Datacolor Launches SpyderTV Calibration System

[Clint DeBoer]

Datacolor launched its latest innovation in color calibration, SpyderTV, at the IFA – an international consumer electronics fair in Berlin. This is a first "price-to-performance" consumer electronics-targeted calibration technology for a company already known for their professional screen and monitor calibration products. Now, Datacolor leverages some of the industry’s best colorimetric technology to optimize television viewing for the general public with an innovative display improvement tool for TVs, including CRT, plasma, RPTV, LCD or DLP display screens.

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[Audiacc]

Interesting. Especially if setting up home cinemas is part of your a job.
I would not mind if sb calibrated my screen but I would think twice before spending $269 on sth I would use one a year myself. Would anyone know if this colorimeter measures light at the screen only or in relation with the light in the room, ie. from a distance, too? At consumer end, home cinemas are far from the darkness found in a real theater. If this colorimeter works only at the screen it is not very practical for consumer setup IMHO
If it works from a distance too and still costs $269 , than it is a bargain

[Tsunamii]

If you had a friend or three to split it with then it might be worth the $$$. Also it looks like it is not at a distance only on screen.

"SpyderTV is a colorimeter that scientifically measures contrast, brightness, color, tint, and color temperature presets on your TV and helps you make the necessary adjustments to dramatically improve your picture quality. The SpyderTV sensor is attached to your laptop or desktop computer using a USB cable, and then attaches to the front of your TV screen. Then the sensor analyzes the test patterns on the DVD. Based on the information it sees, the software running on your computer instructs you how to adjust your settings accurately without any guesswork. The SpyderTV is like an electronic "eye" that makes scientific measurements and tells you how to make the right adjustments that would be impossible to make with the human eye alone. "

[Audiacc]

Sharing costs is always good I looked at pics on colorvision home page and I looks as if it measured light at the screen only. I guess if it had any circuits found in spectrophotometers they would clearly state it on the website

[MBauer]

I use one for my computer monitors to make sure they are calibrated for digital photography. They work well but are not known as the "high end". I heartedly endorse the product for computer monitors. Digital workflow for photography has similar issues to viewing television. There are different specifications for cameras, monitors and printers and calibration tools like the Spyder help solve the problem. If it works as well for "big" monitors then it may well be worth it.

I think they had it available a while back in the US?

[dropbear]

Clint and the gang,

I would be very interested in seeing you guys do a review on this particular product as it not only does the usual rear projection monitors, TFTs, plasmas and so on but with the latest software release (version 2.0) and with the tripod mount you can now balance front projectors (CRT, LCD and DLP) straight of the projected screen!

I'm in the rpocess of getting this particular model soon but this would be a great benefit to all your readers here in showing a way to get quality picture adjustments and better bang for buck from ones existing equipment.

So, what you say...any chance of convincing Colorvision? http://www.colorvision.com/special_projector_new.shtml