Arguments for and against calibration

[strapped for cash]

Having recently got my VT65 professionally calibrated, and posted about how delighted I am with the results, it's probably clear where I stand on this issue.

I'm interested to hear arguments for and against calibration using a meter, however. If you decided not to calibrate your TV (and this seems true of the great majority of people), what influenced your decision?

Countless threads are started by people looking to spend hundreds of pounds on new kit to squeeze the last drop of performance from their system. Yet I would argue that full calibration offers the best pound-for-pound upgrade available. (In a video only context, certainly, in every other sense, probably.) I'd add that calibration is an absolute must if you've any interest in 3D viewing. The difference is even more pronounced.

Also, what are the perceived advantages of paying a professional vs. buying your own meter and software? Which offers the best value? To a degree this is system dependent. If you're Son_of_SJ, for instance, and own several high-end TVs, buying a meter arguably represents value for money as you can calibrate every TV you own. (Including that second-bedroom Kuro ).

Those arguing against professional calibration, have you viewed a calibrated and uncalibrated TV side-by-side?

Discuss...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Having recently got my VT65 professionally calibrated, and posted about how delighted I am with the results, it's probably clear where I stand on this issue.

I'm interested to hear arguments for and against calibration using a meter, however. If you decided not to calibrate your TV (and this seems true of the great majority of people), what influenced your decision?

Countless threads are started by people looking to spend hundreds of pounds on new kit to squeeze the last drop of performance from their system. Yet I would argue that full calibration offers the best pound-for-pound upgrade available. (In a video only context, certainly, in every other sense, probably.) I'd add that calibration is an absolute must if you've any interest in 3D viewing. The difference is even more pronounced.

Also, what are the perceived advantages of paying a professional vs. buying your own meter and software? Which offers the best value? To a degree this is system dependent. If you're Son_of_SJ, for instance, and own several high-end TVs, buying a meter arguably represents value for money as you can calibrate every TV you own. (Including that second-bedroom Kuro ).

Those arguing against professional calibration, have you viewed a calibrated and uncalibrated TV side-by-side?

Discuss...

Money is a big factor for me not to calibrate, and if your TV goes wrong down the line, then it is money down the drain! I must admit though watching Black Hawk Down last night, I thought the blacks were a little too strong at times, but other than that my has been great. I also like a bright image and scared calibrating will drop that down a level.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I have been impressed by the pictures of calibrated TVs in different threads though and it is something I would consider since seeing them!

 

[mr malarky]

Am planning on getting mine calibrated in about two weeks or so (should have clocked up about 150 hours by then) - if you've soent that much on a decent TV because you care about picture quality then another £200 seema a small step to take.

Personally I would rather pay someone to do it rather than buy all the kit:

a) I only have one screen that would need calibrating

b) I wouldn't really know what I was doing (am honey enough to admit that), and if you're going to the trouble and expense of getting it done, then may as well get it done properly.

Appreciate its a different equation if you have multiple screens or know what your doing.

 

[mr malarky]

Having said all that I never bothered getting my old kuro calibrated - for the first few years the thought hasn't actually occurred to me, and in the last few years I'd spent so much time with it tweaking and adjusting the settings that I was extremely happy with the picture anyway.

Its only on my radar now as having invested in a new TV I want to get the best out of it as soon as possible (suspect strapped was in the same boat).

 

[bigboss]

Depends on what you're happy with. I'm not too an*l about these things. My Kuro had excellent out of the box settings. I used the THX optimizer to tweak it further. I'm happy with my TV's performance. If I'm not happy with my next TV, I'll consider calibrating it.

 

[strapped for cash]

Money is a big factor for me not to calibrate, and if your TV goes wrong down the line, then it is money down the drain! I must admit though watching Black Hawk Down last night, I thought the blacks were a little too strong at times, but other than that my has been great. I also like a bright image and scared calibrating will drop that down a level.

Relatively speaking, calibration isn't that expensive. I paid £205 for a day, night, and 3D calibration. When you consider that some people ask whether spending £300+ on a Blu-ray player will improve picture performance, calibration seems even more sensible.

On the brightness front, calibration doesn't have a negative effect at all. You'll gain a great deal in terms of shadow detail; while getting gamma flat (or as near as possible) means you'll notice an improvement in contrast performance. Day settings are designed to maximise contrast performance, so you'll be getting as bright an image as your TV can produce. The 2D day calibration was too bright for my eyes. I asked Jules to dial contrast back a little. (Which he kindly did, despite having to recalibrate greyscale and colour as a consequence.)

You also really can't see the benefits of calibration by looking at photos online. Your laptop screen distorts the picture and you don't get a sense of how accurate colours look, or how detail and image depth improves. There are other benefits, too. For instance, dynamic false contouring is reduced.

