VIDEO DISPLAY CALIBRATION

Why you should have your TV or Projector Professionally calibrated.

TV manufacturers adjust their models to look as appealing as possible (brightest) next to competing models on a showroom floor. They usually set the user controls and technician service controls for the highest apparent light output, or for a unique look. Fact is the factory can’t adjust the video levels on the set because they don’t know what kind of unique lighting effects the TV viewing room has. The TV or Projector has to be calibrated in the viewing environment for optimum performance. The department store delivery people may only adjust the standard “user” controls until the set “looks right” and don’t calibrate it to any specific standard. In fact, manufacturers recognize that your TV can look its best and last longer only when it is Professionally Calibrated.

Benefits of Professional Calibration

Your display will have:

A sharper focused, full resolution image.
Show full detail in the darkest and brightest parts of all scenes.
Be properly matched to your video system and viewing environment.
Maintain accurate color balance at all picture light levels.
Produce a full range of accurate colors, including flesh tones, grass, sky, and sports jerseys.
Have a cinema theater “film look.”
Minimize picture artifacts (distortions).
Be easier on your eyes.
Last up to twice as long as a display with factory default settings.
Will operate more efficiently, using less power.

Better Picture, Less Power

THX Ltd conducted a study in 2009 on HDTV's and found that besides improving picture quality, HDTV's improved energy efficiency by up to 50 percent, depending on the display's technology platform, screen size and model year.

Quoting from an article on thx.com. “THX engineers evaluated more that 15 plasma and LCD models, comparing Vivid or Dynamic Modes versus professionally calibrated settings. Vivid and Dynamic modes are typically designed by display manufacturers to demonstrate the capabilities of an HDTV on the retail floor. Most of these modes boost contrast (light output) and color controls to compensate for the overpowering florescent lighting in the retail environment. However, these modes, which are often the default setting for users, can significantly increase energy consumption.”

These settings will increase Contrast (washed out whites), increase Brightness (Black levels are “crushed” no detail in dark scenes), increase Color (colors are over saturated causing Red or Green to look unreal), Tint is affected (Faces are too Green or too Red, almost cartoon like), Sharpness is increased (video noise is increased), just to name a few things caused by default settings.

What we use to calibrate video displays

We use professional test instruments from Sencore to calibrate your video display to ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) standards.

VideoPro Multimedia VP403C Generator: This instrument sends accurate video signals to your video display. The VP403C generates many video patterns in multiple video formats and sends them to your display so the Calibrationist can accurately make the proper adjustments.

OTC-1000 Optical Tri-stimulus Colorimeter: This is an optical non-contact color analyzer for highly accurate and convenient measurement and calibration of all display systems, including front projectors, rear projection, LCD, Plasma, and CRT displays. The OTC-1000’s measurements closely match the human eye response, using highly accurate tri-stimulus filtered sensors capable of measuring to extreme low light conditions.

Sencore CPCalMAN: CalMAN™ is color calibration software for the calibration of high definition televisions and other video displays to the major display calibration standards used throughout the world. CalMAN™ contains the industry’s largest collection of charts, graphs, and other data formats. Many, such as CalMAN’s Luminance charts, are unavailable elsewhere.

How we calibrate TV's and other Video Displays

We have access to a video display library provided by manufacturers that gives us codes and procedures to calibrate TV's and Projectors. We use the codes to access service menus to make the adjustments following the manufacturers procedures.

First we make visual inspection of the display picture and use our instruments to “Capture” the displays' current settings. Then using our instruments and software we make adjustments to the Brightness and Contrast. After they have been adjusted, we test the Gamma setting and change it to the most desirable Gamma level. If your display has Color Gamut adjustments, we adjust the Red, Green and Blue colors and secondary colors, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Next we calibrate the displays' White Balance. We calibrate the White Balance controls to make the background color as close as possible to the industry standard D65 White Reference color at all luminance levels. We then check the amount of color error and make any necessary adjustments. The final adjustments are made to the displays' Brightness, Contrast, Color Saturation, Tint (Hue), and Edge Enhancement (Sharpness). A final “Capture” of the video displays' setting is made with our instruments and recorded. We will give you a print out of the total calibration results.

Technicians

Our video calibration technicians are trained and experienced in the art and science of optimizing video displays for the highest possible image quality. The Calibrationist has been certified through training and testing with the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF). The Calibrationist will produce the most accurate image, with the truest colors, with film-like picture detail that will allow you to see the image as it should be seen.

Older Video Displays

If you have an older Projector, LCD, Plasma or DLP TV that was never calibrated, it can be calibrated. It is never too late, and it may extend the life of your display.