out if the ILX has the 24-bit camera?
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