Apacer Technology AL100 User manual

Apacer Technology Inc.
1F, No.32, Zhongcheng Rd., Tucheng Dist., New Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.apacer.com
Apacer AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer
User’s Manual
November 22, 2017
Version 3.0

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© 2017 Apacer Technology Inc.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ........................................................................................ 2
2. Before You Start ................................................................................. 3
2.1. Package Contents ............................................................................................................................3
2.2. Spectroradiometer at a Glance.........................................................................................................4
3. Getting Started with Spectroradiometer........................................... 6
3.1. Starting up and Calibrating the Spectroradiometer ..........................................................................6
3.2.Viewing System Information.............................................................................................................8
3.3. Managing Settings............................................................................................................................9
3.4. Setting up Measuring Distance.......................................................................................................13
3.5. Viewing Measurement Data ...........................................................................................................15
4. Global Presence................................................................................ 20

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© 2017 Apacer Technology Inc.
1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing Apacer AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer! To fully enjoy the benefits of this
product, please read the important information and instructions in this manual carefully and keep it in an
easily accessible place for future reference.
Please make sure you read the following safety instructions thoroughly to avoid harming yourself or
damaging your spectroradiometer before, during, and after using this product.
Power supply: Power can be supplied to the spectroradiometer via an AC adaptor or a computer
connected to the instrument via a USB cable. However, to make sure the unit runs smoothly, we
recommend using the AC adaptor that comes with the package.
Environment: Keep away from an area with a high dust or humidity level and corrosive gases. Make
sure the environment does not experience abrupt changes in temperature; otherwise, measurement
accuracy can be highly affected.
Vibration and collision: The spectroradiometer is equipped with highly sophisticated optical
components. To prevent it from falling or collision, do not place it near any moving objects while
operating; keep it safe in a box while carrying it around.
Dust ingression: Wipe off dust and dirt with towels or silica cloth. Do not use any chemicals, such as
diluents, acetone, or volatile solvents which may damage the spectroradiometer.
Storage: Place the spectroradiometer in a tool box under normal temperature. Do not put it in cars or
expose it to environment with high temperature, humidity, or dust.
Calibration: A measuring instrument like spectroradiometer may fail to produce valid data after being
used for a period of time. To ensure optimum accuracy, we recommend you send the instrument back
to the original manufacturer for calibration on a yearly basis. Please contact Apacer or your dealer for
detailed information.
Maintenance: Never dismantle the spectroradiometer by yourself. If encountering any breakdowns,
please contact your dealer or the original manufacturer for assistance.

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2. Before You Start
Apacer AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer is a device designed to measure the spectral power distribution,
including parameters of luminance, chromaticity, spectrum, color rendering index (CRI), CIE 1931, and CIE
1976, of the light sources emitted from LCD panels ranging from CCFL, LED, to OLED screens.
2.1. Package Contents
The following items are included with AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer and pass strict inspection before
they leave the factory. Please check the package contents before using. If anything is missing or damaged,
contact Apacer or the dealer from whom you purchased the instrument.
AL100/AL110 main unit x 1
Lens cap x 1
8GB SD card x 1
Adapter x 1
USB-Y cable x 1
A: Secondary connector
Used to connect to the USB port of
the supplied adapter for extra
power supply.
B: Mini USB connector
Used to plug into the USB port of
the main unit.
C: Primary connector
Used to transfer data and supply
power at the same time.

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2.2. Spectroradiometer at a Glance
No.
Item
Description
1.
Lens cap
Covers and protects the lens from being damaged when the
instrument is not in use. It can also be used to prevent light
penetration for zero calibration.
2.
Measure button
Press or tap Measure on the home screen to take measurements
of the spectral power distribution of a source.

