ISF Calibration: Personal Experience - Good or Bad

[timone]

I have always been curious about calibration. This, plus my intense desire to squeeze the best out of my equipment.

Guys, I would like to know if any of you here has any experience with ISF Calibration of your display devices. Please relate your experience- good or bad and give us your advice - would you recommend it and why?

Thanks in adavance.

 

[bandphan]

I have always been curious about calibration. This, plus my intense desire to squeeze the best out of my equipment.

Guys, I would like to know if any of you here has any experience with ISF Calibration of your display devices. Please relate your experience- good or bad and give us your advice - would you recommend it and why?

Thanks in adavance.

I think alot of it has to do with the display you own. If your display is capable and you feel that you cant tweak anymore, than yes isf is worth it. The first isf i had seen done was on a pioneer pro530 crt rear projection, and i must say that the picture was vastly improved, especially in day time veiwing, and btw my friend still owns that tv and other that minor calibration of the guns the set is and has been perfect.

IMO a good front projector would fall well inline with an isf.

 

[timone]

IMO a good front projector would fall well inline with an isf.

I do have a front projector that I want calibrated. I am quite happy with its current performance but I know that if calibrated, it might just "blow my mind away."

I want to see the difference though between uncalibrated but user-tuned, and professionally calibrated unit. So, guys, if based on your experience you think it's worth the money, please do tell.

 

[darien87]

I had my Samsung LCD calibrated and he didn't get it much better than I already had it, based on settings on AVS.

I don't really think it was all that worth it.

 

[bandphan]

I had my Samsung LCD calibrated and he didn't get it much better than I already had it, based on settings on AVS.

I don't really think it was all that worth it.

i think front projectors are a whole different animal. If one feels the display is lacking and it is a higher end display, then yes. If your happy with the picture you have than no.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I do have a front projector that I want calibrated. I am quite happy with its current performance but I know that if calibrated, it might just "blow my mind away."

I want to see the difference though between uncalibrated but user-tuned, and professionally calibrated unit. So, guys, if based on your experience you think it's worth the money, please do tell.

If video is important for you, by all means have it properly calibrated. But, I would recommend looking around, perhaps at AVS for feedback on calibrators.
Some do travel a long way, have a great reputation and do a fantastic job of getting the specs as close as possible to standards. They should give you a printed readout of where it was and where it ended up, superimposed on color triangle settings, temp setting, etc.

If $$ is an issue, then, that has a factor on your decision.

By the way, your memory may not be good enough to remember the before and after picture, unless it was really bad to begin with. But, that printed graph should be a convincer.

 

[timone]

Professional calibration seems to be the logical thing to do if you want your device to operate optimally, assuming that it will make your device operate at its best.

I feel I may be settling on "less than the best" if I don't. But then again, I don't want to waste my money if calibration is not worth it, that's why I really want to hear your personal experience on this and whether or not you'd recommend it to other fp owners.

 

[jostenmeat]

Yep, the crux is always that, subjective value... eh?

It appears that some PJs benefit "more" than others. Or what I mean to say is that certain PJs can be made to be closer to "accurate" w/o pro cal than some others. You will have to research owner threads of the PJ you own.

So with the above in mind, I didn't get a pro cal. The bulb dies/changes at a fast enough rate that the accurate calibration may not even stick that long. And I only watch movies. If you are gaming, tv watching, computer-ing, etc, then I think it would be even less worth it.

Im at about 200 hours now, and have been trying to retrieve a calibration disc from my friend. Some people recalibrate every 200 hours. I don't think I'll go quite that far, but it won't be very long either before I re-do it.

I sometimes think that its more worth it for typical TV's since the color doesn't change as fast with them.

oh, btw, I've read that just because someone is certified does not mean he is a worthy calibrator. You might be able to research local trusted persons, with some luck.

 

[timone]

Okay, two forummates have recommended a calibrator to me, so I will go ahead and have my unit calibrated. The amount is reasonable enough. I will let you guys know how it turns out.

 

[bandphan]

came across this read on calibration, gives some simple and basic insight on calibration with a pc and a couple of tools...

 

[mudrummer99]

I may be mistaken on this, but isn't a calibration on a projector a little self defeating? Wouldn't it slip out of calibration as the bulb goes through its life? I could be wrong about this, but that's what I would think would happen.

Mike

 

[jostenmeat]

I may be mistaken on this, but isn't a calibration on a projector a little self defeating? Wouldn't it slip out of calibration as the bulb goes through its life? I could be wrong about this, but that's what I would think would happen.

Mike

Exactly my opinion too. I have a PJ that recently surpassed 200 hours, and I can already tell it could use a re-cal. (*skin tones seem to be a bit off in darker scenes...) My damn friend still hasn't given my my cal disc back yet!!

Then for those who want to game, watch TV, etc, on their PJ, they probably could use a re-cal every month.

 

[rmk]

I’m thinking of having my JVC HD100 (RS2) projector and Panny Plasma calibrated by a local IFS Tech. He seems to have the credentials and I like the idea of knowing that the PJ and Plasma are finally “optimized” but have concerns about the lamp aging issue JM mentioned.

I have done my own setup using the DVE BR disk and the picture looks good but I can't help but wonder how much better it could look if done professionally.

Anyone out there who has done this care to comment?

 

[lsiberian]

Just to toss this in there. Many PJ will look better than anything else even calibrated with a disc. While an ISF might make a difference. I think most people don't need it. If you like your picture don't mess wit it. It's the same thing with speakers. If you like your speakers don't change.

 

[jostenmeat]

I’m thinking of having my JVC HD100 (RS2) projector and Panny Plasma calibrated by a local IFS Tech. He seems to have the credentials and I like the idea of knowing that the PJ and Plasma are finally “optimized” but have concerns about the lamp aging issue JM mentioned.

I have done my own setup using the DVE BR disk and the picture looks good but I can't help but wonder how much better it could look if done professionally.

Anyone out there who has done this care to comment?

hey rmk, I think in this case it might worth doing. Because the plasma will benefit for a very long time, and since he's already there, the second display shouldn't have to cost full price, so to speak.

I've never delved into any service menu of any kind, and my hopes with JVC are admittedly not very high. This is purely talking out of my butt, though. That said, I've read of first hand subjective consumer reviews where an inferior projector that was calibrated looks superior to the uncalibrated better unit, when side by side.

Ask him for a price on the two. See if you can get your plasma calibrated for both night and day viewing for all of your sources.

But, Isberian is right. A decent projector with just the most basic calibration looks better than anything else out there.

 

[rmk]

Hi JM,

He is giving me a deal on the Plasma if I do both. Kind of ironic that the after thought display will probably be the most improved by ISF calibration. We were going to do it on Monday but I'm thinking of holding off and research this some more. Think I'll take another pass with the DVE BR disk for both displays and see how that turns out.

hey rmk, I think in this case it might worth doing. Because the plasma will benefit for a very long time, and since he's already there, the second display shouldn't have to cost full price, so to speak.

I've never delved into any service menu of any kind, and my hopes with JVC are admittedly not very high. This is purely talking out of my butt, though. That said, I've read of first hand subjective consumer reviews where an inferior projector that was calibrated looks superior to the uncalibrated better unit, when side by side.

Ask him for a price on the two. See if you can get your plasma calibrated for both night and day viewing for all of your sources.

But, Isberian is right. A decent projector with just the most basic calibration looks better than anything else out there.

 

[funlvr1965]

I have had most if not all of the projectors I have owned Isf calibrated and I can tell you if done correctly there is definately a difference and Ive had over 9 projectors