Dithering & FRC Inspection
Ultra-subtle dark gradients designed to expose temporal dithering (FRC flicker) and spatial noise common on 6-bit+FRC and 8-bit+FRC display panels.
Technical Scope & Limitations
Visual inspection tool. Temporal FRC occurs at high panel refresh frequencies and cannot be probed via software API.
Browser rendering output can be influenced by OS display scaling, GPU driver color settings, and active HDR profiles.
- View the screen closely in fullscreen mode.
- Look for subtle crawling grain, shimmering pixel noise, or micro-flicker on the dark gradient.
- 6-bit+FRC panels often exhibit noticeable pixel dancing on near-black transitions; true 8-bit/10-bit panels stay completely calm.
What This Test Checks
- Temporal dithering (FRC) flicker across dark near-black gradients.
- Spatial dithering grain on subtle color transitions.
- True 8-bit / 10-bit panels vs 6-bit+FRC and 8-bit+FRC emulation.
How to Perform the Test
- Enter fullscreen mode.
- Lean in close to the screen (15–30 cm).
- Inspect the low-luminance gradient for dancing, shimmering pixels or crawling grain.
What to Look For
- 6-bit+FRC panels rapidly alternate pixel states between refresh frames, creating a subtle visual dancing noise.
- True native 8-bit and 10-bit panels maintain a completely static, solid gradient without shimmering.
Common Display Problems & Diagnostic Guidance
Eye Strain from Temporal FRC
Some users are sensitive to temporal dithering micro-flicker, experiencing eye fatigue and headaches on FRC panels. Knowing whether your display uses native bit-depth or FRC helps identify comfortable monitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can browser software detect FRC automatically?
No. FRC is executed inside the panel timing controller (T-CON) chip at the monitor native refresh rate (e.g. 144Hz or 240Hz). It cannot be probed by software APIs.