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No.
Item
Description
3.
Power
Long press to power on/off the instrument, or long press both the
Power and Measure buttons on the unit for ten seconds to force
shutdown.
Please note that if for some unknown reason the instrument cannot
be shut down, contact the original manufacturer or dealer to
arrange a product inspection. Any attempt to dismantle the device
may have an irrevocable impact on, or cause a loss of, the
product’s original efficacy, resulting in the immediate invalidation of
Apacer’s warranty and additional cost of replacement parts.
4.
Strap hole
Strap the instrument to your hand to prevent it from falling.
5.
Tripod socket
Used to mount the instrument on a tripod.
6.
Lens hood
Measure the spectrum of light source with or without the lens hood
depending on the panel size:
With the hood: Large-sized panels.
Without the hood: Small-sized panels (handheld devices, such
as mobile phones and tablets).
For more information, see “Setting up Measuring Distance”.
7.
SD card slot
Insert the supplied SD card here.
8.
USB port
Connect the mini USB connector of the supplied USB cable to the
instrument here, and plug the primary connector into an available
port on your computer.

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3. Getting Started with Spectroradiometer
This chapter explains how to use your AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer without being connected to a
computer via a USB cable and ASR, desktop application designed for AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer,
start up and zero calibrate the device, view system information, manage settings for the instrument,
manage measuring methods, and view measurement data.
3.1. Starting up and Calibrating the Spectroradiometer
To ensure measurement accuracy, we suggested you calibrate the spectroradiometer upon every system
startup. Follow the steps below to start the calibration.
To start up and calibrate your spectroradiometer:
1. Long press the power button on the device to power on.
2. Cover the lens with the lens cap to start calibrating the device, and do either of the following:
Tap Continue to calibrate the unit.
Tap Skip if you do not want to perform calibration now. You may calibrate the unit later by going to
Setting. See “Managing Settings”for more information.

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3. The gear icon will appear when the system begins calibrating. Depending on the calibrating
status, do either of the following:
Successfully calibrated: You can start measuring the spectrum of light source by tapping
Measure on the device screen or press the physical Measure button on the side of the unit.
However, in case you want to configure system settings before measuring in order to capture
results data as accurately as possible, tap Setting. See “Managing Settings”for more information.
Calibration failed: The calibration results can be affected by potential error sources such as
external lighting during a calibration. If ambient lighting is detected, an error message will appear.
Please make sure the lens is covered with the lens cap, and tap Continue to perform the
calibration once again.

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3.2. Viewing System Information
You can view the following system information on the home screen.
Information
Description
Display
System date and time. Can be modified at Settings >
Date Time.
Firmware version.
Integration mode. Can be modified at Settings > Auto
Int. Time. Options include manual integration (Off)
and auto integration (On).
Integration time. Can be adjusted at Settings > Auto
Int. Time.
Indicates the date and time a measurment is taken
and is used as directory name of the measured data
saved in the SD card. This can only appear when
an .sps file is selected to display. See “Viewing
Measurement Data”> SD Card for more information.
Power indicator.

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3.3. Managing Settings
Apacer AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer provides a variety of settings that allow you to configure the
instrument to measure the spectral power distribution of the light source with more ease, effectiveness, and
efficiency.
On the home screen, tap Setting to configure settings for the device. Manage and modify the settings
options listed in the table with the navigating buttons:
Done: Tap to save the settings when finished.
Return: Tap to exit the settings screen you are navigating and return to the previous page.
: Tap to see more settings options available on other pages.
Option
Description
Auto Int. Time
This option allows you to obtain the best exposure by turning on/off the
setting depending on your need:
On (Auto Integration): When set to on, the instrument will take
measurements of a source automatically at optimal timing when ambient
environment provides appropriate lighting.
Off (Manual Integration): When set to off, you can take measurements
whenever you want by tapping the Measure button. Select the integration
time with the + and –buttons. Maximum time permitted can be up to
60,000 milliseconds.
Once finished, tap to return to the previous screen and tap Done to
apply the setting.
Power Save
This option allows you to activate power saving mode by specifying the
time for the screen to go off when the instrument is not in use. When the
mode is set to on, you can tap + or –to adjust the time. Maximum time
permitted can be up to 300 seconds. Once finished, tap to return to the
previous screen and tap Done to apply the setting.
If you want to go back to the screen you were on before the screen is off,
press the physical Power button on the unit.