 

[strapped for cash]

Depends on what you're happy with. I'm not too an*l about these things. My Kuro had excellent out of the box settings. I used the THX optimizer to tweak it further. I'm happy with my TV's performance. If I'm not happy with my next TV, I'll consider calibrating it.

I wonder if you'd say the same if you'd seen your Pioneer calibrated?

 

[bigboss]

My bedroom TV is good, but will definitely benefit from professional calibration. But I'm not prepared to pay £200 only to watch an occasional Freeview programme before I go to sleep.

 

[strapped for cash]

Am planning on getting mine calibrated in about two weeks or so (should have clocked up about 150 hours by then) - if you've soent that much on a decent TV because you care about picture quality then another £200 seema a small step to take.

Personally I would rather pay someone to do it rather than buy all the kit:

a) I only have one screen that would need calibrating

b) I wouldn't really know what I was doing (am honey enough to admit that), and if you're going to the trouble and expense of getting it done, then may as well get it done properly.

Appreciate its a different equation if you have multiple screens or know what your doing.

For me, the choice between professional and DIY calibration was largely economic.

The cost of getting a professional in was far less than buying the equipment and software. (And better value still if you're thinking about 3D calibration, for which you'll need a non-contact meter.)

There's no shame in admitting that you wouldn't know what you were doing. Why would you, if you've never done it before? Spending a day with a calibrator is an education in itself, though, as long as you're paying attention. Most calibrators will explain exactly what they're doing and why they're doing it.

 

[bigboss]

Depends on what you're happy with. I'm not too an*l about these things. My Kuro had excellent out of the box settings. I used the THX optimizer to tweak it further. I'm happy with my TV's performance. If I'm not happy with my next TV, I'll consider calibrating it.

I wonder if you'd say the same if you'd seen your Pioneer calibrated?

If someone calibrated my TV and agrees for me to pay only if I find it worthwhile.....

 

[strapped for cash]

in the last few years I'd spent so much time with it tweaking and adjusting the settings that I was extremely happy with the picture anyway.

That's another benefit of calibration; you no longer feel the need to tweak your TV's settings. Indeed, the knowledge that you'll make the picture worse means you're happy just to sit back and enjoy.

 

[strapped for cash]

If someone calibrated my TV and agrees for me to pay only if I find it worthwhile.....

Ask EllisDJ. He's a friendly guy that owns an i1 and Calman.

Since you've debated the benefits of calibration with him previously, he might be keen to prove a point!

 

[strapped for cash]

My bedroom TV is good, but will definitely benefit from professional calibration. But I'm not prepared to pay £200 only to watch an occasional Freeview programme before I go to sleep.

I'd agree with you on this point.

If you own a meter then sure, why not sit down for an afternoon to calibrate a cheaper, second-room TV.

Otherwise, I wouldn't pay a professional just to calibrate a 32" LED TV. You'd be charged little extra to calibrate both your main TV and bedroom set, however.

 

[Oldboy]

It's a very interesting discussion this strapped. On one hand I can see the purpose of getting the tv calibrated correctly and by someone who has the knowledge to do the screen full justice but my biggest issue with it is that if you get any issues with the tv and it's either repaired or replaced then effectively you have wasted your money.

If the screen is replaced for example as has happened to many people then it will need doing again and I also wonder what effect other reairs would have on the calibration too and for those reasons I would personally stick with my AVS HD 709 calibration disc which is far superior to the THX optimiser disc.

I don't doubt for one minute the merits of a calibration but the fact that should any issue arise with the tv then the calibration would need doing again is a major stumbling block and could lead to esculating costs making the £200-300 cost not so appealing, if you could just pay one flat fee and have it tied in to your tv so that any repairs are covered for recalibration that would be a very different prospect but that is impossible so self calibration will remain my preferred option.

 

[Dan.m]

Where can you find someone to calibrate your TV?

 

[strapped for cash]

if you get any issues with the tv and it's either repaired or replaced then effectively you have wasted your money.

As you know, I've had my fair share of problem TVs, so I can understand that logic.

That's why I wanted to be sure this TV is a keeper before biting the bullet. True, the TV could develop a terminal fault tomorrow, and I'd have wasted my money, but the price was very reasonable and the risk very calculated.

The DIY route makes some sense if you're worried about this. If the TV is repaired of replaced, you simply get the meter out and start again. Of course this means spending more money than on a professional calibration; it also means getting your meter profiled against a spectro periodically to ensure its accuracy.

 

[strapped for cash]

Where can you find someone to calibrate your TV?

