Arguments for and against calibration

[Paddyfin]

I had my system calibrated last week and I love the results

my projector needed the most calibration, whilst my pioneer tv was quite quick

Steve Withers from stormfront did a great job of explaining everything and tolerating someone who by his standard is truly a novice

thanks Steve :cheers:

 

[ellisdj]

I Have done it, have got even better performance than previously from my 65VT65- I have actually done it twice sicne the last time I posted about it

Thanks to My cousin getting a 65VT and not being 100% happy with the 2.4 cal I did for him - he started on at me and started researching into it

His system seemed to crush more detail than mine in the blacks but that did highlight one thing to me I was doing slightly wrong, (he is not used to a 2.4 gamma cal so its much darker than he is used to - it wasnt that wrong before)

Followed by an email from Calman telling of their latest update to the software and a suggestion to a better calibration. This corroborated what he has found.

I did another calibration today following these guidelines and the picture has got even better than before

All the benefits of a deep rich 2.4 gamma calibration without the side effects of the power gamma curve in the low IRE's. So Happy days - I have also managed to learn how to get a near perfect reading gamma out of the VT65, using less variances in the finer controls - before I always seemed to get a small kink and was hitting the smaller controls hard which is not recommended.

Its not leaps and bounds better than the previous calibration (Both are a fair but better than the cal I last took pictures of) they are very similar / but the new cal is easier to watch, easier to make out finer details and another step in the right direction of getting the most I can from the TV.

I have read about getting even better picture, but that means accessing the service menus - I am not brave enough to attempt that yet

 

[ellisdj]

Just a couple of rubbish pictures taken on my phone of normal TV - even that was set on a low 2mb pixel setting so that they could be viewed on an iphone.

These have not been paused, I have just taken them as its been going along - I will take some better ones when I get time but the image has serious "pop" now and I think these pictures give a bit of an idea of that

There are 3 white dots on the image - that the reflection of a ceiling light in my room

http://imageshack.com/a/img547/1484/fznx.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img839/2095/6ncp.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img855/7459/6ko8.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img585/5409/z5if.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img854/9499/fc9t.jpg

 

[Pindi]

Wow! Have to say that your pictures look great.

 

[Series1boy]

Has anybody had any experience using Vincent teoh from HDTV to calibrate their TV?

 

[theflyingwasp]

Received machete kills early from zavvi today,anyone that is still on the fence with calibration wouldn't think twice after seeing this and for those who have got a calibrated screen get machete kills NOW!

NOW!

 

[Series1boy]

Taking the plunge again and having my VT recalibrated but to 2.4 gamma this time. Will let you know how I get on.

 

[ellisdj]

Seriers 1 Boy - you want a BT1886 Calibration - not a power gamma 2.4

Look it up and you can thank me later for giving you better better definaed blacks with the rich 2.4 gamma image!!

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Taking the plunge again and having my VT recalibrated but to 2.4 gamma this time. Will let you know how I get on.

Who is doing this second calibration? Remind us, what was gamma for the first calibrations?

 

[theflyingwasp]

Hey Son_of_SJ

If in the near future you have mr withers up to your place to calibrate anything give me a shout I want him to tinker about with my ZT.im 30 miles from you.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

I don't think that I'll be getting anything calibrated any time soon, unless I suddenly come into money!

 

[Series1boy]

Thanks ellisdj. Will have a chat to Vincent when he comes on Friday...

Son of - Vincent teoh from HDTV Test is coming along to do the VT. He's made me an offer I can't refuse so is a win win for me. It was calibrated to 2.2 last time.

 

[ellisdj]

BT1886 is the way forward and soon to be the standard that all production will be made to if its not already.

Once you see a TV calibrated this way it makes perfect sense - otherwise blacks are crushed - especially by a power gamma of 2.4 even a TV with amazing black level as the ZT will crush blacks like this.

There is a simple white paper on it explaining

 

[strapped for cash]

There is a simple white paper on it explaining

Available here:

http://studio.spectracal.com/bt-1886

 

[ellisdj]

That would be the one - you all listened to me when I said 2.4 gamma was better - well it is but it crushes black detail - not hugely but it does crush the gradations which gives the image pop

This 1886 Curve is better as it addresses that but still allows for the rich image of 2.4 gamma.

This is only possible on TV's with 10 point gamma controls - so need need to go mad if you dont have them but is worth knowing if you have a good TV and are having it calibrated in the near future.

You can all thank me later

 

[tele1962]

Has anybody had any experience using Vincent teoh from HDTV to calibrate their TV?

Vincent is one of the very best.

 

[tele1962]

That would be the one - you all listened to me when I said 2.4 gamma was better - well it is but it crushes black detail - not hugely but it does crush the gradations which gives the image pop

This 1886 Curve is better as it addresses that but still allows for the rich image of 2.4 gamma.

This is only possible on TV's with 10 point gamma controls - so need need to go mad if you dont have them but is worth knowing if you have a good TV and are having it calibrated in the near future.

You can all thank me later

1886 has not as far as i know been adopted by any of the studios so using this option will give wrong results.

 

[ellisdj]

Thats not what spectracal recommend - after having both 2.4 power gamma and 1886 calibrations 1886 looks better.

1886 is the standard gamma selected in the newest calman

 

[Series1boy]

He's going to see how the VT goes but will be working towards the 18 fingy mi bob standard......

 

[tele1962]

2.4 at this point in time is the studio standard.

However just been reading this so maybe i am wrong?

From Chromapure:

" The correct approach is suggested by the sRGB standard and has fairly recently been codified in a new gamma specification called BT.1886, which uses 2.4 as a starting point but adjusts the overall response curve depending on the black level and white level of the display.

Like sRGB, BT.1886 recommends a gamma response that is higher at the top end than at the low end. A straight power curve of 2.4 is correct only if the display has a zero black level and an infinite contrast ratio, which no real-world display has. The full BT.1886 specification is complex and its precise recommendations vary depending upon the white level, and especially the black level, of the display.

However, if you don't want to bother with a precise BT.1886 calculation, white/black values of 120/0.03 cd/m2 serve as a good rule of thumb. This results in a gamma response between 2.3-2.4 at the top end and 2.2-2.1 on the low end ".

 

[ellisdj]

Thats why it makes sense - did my research before using it and cross referenced after against power 2.4

On my VT is only a slight curve not as dramatic as 2.2 - 2.4 because of the black level.

But its not 0 ftl for black so it is needed

 

[tele1962]

Although we are viewing this through probably uncalibrated PC monitors, you sort of get the idea. Calibrated by me my Panasonic 55"ST60:

 

[ellisdj]

My PC Monitor is calibrated - thats looks good - what are you playing?

Also what camera have youm taken the pic with?

 

[tele1962]

Thats a scene from Baraka.

The camera is a Fuji Finepix S2980.

 

[ellisdj]

not seen it but thought it might baraka