calibrating tv - wish i had known this...

[Halon451]

I wouldn't trust my eyes to calibrate a TV. Just as each set may deliver differing results in pq and color levels out of the factory, each set of eyeballs processes light information slightly differently too. What may initially seem to be the best settings, going by eyeballs only, could very well be completely wrong for the particular set in question. That's why I strongly advocate using a good source of reference material to dial things in properly for that set, then slowly tweaking it from that point to your satisfaction.

 

[jberc]

trust your eyes

I trust my eyes to calibrate my set. I have set up a couple of profiles. One for movies, one for TV and one for my wife who loves that bright store showroom look.

I also retouch all of our photos on our iMac. I find that my stuff always looks better than if I use Autoeye or the like (if I do say so myself).

It's the same concept. Sure some disc or algorithm can tell me the "best" or most true settings but I prefer to use my eye to get the specific mood I'm going for on each piece of material.

 

[bandphan]

I trust my eyes to calibrate my set. I have set up a couple of profiles. One for movies, one for TV and one for my wife who loves that bright store showroom look.

I also retouch all of our photos on our iMac. I find that my stuff always looks better than if I use Autoeye or the like (if I do say so myself).

It's the same concept. Sure some disc or algorithm can tell me the "best" or most true settings but I prefer to use my eye to get the specific mood I'm going for on each piece of material.

that why they tell pilots to trust their instruments

 

[jonnythan]

Maybe you can but not me. There are too many variables that affect each other. I bet you have either been doing this for a while or you are gifted in the visual realm. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that you have some sort of savant thing going on. Like you can calibrate any TV with one eye closed but you can't tie your shoes.

I admire your ability.

Hey you leave my shoe-tying ability out of this.

 

[Halon451]

I trust my eyes to calibrate my set. I have set up a couple of profiles. One for movies, one for TV and one for my wife who loves that bright store showroom look.

I also retouch all of our photos on our iMac. I find that my stuff always looks better than if I use Autoeye or the like (if I do say so myself).

It's the same concept. Sure some disc or algorithm can tell me the "best" or most true settings but I prefer to use my eye to get the specific mood I'm going for on each piece of material.

Anyone can fiddle with a TV or photo to make it look appropriate to thier own satisfaction, but if you're only doing this, then you're missing the point. A properly calibrated TV will not only look better, but if set at the proper levels will last longer and give you better picture detail over the long run - it's a way of taking care of your equipment as well as optimizing the pq. Again, that's why I suggest starting from the "known good" reference point, achieved with standard calibration patterns, then deviate from that to better suit your liking, if it's still to your dissatisfaction.

In short, I don't trust my eyes to get me to the proper calibration point - I trust them to take me away from it.

And that bright showroom look that your wife enjoys will likely reduce the lifespan of the TV, just so you know.

 

[jliedeka]

I found a much cheaper way to calibrate my TV. I typed my model number and the words video settings into Google. After reading through a half dozen links, I found the best setting to use.

Allowing for differences in lighting conditions and slight variations between units, I think I wound up pretty close.

Jim

 

[EJ1]

I found a much cheaper way to calibrate my TV. I typed my model number and the words video settings into Google. After reading through a half dozen links, I found the best setting to use.

Allowing for differences in lighting conditions and slight variations between units, I think I wound up pretty close.

Jim

That's what I do. I find the calibration thread for the particular model I'm interested in over at AVS forums, find settings that everyone seems to love, and use that as a base for tweaking for your particular application.

 

[jostenmeat]

Just an FYI, some display devices, like the oft touted Epson 1080 UB, are said to have so much unit-to-unit OTB variation, that recommended settings are absolutely pointless.

YMMV.

 

[bandphan]

^ sooo True

 

[Alex2507]

I found a much cheaper way to calibrate my TV. I typed my model number and the words video settings into Google. After reading through a half dozen links, I found the best setting to use.

Allowing for differences in lighting conditions and slight variations between units, I think I wound up pretty close.

Jim

That's what I do. I find the calibration thread for the particular model I'm interested in over at AVS forums, find settings that everyone seems to love, and use that as a base for tweaking for your particular application.

One of the problems with eyeballing it or using others settings, is that most sets do not roll off the line equal. So two identical sets with the same settings might have different test results.

The 3rd quote addresses the first 2 quotes in such a pertinent manner that I put 'em all together in this post. If you're new at AH please note that bandphan does this for a living. IMO his advice on calibration is top notch.

I just don't understand the reluctance to spend < $100 (disc & spl meter) to make > $2,000 gear (display, receiver, speakers) work properly.

 

[mike c]

well, i still didn't order the AVIA II disc.

but i have updates:
i just realized that i have a copy of the AVIA I disc, with no colored films ... and of course i have the AVIA II colored films, i'll check if those two are compatible.

i also got from an exchange gift today (local AV forum eyeball meet):
Digital Video Essentials

is that good enough?

 

[bandphan]

DVE will do the job

 

[allargon]

I found a much cheaper way to calibrate my TV. I typed my model number and the words video settings into Google. After reading through a half dozen links, I found the best setting to use.

Allowing for differences in lighting conditions and slight variations between units, I think I wound up pretty close.

Recommended settings help but unless your lighting, room dimensions, furniture arrangements and paint colors are the exact same, further adjustments will still be necessary.