Here:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=h&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=210766441320107979898.0004a63912ac68edf2d4d

Most will travel, so it's wise to do some research first on individual calibrators and prices.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Sounds like a really cushy job? "TV calibrator"

Not like working down the mines ;-)

 

[VoodooDoctor]

Sounds like a really cushy job? "TV calibrator"

Not like working down the mines ;-)

I've had my television calibrated and will have any other screens or projectors that I buy in the future calibrated as well. It takes a long time and demands a lot of patience but the improvements are very obvious. I have a document with all the settings in case they get wiped.

Most people don't have problems with their televisions breaking down so I don't think it is that much of a gamble to have it done. With a new plasma screen the calibrator recommended waiting until 100-200 hours of use so that the screen had bedded in prior to the calibration.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Also, what are the perceived advantages of paying a professional vs. buying your own meter and software? Which offers the best value? To a degree this is system dependent. If you're Son_of_SJ, for instance, and own several high-end TVs, buying a meter arguably represents value for money as you can calibrate every TV you own. (Including that second-bedroom Kuro ).

I am indeed Son_of_SJ, and I've been away from the forum for two weeks on a trip to, amongst other things, see SJ's final resting place, of which my brothers and I had to have the headstone re-engraved, since it had weathered rather badly since the last time that we saw it, 19 years ago. Does getting one's father's headstone re-engraved count as a video calibration??

I gather that the cost of getting a TV professionally calibrated is about £250, but part of that includes the calibrator's travel costs, so if I had three or four TVs done at the same visit perhaps I would get a discount?? If things go well for me this year and I finally get a 65" Panasonic plasma (last year I wanted the 65ST50, but plans - okay, money - fell through) then I will certainly get it, and the Pioneer LX5090 (which will then be promoted to my bedroom) and/or the Samsung, and/or the LG 60PZ950T currently in the kitchen calibrated. I will need to look into getting a meter and supporting software and doing it myself, versus getting a professional calibrator in. I honestly don't yet know which would be the better option. I'm leaning towards doing it myself in future, once I have seen a professional calibrator in action.

I've had my television calibrated and will have any other screens or projectors that I buy in the future calibrated as well. It takes a long time and demands a lot of patience but the improvements are very obvious. I have a document with all the settings in case they get wiped.

Most people don't have problems with their televisions breaking down so I don't think it is that much of a gamble to have it done. With a new plasma screen the calibrator recommended waiting until 100-200 hours of use so that the screen had bedded in prior to the calibration.

Yes, I've previously seen mentioned the figure of 200 hours use before getting your TV calibrated. Which is why I am puzzled that TPS just south of Manchester, who sell only Panasonic TVs I believe, offer a calibration for only £99 with every new TV they sell, when by definition that TV will not have done 200 hours????

 

[bigboss]

Speak to Nigel Moore at Peter Tyson. They're based in Cumbria, & may come up. They usually offer discounts for multiple screens.

I think TPS will come after a few weeks to calibrate your TV, once it's done 200 hours.

 

[strapped for cash]

So is price the biggest barrier for many forum members? That seems a common concern, because people are anxious it'd be wasted money if their TV goes kaput, or simply believe calibration is generally too expensive.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

So is price the biggest barrier for many forum members? That seems a common concern, because people are anxious it'd be wasted money if their TV goes kaput, or simply believe calibration is generally too expensive.

Yep. My Philips 32pd9731d got a line mark down the screen, and my Pioneer 5090 got a big black mark down the right of the screen! My Panasonic actually has a little bit of that going on too, but you can only see it when the screen is off! I did take a photo of it the other day, I will have to upload it sometime, because the Pioneer one was twice as big and even blacker! I am now wondering what exactly it is? It was definitely screen burn on the Pioneer because I had two people inspect it! My Panasonic has a tiny bit of image retention but nothing too bad.

 

[lxd55]

Hi Strapped, really good post. I hadn't even considered getting someone in to calibrate my telly. Part of this was down to the fact that given the price to calibrate and the value of my telly, ie it's not a high end set, that I equated calibration more for top end tellys. Having read the recent threads on vt/zt65 it was the 1st time I started to become aware. Normally I just use the thx optimiser app to set the picture, on the whole I'm happy, but I posted a while back regarding blue tint in really dark scene's. I'm not entirely convinced my set is set to it's full potential, so it become's an annoying itch where I'm constantly on the quest to tweak and paranoid on the blue tint (haven't really managed to get rid on really dark scene's).What's worse is that from the link you posted there are 2 calibrators very close to me. The other challenge will be the missus, "...but why do you need to spend that amount of cash when the telly looks fine to me???"Keen to hear feedback from other members that have had it done, preferably on sets closer to my spec, but I doubt there will be many?? :?