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Option
Description
Continue Mode
This option allows you to take measurements continuously for the length
of time specified in Auto Int. Time with the mode set to on or off. Tap
On/Off to enable/disable the continue mode and tap Done to apply the
setting.
With the mode enabled, measurements will be taken once you tap
Measure on the home screen. You can view the variations of different
light sources in CCT, luminance, radiance, and peak values by tapping
the columns on the right of the screen. To stop measuring, tap Continue
on the home screen or press the physical Measure button on the side of
the unit.
Please note that with the Continue Mode set to on, only the final set of
data will be archived. To record all data captured during the specified
time, please connect the instrument to a computer and launch the ASR
application.
Screen Reverse 180
Turn on the option to rotate the screen 180°. This allows you to adjust the
orientation of the screen in response to the direction of the light source.
Language
Tap to select your display language among English, Traditional Chinese,
and Simplified Chinese. Once finished, tap Done and the setting will
come into effect immediately.
Measuring Angle
This option allows you to choose an appropriate measuing angle to take
measurements of a source. Settings options include 2°and 10°. The
default setting is 2°, which is the proper choice for measuring a source
emitted from panels, while 10°is designed to take measurements of
sources apart from those emitted from panels. Tap to make a selection
and tap Done to apply the setting.
For data accuracy, we suggest you configure the setting to 2°.
Date Time
Tap Set to set the date and time. Then tap the date or time field you want
to change. The selected field will be highlighted. Tap + or –for changes,
and tap Set when done. Once finished, tap to return to the previous
screen and tap Done to apply the setting.
Touch Calibrate
Calibration of the touch screen is necessary when your touch screen
responds inaccurate or erratic. Tap Set and then tap “+”on the screen
three times to calibrate the touch screen of the instrument. A confirmation
dialog will appear when the calibration is finished. Tap anywhere of the
screen to return to the Setting menu, and tap Done to apply the setting.

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Option
Description
Low Light Mode
Turn on the option to extend the measuring time. When the light source is
too low for measurements to be taken with auto integration (3 seconds),
you may need to consider allowing additional light to pass through the
lens, in order to ensure optimum spectral data can be captured.
Tap On/Off to enter the Low Light Mode page, and then tap + or –to
adjust auto integration time from 3 to 60 seconds. Once finished, tap to
return to the previous screen and tap Done to apply the setting.
Please note that the low light mode can only be activated when the light
source is extremely low and when Auto Int. Time is set to on. Otherwise,
measurements will be taken based on the time set for manual integration
by default. To avoid overexposure, this mode remains off when the light
source is already bright enough.
Backlight Adjust
Tap digital to adjust screen brightness.
Alarm Beep
This option allows you to decide whether to make the instrument beep
when the Measure button on the side of the unit is pressed. However,
please note that the instrument will not beep if you tap Measure on the
home screen. Tap On/Off and tap Done to apply the setting.
Factory Default
Tap Set to restore to factory default settings, and tap Done to apply the
setting.
Zero Calibration
Tap Set to calibrate the instrument. This option functions the same as
system zero calibration which is available when the instrument is powered
on.
Average Times
In order to prevent the measured data from being biased, you may
configure the instrument to produce an average value of sets of data by
taking multiple measurements of a source. Options include 1, 4, 9, 16,
and 25 times.
Please note that the measuring time increases with the number of
average times.

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Option
Description
RGB Calibration
Measurements taken on different instruments can vary. This option allows
you to correct the measured values obtained from calibration source
based on those from calibration target whose color space serves as a
standard via the ASR application.
AL100/AL110 can save up to five sets of calibration data. Tap On/Off to
enter the RGB Calibration page and tap On to select a file from Table
#1-5 to apply its calibration values. Once finished, tap to return to the
previous screen and tap Done to apply the setting. Measurements taken
thereafter will be calibrated in accordance with the values from the
selected data until you disable the setting.
Please note that the measured values used to calibrate those produced
on AL100/AL110 are generated via the ASR application and can only be
selected for calibration on your spectroradiometer once being saved to
the instrument via the utility. For more detailed instructions, see the user’s
manual for ASR or the video tutorial available on Apacer’s website.
Spectral Calibration
In addition to RGB calibration, AL100/AL110 also allows you to calibrate
spectral values. Before calibrating, please contact Apacer’s sales
representative to send you the Intenstity Calibration Tool, with which you
can save up to five spectral table indexes serving as a standard to
calibrate spectral data obtained on your instrument.
To start calibrating, tap the number field ranging from 0to 5which
corresponds to the spectral table index saved in the Intensity Calibration
Tool. Once finished, tap Done to apply the setting. Measurements taken
thereafter will be calibrated in accordance with the values from the
selected table.

