ProjectorCalc vs Pattern Generator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ProjectorCalc
This utility app helps lighting technicians and projectionists calculate projected image dimensions. It determines image width, height, diagonal length, brightness, area, and pixel density based on projector and location details. It also estimates keystone distortion.
- Calculate image width, height, and diagonal length
- Determine brightness in Nits
- Calculate total projected area
- Compute pixels per inch
- Estimate keystone distortion
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Winner of the 2010 Live Design Projection Product of the Year - Software/App Category ProjectorCalc is a program for professional lighting technicians and projectionists. Its primary purpose is to determine the size of a projected image given various information about the projector and it's location. ProjectorCalc allows users to enter details for a projector and its location in relation to a projection surface. ProjectorCalc will calculate image width, image height, diagonal length, brightness in Nits, total projected area, and how many pixels per inch the projected image will be. Additionally, ProjectorCalc can give you an estimate of how much keystone distortion will occur by calculating the length of each side of the distorted image.
Pattern Generator
Create custom test patterns for various resolutions and display types, including grids, color bars, and specialized formats. Easily share your generated patterns via messaging, email, or AirDrop.
- Create test patterns
- Multiple pattern types (grids, color bars, etc.)
- Supports various resolutions
- Share patterns via message, mail, AirDrop
- Wide screen patterns
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Pattern Generator, allows you to create test patterns that in any resolution. Patterns available: Blendind (for wide screen). LED wall. Grid with or without circles. Spyder. 75% Color Bar 100% color bars. Horizontal 75% Color Bar. Horizontal Color Bar 100%. SMPTE color bar. Horizontal grayscale. You can send your pattern by message, mail or share with AirDrop.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Pattern Generator at every 19 months against ProjectorCalc's every 49 months. Pattern Generator also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 38%). ProjectorCalc's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (9.2 vs 13.0). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
ProjectorCalc costs $2.99 and Pattern Generator $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ProjectorCalc against 5.0 for Pattern Generator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 38% of ProjectorCalc's written reviews are positive against 50% of Pattern Generator's.
ProjectorCalc ships an update every 49 months, Pattern Generator every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ProjectorCalc | Pattern Generator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 49 months | Every 19 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.2 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | D!HV Lighting | piXap |
Customer experience
ProjectorCalc
Pattern Generator
In-app purchases
ProjectorCalc
No in-app purchases
Pattern Generator
No in-app purchases
