# Did you calibrate your HDTV?



## deweybroncos (Jun 15, 2007)

Did you calibrate your new HDTV? If so, how did you do it?


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## racton1 (Nov 7, 2007)

deweybroncos said:


> Did you calibrate your new HDTV? If so, how did you do it?


There should be one more option. I calibrated my new HDTV by using the settings of others who used a calibration DVD.


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

Digital Video Essentials HD DVD and the THX Optimizer


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

I used Video Essentials. First I set my Panny to the Standard Picture Mode setting with all of the various color management options set to off. I then did the calibration. I wrote down the settings and then applied those settings to each of other Picture Mode settings so they all had the same calibration settings. For example I did not set the Pic Mode to Vivid and then run the calibration disc as I felt that would defeat the effect of that Pic Mode.


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## jacksonm30354 (Mar 29, 2007)

It kind of depends on what type of HDTV you have as to the extent you need to calibrate. I had a rear projection that needed the "convergence" adjusted periodically. It did mkae a difference when done.

My LCD needed no adjustment nor did my CRT. My projector needed minimal adjustment.


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## ccr1958 (Aug 29, 2007)

yes i had a pro do it a couple months after
i got the tosh 62"....but about 6 mos. later the
light engine went out & replaced so i assume
i am back to factory settings(but have the settings to my taste)...
i have used the hdnet test pattern also...


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## johnck78 (Feb 19, 2007)

Other...I used Vista Media Center to calibrate...


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## CrestronPro (Nov 25, 2007)

Shortly after buying my Panny plasma, I calibrated it with a signal generator to the proper specs. That evening, my girlfiend turned it on, and complained that the picture "didn't look like a plasma should look" anymore (to dark & not saturated enough for her liking). Guess we are really used to the high contrast, high saturation settings that many plasma/lcd tv's have out of the box.

I ended up compromising, and boosted the contrast and brightness back up a little bit. At least I was able to correct the color balance though, which was the next biggest correction on this set.


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## STEVEN-H (Jan 19, 2007)

After the first 100 Hours of use I had Chuck Williams come in and calibrate my Hitachi 65" rear projector. Then had him come in and do a touch up a year or so latter. I have both AVA disk and Digital Video essentials and check it about every six months. Still looks very good after five years. I have also installed a 6500K back light.


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## Upstream (Jul 4, 2006)

This might be a dumb question ... But what needs to be calibrated, and why would you use a professional to do it?

My Sony LCD seemed too saturated out of the box, so I manually adjusted the picture settings (brightness, contrast, color, hue, sharpness, etc) until I got a picture that I thought looked good. This is just what I would have done with an old analog tv.

I suppose I could get a DVD so I could check that the color setting I selected actually match the colors they are supposed to (although with my manual adjustments, the picture looks appropriate and natural). 

But why would I hire someone to do this?


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## jrlaw10 (Feb 3, 2007)

I used a company by the name of Avical for my Samsung DLP. Money well spent. They did a great job with a noticable improvement in picture quality.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Used the HDNet patterns. 

Why calibrate? Because you should at least start by making sure you're seeing everything consistent with the way it was produced. Then, if your viewing situation or personal preference makes you want to change something, you are still looking good.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

My TV is set almost as it came out of the box. Only slight adjustments of the brightness were required for it to look OK to me. 

I'll contend you can place several identical sets side by side with one calibrated and the rest set up by eye by several knowledgeable persons and the results would be they all look different but they all look OK. Other than a broadcast engineer, Who needs a reference quality image? 

--- CHAS


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Gregg Loewman came from Maine on a SE tour to calibrate my Panny 53" RPTV --
awesome improvement in PQ and an excellent investment in video enjoyment, IMO.


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## Upstream (Jul 4, 2006)

I guess since HDTV produce better pictures than SD televisions, and therefore reproduce flaws better, it is more important to ensure they are calibrated properly.

But I wonder if the need for professional calibration, or high priced calibration tools is overkill. It reminds me of when I was in college, everyone who bought an audio system needed to make sure that it had a equalizer. Almost everyone I knew bought a reference tape or record so they could set the equalizer properly. But it was a fad. Now almost no one, except real audiophiles, bothers to calibrate their home equalizer (if their sound system even has one any more).



I'm not sure how to answer this poll. I didn't leave the factory settings. But I didn't use any tool, other than eyeballing it, to adjust my picture settings.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

racton1 said:


> There should be one more option. I calibrated my new HDTV by using the settings of others who used a calibration DVD.


No need for another category -- you (indirectly) used a cal DVD!


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

I used the HDNet patterns and Blu-ray disk HD patterns. Used blue, green & red filters to get the colors just right.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

I did a web search and found suggested settings for my set. I tweaked those using a calibration DVD. I answered that I used the calibration DVD but will point out taht the info on the web is not too far off. worth a try.