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3.4. Setting up Measuring Distance
While measuring spectrum of light sources emitted from the panel of target device, follow the instructions
below to set up the distance between Apacer AL100/AL110 Spectroradiometer and the panel.
To set up the measuring distance between the spectroradiometer and the device screen:
1. Position the panel of the target device and make sure it stands still. (A flat panel display is taken here
for example.)
2. Mount your spectroradiometer on a tripod, and do the following to take measurements of light
spectrum:
Without the hood: Recommended for small-size panels. Make sure that the spectroradiometer
stays vertical with the panel, and that the distance between the measuring probe of the
spectroradiometer and the screen of the device is ≦20mm.
With the hood: Recommended for large-size panels. Make sure that there is no room reserved
between the screen of the device and the hood, and that the spectroradiometer stays vertical with
the panel. This method can not only prevent external lighting from disturbing the source light to
affect the measurement results, but also allow you to keep the instrument within a fixed measuring
distance.

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3. When taking measurements, make sure the measuring angle remains unchanged to ensure higher
reproducibility.

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3.5. Viewing Measurement Data
Once the settings described in “Managing Settings”are completed, you can do either of the following to
take measurements:
Press the physical Measure button on the side of the instrument.
Tap Measure on the home screen.
While measuring, please make sure the lens stays vertical with and is placed tightly against a panel, in
order to ensure higher reproducibility of the measured values.
After the measurements, tap the Info, CRI, CIE1931, CIE1976, Spectrum, and Data buttons on the right
as illustrated below to view the results which can be saved into the SD card that accompanies the package.
Insert the SD card into the SD card slot, and then tap Save to save the results as text files with .sps
extension. You can also export the files as .csv or .xls file format via the ASR application by connecting the
instrument to a computer.
Button
Description
Display
Tap to display measurement data, including color
temperature, luminance, radiance and peak
wavelength value.
You may tap the value of LV
Luminance and of LE Radiance to
change the way values are displayed to 0.000E+00,
or tap Peak to view tristimulus values (XYZ).

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Button
Description
Display
Tap to display color rendering index, in which
luminance, color temperature and CRI values, and a
bar chart with R1-R15 and RA values will be
displayed.
You may tap to change the way
luminance value is displayed.
Tap to display CIE 1931 color diagram, in which
luminance, color temperature and xy values will be
displayed. The + appearing on the diagram
represents the (x, y) value.
You may tap to change the way
luminance value is displayed.

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Button
Description
Display
Tap to display CIE 1976 color diagram, in which
luminance, color temperature and u’v’values will be
displayed. The + appearing on the diagram
represents the (u’, v’) value.
You may tap to change the way
luminance value is displayed.
Tap to display spectrum diagram, in which
luminance, color temperature and peak wavelength
values will be displayed.
You may tap to switch to .

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Button
Description
Display
Tap to display spectral data. You may view the
data of different wavelengths by scrolling up or
down.
To compare the spectra of different light sources,
switch the value displayed on the upper-left corner of
the diagram to , and then tap to lock the
Y-axis.
Tap to save the measured data into the SD card
inserted in the instrument as text files with .sps
extension. The files can be opened with Microsoft
Word or ASR application.

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Button
Description
Display
Tap to view the measured data saved in the SD
card. The root directory (indicated as .\) and
subdirectory (categorized by date) can display up to
15 items per page. Tap / to navigate through
items and tap for selection.