 

[ratso]

WOW i haven't looked at this thread in a while, and their weren't any responses the last i checked. I would like to clear up a few misconceptions that have been thrown around.
#1 - using the method shown to calibrate your tv is not really beyond the scope of most people that are comfortable fiddling with tv's or computers.
#2 - you cannot calibrate a tv with a 'calibration' disc. you need one for the test patterns on them however, when using the above method.
#3 - most importantly, calibrating a tv is not the same as doing it 'by eye' or following someone's settings! "But it looks good to me" is not the same as CALIBRATED. calibrated (as the guide makes clear) means your tv is set to follow ESTABLISHED settings for color and brightness. when a movie or tv producer films something, their professional equipment (cameras) are also set to these same standards, so your tv has to be also set the same for it to reproduce correctly what was filmed. it should be noted that when some people have their tv's calibrated THEY DO NOT LIKE IT since they are used to pictures that are set to catch their attention (i.e. brighter, more saturated colors, etc.). it's fine if you don't like a calibrated picture - it is, after all, your opinion. but there is only one way to calibrate a tv - either it is set correctly (or at least as close as you can get it) or it is not.

 

[ratso]

as an example, i also googled an AVS thread for calibrating my new samsung. i put in the supposed 'best settings' that everyone loved. after i bought the equipment to calibrate my tv, i saw myself from the graphs just how far off the settings were - it wasn't even close to being calibrated correctly. most ISF techs will advise people to watch their newly calibrated tv's for a week to get used to the picture. i love how mine looks now, although the darker, more 'film like' picture is different then i was used to.

 

[bandphan]

WOW i haven't looked at this thread in a while, and their weren't any responses the last i checked. I would like to clear up a few misconceptions that have been thrown around.
#1 - using the method shown to calibrate your tv is not really beyond the scope of most people that are comfortable fiddling with tv's or computers.
#2 - you cannot calibrate a tv with a 'calibration' disc. you need one for the test patterns on them however, when using the above method.
Yes you can, and just as light sensing equipment in curts page does a better job in some cases, there is equipment costing thousands of dollars that do it better than both the aforementioned
#3 - most importantly, calibrating a tv is not the same as doing it 'by eye' or following someone's settings! "But it looks good to me" is not the same as CALIBRATED. calibrated (as the guide makes clear) means your tv is set to follow ESTABLISHED settings for color and brightness. when a movie or tv producer films something, their professional equipment (cameras) are also set to these same standards, so your tv has to be also set the same for it to reproduce correctly what was filmed. it should be noted that when some people have their tv's calibrated THEY DO NOT LIKE IT since they are used to pictures that are set to catch their attention (i.e. brighter, more saturated colors, etc.). it's fine if you don't like a calibrated picture - it is, after all, your opinion. but there is only one way to calibrate a tv - either it is set correctly (or at least as close as you can get it) or it is not.

The only users settings that work well are DNices refernence settings on the elite kuros/ and non elites, (in an darkened room) becuase the sets have almost unmeasurable variance off the line

 

[ratso]

"Yes you can, and just as light sensing equipment in curts page does a better job in some cases, there is equipment costing thousands of dollars that do it better than both the aforementioned."

well, actually Band you are correct. a more expensive meter should be able to get you closer to the correct settings. however from what i've read even a cheap meter like my eye-one will get you 90% of the performance of a professional one, at least thats what is claimed (and the graphs/results obtained after calibration seem to back it up seeing as how i got my samsung pretty damn close to spot on with only normal fiddling).

i would also guess that kuros settings found online are closer to spec then most online settings seeing as how the kuros is a pretty high end set to start with (a lot higher end then most people have sitting in their living rooms).

and although a few people who have a lot of calibration experience can 'eyeball' the proper settings (i would imagine Bandphan could do a pretty good job), the human eye is not the best instrument in the world to use to calibrate a picture - it actually does a pretty poor job. if anyone has access to a lightmeter, try it for yourself - calibrate your tv with a disc 'by eye' and then use the meter to see how close you were. a pretty humbling experience for 99% of us.

 

[bandphan]

try it for yourself - calibrate your tv with a disc 'by eye' and then use the meter to see how close you were. a pretty humbling experience for 99% of us.

dont worry my display has been properly calibrated, for each source and night and day lighting conditions. I whole heartedly agree that eyeballing it doesnt work, but the 2 aforementioned discs (and others that are avialble) are a good place to start. Ive been lucky to sit in on a few ISFs and while the picture is vastly improved, it still boils down to the quality of the display.

 

[ChrisW123]

Or you could get lucky like I just did and find the optimal calibration settings by Googling your model + " video settings" like someone suggested a few pages back.

I was lucky in that my settings list came from CNet and they mention that their calibrations are done by experienced people using the best equipment so... may save some of you some time if you get lucky!

 

[Alex2507]

Or you could get lucky like I just did and find the optimal calibration settings by Googling your model + " video settings" like someone suggested a few pages back.

I was lucky in that my settings list came from CNet and they mention that their calibrations are done by experienced people using the best equipment so... may save some of you some time if you get lucky!

The experienced people here at AH say that TV's come off the line with their base settings so varied that a proper calibration will result in widely varied values rendering the values from a different TV worse than useless unless you have a Pioneer as has been pointed out a few pages back.