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## rlnoonan (Jan 6, 2007)

Since my TV has separate calibration settings for each input I used two methods. I used Video Essentials to tune the DVD input and the HDNet test pattern for the HR20 input.

It was some time ago, but I seem to recall needing to reduce the sharpness quite a bit. It was set at max out of the factory. Most of the other changes were just minor tweaks.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I used Video Essentials (not the digital version), but really - it mostly was just small tweaks here and there.


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## pschmidt64 (Dec 31, 2007)

Got a Samsung LCD last month. They have in the setup different 'settings' for show room, home and I can't remember the 3rd one.

Anyway, I set it to 'home', dropped in a calibration CD, and what the 'home defaults' were set to were right on the money...ended up not having to change a thing. Of course they don't tell you in the store that this has a home setting. Don't know how many other sets have this in the setup options.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

I used Video Essentials and surpringly found that the Sony default settings were pretty damend close. Except for color was way too high.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

With three HD sets I purchased Spyder TV for calibration. While it may have done what was supposed to be done I changed some of the settings to get a picture that I liked.


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## tzphotos.com (Jul 12, 2006)

I setup my Samsung LED DLP up with a HD-DVD Calibration disc(Can't remember which one, it was my brother's).

When I purchased my TV I also purchased a ISF Calibration. He came out just last week and was first impressed by the settings I had already done.

The only thing I didn't mess with was the Gray Scale in the Service menu, so he tweaked that. He said this particular set is pretty good once you take it out of the blinding Showroom mode(Dynamic setting).

I noticed a little difference, because I already had the set pretty much on target.
After the pro I do notice the grays are better.

So I would say for most people if you know what you are doing use a calibration disc, otherwise have a pro do it.


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## deweybroncos (Jun 15, 2007)

racton1 said:


> There should be one more option. I calibrated my new HDTV by using the settings of others who used a calibration DVD.


Where did you find this information?


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## EAGLES20 (Sep 8, 2005)

jrlaw10 said:


> I used a company by the name of Avical for my Samsung DLP. Money well spent. They did a great job with a noticeable improvement in picture quality.


I also used Eliab from Avical.com on all three of my TV's and until you see it when it's done you just can't explain how much of a difference it makes. He does an awesome job and no matter how good you think you have your picture he brings it to perfection. I also have Digital Video Essentials and we tried that in the beginning over two years ago but I had read about Eliab at Avical so I sent him an email and set up an appointment he travels all over the east coast his partner does the west coast and these guy's are great at calibrating your TV. I have a Samsung DLP,Sony LCD and a Panasonic Plasma and his did all three of them and there is never anyone who comes into my home and does not say something about the picture. From friends to guy's that come in from DirecTV over these 
HR20'S always say your picture looks great. I say that just so whoever is thinking about getting your TV Calibrated I don't want them to think I just think there is a difference because there my set's there really is a huge difference after Calibration. Enough said about that I would encourage anyone though that if you want to get the best out of your picture then get it professionally Calibrated.


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## racton1 (Nov 7, 2007)

deweybroncos said:


> Where did you find this information?


I found it on the AVS Forum: http://www.avsforum.com/


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

I calibrate all my displays using Avia (and I had my projector professionally calibrated).



racton1 said:


> There should be one more option. I calibrated my new HDTV by using the settings of others who used a calibration DVD.


Actually, your set isn't calibrated at all. Every set is different and every room is different (lighting being the most important factor). You cannot use someone else's settings and hope to achieve proper calibration. They can be used as a starting point, but that's it. When I bought my last TV, I used someone elses settings when I first got it set up, but only because I knew they'd be better than the default settings and I wouldn't have a chance to calibrate mine for another week.



HIPAR said:


> My TV is set almost as it came out of the box. Only slight adjustments of the brightness were required for it to look OK to me.


I don't want my TV to look OK, I want it to look great.



HIPAR said:


> I'll contend you can place several identical sets side by side with one calibrated and the rest set up by eye by several knowledgeable persons and the results would be they all look different but they all look OK. Other than a broadcast engineer, Who needs a reference quality image?


You'd be wrong. When I had my projector professionally calibrated the results were a noticeable improvement over what I had done with my Avia. Even when it's just me using Avia there's a noticeable improvement over setting it by "eye". When I calibrated my last TV, my wife could see the difference immediately and I didn't even tell her that I had calibrated it that day.

In your scenario, yes they'd all look different, but the vast majority of people would be able to tell which set was properly calibrated.

And to answer your last question, I want reference quality. I want the best image my display can provide.


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## deweybroncos (Jun 15, 2007)

racton1 said:


> I found it on the AVS Forum: http://www.avsforum.com/


A lot of great information here! Specifically for my exact tv. Thank you.


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