Arguments for and against calibration

[pioneer7]

Thanks GSB BB

Thats good to know, its all very well spending £200-£300 on calibration but not really knowing anything about it is risky, and trying to find any in depth info is not easy hence the questions, having said all that I have not heard any thing bad or any unhappy customers, the only real sort of review has been from Strapped, it is hard to think that such an improvement for not a mega amount of money can give such improvements, and as stated earlier in the thread some die hard AV Fans will not think twice about spending £100 upwards on a HDMI Cable with very little if any improvements, so spending this sort of money on a calibration seems good value. However as stated it would be good if there was some sort of cover/garantee should the settings be lost, so I can see the concern of some, still cant have it all I suppose... 8)

 

[strapped for cash]

It's not the case a level2 can do more,but has more experiance.

Whether a Calibrator is THX Level I or Level II certified isn't a question of experience. Rather, it denotes what level of THX training they've paid for. The same is true of ISF Level I and Level II.

I'd pay more attention to customer reviews and feedback on websites such as AV Forums. I recommended Steve Withers because he's relatively local to Pioneer7 and one of AV Forums' professional reviewers.

 

[pioneer7]

Hi Strapped

Thanks for the feed back, I think I would rather use some one who is recomended, you seem to think highly of this chap steve withers, I will have a look at the forum, in the mean time perhaps you could forward a link to his details if thats OK. I can email him and get some info.

Tar very much... 8)

 

[pioneer7]

By the way Strapped

If you are still interested in C/Audio 671 player I can put in touch with the guy at Cambridge audio who I think has a couple of brand new units left, let me know and I will forward you his details.. 8)

 

[strapped for cash]

Hi Strapped

Thanks for the feed back, I think I would rather use some one who is recomended, you seem to think highly of this chap steve withers, I will have a look at the forum, in the mean time perhaps you could forward a link to his details if thats OK. I can email him and get some info.

Tar very much... 8)

I've never met Steve Withers or employed him to calibrate a TV, but he's an AV Forums professional reviewer. You can view the results he's achieved by reading countless AV Forums reviews. More details on his services here:

http://www.stormfrontav.com/

I'd shop around and see how prices compare and what service is offered. For instance, you might want a 3D calibration, in which case you'll need to check that the individual calibrator will do this and not charge extra.

Julian Scott calibrated my VT65. He's based in Leicester, but he will travel and his price is very reasonable. Julian's a nice guy and very thorough. He won't leave without being completely satisfied that he's got the absolute best from your TV and that you're entirely happy as a customer. This isn't true of every calibrator -- some want to get the job done as quickly as possible and leave -- so it pays to do some research. See this link for details of Julian's calibration service:

http://www.displaycalibration.co.uk/

Hope that's some help.

 

[strapped for cash]

By the way Strapped

If you are still interested in C/Audio 671 player I can put in touch with the guy at Cambridge audio who I think has a couple of brand new units left, let me know and I will forward you his details.. 8)

Thanks Pioneer7.

I'd be interested to know what price would be charged and whether there would be a warranty.

 

[pioneer7]

Alright Strapped

I will drop him an email tomorrow and check for you, they are boxed brand new with warantee not sure how long cambridge audio is with garantee, the price at the time was around £300.

Thanks for the tips on calibration as well.... 8)

 

[strapped for cash]

Thanks Pioneer7. That's very helpful.

 

[VoodooDoctor]

Hi Strapped

Thanks for the feed back, I think I would rather use some one who is recomended, you seem to think highly of this chap steve withers, I will have a look at the forum, in the mean time perhaps you could forward a link to his details if thats OK. I can email him and get some info.

Tar very much... 8)

I've never met Steve Withers or employed him to calibrate a TV, but he's an AV Forums professional reviewer. You can view the results he's achieved by reading countless AV Forums reviews. More details on his services here:

http://www.stormfrontav.com/

I'd shop around and see how prices compare and what service is offered. For instance, you might want a 3D calibration, in which case you'll need to check that the individual calibrator will do this and not charge extra.

Julian Scott calibrated my VT65. He's based in Leicester, but he will travel and his price is very reasonable. Julian's a nice guy and very thorough. He won't leave without being completely satisfied that he's got the absolute best from your TV and that you're entirely happy as a customer. This isn't true of every calibrator -- some want to get the job done as quickly as possible and leave -- so it pays to do some research. See this link for details of Julian's calibration service:

http://www.displaycalibration.co.uk/

Hope that's some help.

julian did my TV as well. Excellent service even when my grumpy dog was barking at him a lot.

