HD Calibration Disc?

[r_malvia]

I've been doing a bit of research on looking for a calibration disc. Which ones are good and are capable of adjusting both for projector and LED/Plasma? I was looking at the Disney WOW 2-disc set. It looks like it got some decent reviews (and not too overly difficult to use). I know there's also the Spears and Munsil as well as a few free downloadable ones you can burn to disc. Any thoughts?

Do these also include audio calibration? If so, is it better to use the disc or a meter (or both)? Thanks.

 

[j_garcia]

It doesn't matter which type of display you have, the calibration settings apply to all types. Disney? LOL, but yes it should have the appropriate calibrations on it and reviews say it is the easiest to use for a first timer.

For audio, use the receiver's auto calibration which your Marantz has (Audessey), because it will do far more than just set the levels. If you want to do it yourself, use the disc's tones. The disc will NOT calibrate the system for you like Audessey will. If you want to do it that way, a SPL meter is required to measure the tones and in order to adjust the EQ, you will need a computer and software to measure your room response as well.

If you are pondering spending that kind of dough, just get the real deal. This one is not quite as easy to use, but it is the most comprehensive one on the market: Spears & Munsil HD Benchmark 3D Disc 2nd Edition Includes audio calibration for sure. I have it, it is an excellent disc. If you don't need 3D, then you might look for the 1st edition used as it has more than enough as well. You mainly need it for video calibration.

 

[r_malvia]

I just used the THX Optimizer included on one of the movie discs. The picture looks pretty good. I'm sure that the calibration discs will have more images/tests to fine tune the settings further. Just wondering how much better? Anyways, I'll search around for a calibration disc.

One thing I can't figure out is what I see might be good to me, whereas others may not like what they are seeing or vice versa. I think it all boils down to what is pleasing to your own eye. Pretty sure not everyone sees the same red, orange, etc. What's to say that Panasonic's red is a few temperatures off of what Sony sees, or Samsung, Hitachi, etc. Too many variables.
This probably goes the same for audio. Not everyone has the same dynamic range in their hearing. I've had a hearing test done recently, I can still hear the upper range of trebles but not at the very high end of the spectrum. Anyways, I dialed in the settings for my system. Changed the speaker mains around and made the front soundstage wider and moved the sub again. Sounds decent, but going to try and play around with the settings again with a meter.

 

[j_garcia]

While this is true that everyone is different, your eyes can be fooled and the patterns cannot. Knowing what properly calibrated looks like is the place to start. You may find that it is too dim or too slanted to one hue, so you adjust from there, but the starting point should be calibrated. The same applies to audio calibration - my Emotiva runs the sub hotter than I personally like for music, but it sounds fine for movies, so that suggests a movie-centric form of calibration from them I guess.

 

[r_malvia]

While this is true that everyone is different, your eyes can be fooled and the patterns cannot. Knowing what properly calibrated looks like is the place to start. You may find that it is too dim or too slanted to one hue, so you adjust from there, but the starting point should be calibrated. The same applies to audio calibration - my Emotiva runs the sub hotter than I personally like for music, but it sounds fine for movies, so that suggests a movie-centric form of calibration from them I guess.

Yes, I think we are on the same page. Well said!!!

 

[Pyrrho]

I just used the THX Optimizer included on one of the movie discs. The picture looks pretty good. I'm sure that the calibration discs will have more images/tests to fine tune the settings further. Just wondering how much better? Anyways, I'll search around for a calibration disc.

One thing I can't figure out is what I see might be good to me, whereas others may not like what they are seeing or vice versa. I think it all boils down to what is pleasing to your own eye. Pretty sure not everyone sees the same red, orange, etc. What's to say that Panasonic's red is a few temperatures off of what Sony sees, or Samsung, Hitachi, etc. Too many variables.
This probably goes the same for audio. Not everyone has the same dynamic range in their hearing. I've had a hearing test done recently, I can still hear the upper range of trebles but not at the very high end of the spectrum. Anyways, I dialed in the settings for my system. Changed the speaker mains around and made the front soundstage wider and moved the sub again. Sounds decent, but going to try and play around with the settings again with a meter.

If you have the blue filter to look through, probably the THX optimizer is good enough. The blue filter, with the right test pattern, allows you to get the color level right and the tint right.

My flat panel TV was perfect for tint at "0" right out of the box, which I found a very pleasant surprise. With my old CRT TVs, I could never get the tint as perfect, no matter how things were set. I also love the fact that the picture geometry is perfect (i.e., straight lines are perfectly straight, also unlike all of my old CRT TVs).

So, if you don't have the blue filter, either order one from THX (I believe they have directions for that on the disc), or buy a test disc that comes with a blue filter, to be able to properly adjust the color and tint.

 

[j_garcia]

This disc is pretty decent too, but is a DVD; it still works and is by the same people that make the Spears & Munsil discs. It wasn't interesting enough for the thieves to steal from my place apparently. You can get it used cheap, but make sure it has the blue filter first, or just order a filter like Pyrrho said.

Amazon.com: Sound & Vision Home Theater Tune-Up: Artist Not Provided: Movies & TV

 

[slipperybidness]

While this is true that everyone is different, your eyes can be fooled and the patterns cannot. Knowing what properly calibrated looks like is the place to start. You may find that it is too dim or too slanted to one hue, so you adjust from there, but the starting point should be calibrated. The same applies to audio calibration - my Emotiva runs the sub hotter than I personally like for music, but it sounds fine for movies, so that suggests a movie-centric form of calibration from them I guess.

+1

I used to have the v1 Spears disc. It works, but I always found that the calibration was a starting point for me. Setting it to the disc may be the most accurate, but it wasn't the most pleasing to me, so I would tweak it from that as a starting point.

I ended up ebaying my Spears disc and now have the WOW. To be honest, I can't remember if I have gone through the routine on the WOW disc yet or not. It is on my list of things to do when I'm bored. What I do like about the WOW disc though, is that it has Pixar demo material on it too.

 

[r_malvia]

+1

I used to have the v1 Spears disc. It works, but I always found that the calibration was a starting point for me. Setting it to the disc may be the most accurate, but it wasn't the most pleasing to me, so I would tweak it from that as a starting point.

I ended up ebaying my Spears disc and now have the WOW. To be honest, I can't remember if I have gone through the routine on the WOW disc yet or not. It is on my list of things to do when I'm bored. What I do like about the WOW disc though, is that it has Pixar demo material on it too.

That's what I was getting at with my previous posts. I'm liking the way the picture is looking for my projector and tv. As for if it's 100% correct, who knows. I'll probably take a photo of my current settings prior to monkeying around with the calibration disc. I know most tv settings at the big box stores have them set for vivid. That's what attracts buyers to the picture. If there were 6 tvs set in a row with 5 on vivid settings and 1 on theatre, I bet most will say the darker image sucks.