Why it’s time to stop using delt.ae
For years, the delt.ae website has been the go-to page for spot-checking color calibration and FADGI compliance. The convenience of being able to upload a file and have it automatically identify your target, check it for color, tone, resolution, sharpening, and illumination uniformity, and then spit out a result was something Cultural Heritage needed, and helped speed up the acceptance of color guidelines and standardization across the industry.
But with the advancement of digitization technology, color targets, and the industry standards themselves, delt.ae is showing its age. For starters, it hasn’t been updated since 2012. This means it’s basing its results on the now-defunct 2010 FADGI standards instead of the current 2016 standards. So, while it can function as a quick, first-pass ballpark test, it’s not reliable for full FADGI-4 compliance.
Secondly, delt.ae is no longer compatible with the current generation of GoldenThread color targets. And with the upcoming release of the incredibly high-fidelity FADGI 19264 targets being developed through a collaboration between Don Williams (ISA) and Thomas Rieger, funded by the Library of Congress and FADGI, it looks to be even further behind.
With all this in mind, DT Heritage recommends one of two alternatives. There’s the free software, OpenDICE, now available for both Mac and Windows or the paid GoldenThread software that has the added benefit of customer service, support, and additional features.
Both of these options are compatible with the latest color targets as well as the latest FADGI guidelines, and as such, should be the most reliable methods available to calibrate your digitization workflow.
As always, if you have any questions on setting up your FADGI workflow, or are interested in a free FADGI consultation for your digitization set-up, please contact us.