 

[pioneer7]

Thanks VooDoo

Will contact them for some info, will let you know how I get on.. 8)

 

[pioneer7]

Strapped...

I have left the details of the player on your other thread 671.as this is Tvs thread. 8)

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Sometime in the next three to six weeks I will be getting either the two most public televisions (the Samsung PS64D8000 in the parlour and the much-maligned LG 60PZ950T in the kitchen) or all four of them, including the two Pioneers, calibrated by either Steve Withers or Mark Hodgkinson, who both review for AVForums and can be found on the link that bigboss gave on page 2 of this thread. I'm getting all excited!

 

[strapped for cash]

Well, you can't go wrong employing Steve or Mark. Have you contacted them yet?

I'll be interested to hear what you think of the results.

 

[Anonymous]

You need an isf trained calibrator as some Tv are difficult to calibrate as they have such an extensive controls.Out of the box colour and grey setting is never spot on. Some are better though so a lot less elaborate calibration is required. Top end PC screens now come with its own calibration sheet straight from the factory.

I had my W905 calibrated by following Av forum's settings. It was simple and effective on the Sony. Only two point white balance of red and green adjustment are needed and then perfect reference color and grey scale (2.4) with a delta E reading of less than 1. But even 3 is good enough. Sony makes it easy and no extra cost.

The avforum guy Steve Withers reviewing the W905a Tv said it took 5 mins to do the test set and said-'well done sony' to an already done out of the box colour and grey scale setting. horray....

 

[strapped for cash]

You need an isf trained calibrator as some Tv are difficult to calibrate as they have such an extensive controls.Out of the box colour and grey setting is never spot on. Some are better though so a lot less elaborate calibration is required. Top end PC screens now come with its own calibration sheet straight from the factory.

I had my W905 calibrated by following Av forum's settings. It was simple and effective on the Sony. Only two point white balance of red and green adjustment are needed and then perfect reference color and grey scale (2.4) with a delta E reading of less than 1. But even 3 is good enough. Sony makes it easy and no extra cost.

The avforum guys reviewing the W905a Tv said it took 5 mins to do the test set.

You've copied settings, which cannot account for individual differences between TVs, even of the same make and model, or for specific viewing conditions in your home. In other words, you did not get your TV calibrated.

With respect, please consider what you're saying in your posts, so they don't demand correction. There's a pattern emerging here -- you say something we already know (such as "you need an ISF trained calibrator"); then issue a statement that's typically inaccurate and/or a non-sequitur.

 

[Anonymous]

Why are you on the attack strap, when there is no attack.Honestly.I was not commenting on a plasma Tv.I certainly believe that Led Tvs have less variations for a personal calibration to be necessary.Yes it will be ideally done set by set.

Ok accepting each tv have variations it is still better than making it up setting all yourself.My Tv looks better since I followed the setting.The settings were published in kind for all to use as they see fit.You taking things too seriously on the sematics.

Technically as you say copying settings is not the same as paying for a personal service, I would not pay but results are closer than Diy. I am talking about Leds Tvs. I would encourage it.

I never said you wasted your money with paying but I praised the words of the avforum experts who calibrated the W905.We are even encouraged to use the published settings.Steve Withers never said don't use their setting. He has done us a service.

I am curious what professional credentials you have on TV knowledge to correct me? If you do not then do not flatter yourself.Only those with professional training experience in reviews and journalism would be 'experts'.

We are all entitled to have our opinions here. I thought you believed in that but you wish to correct people. You are been extremely pedantic unnecessarily.

 

[strapped for cash]

AV Forums has only recently decided to publish setting in response to endless requests from forum members. Reviewers publish settings with the caveat that they may make your TV look worse. (That's been my experience when copying settings, at least as often as not.)

It may seem that I'm making a tedious semantic point, but anyone reading your post might conclude that copying settings will deliver results equivalent to professional or DIY calibration using a meter. It won't.

Finally, if it seems like I'm on the attack, this is because your posts often contain misinformation. Moreover, your contributions to this forum seem consistently motivated by a compulsion to shout "I've got the best TV." Perhaps you have; but telling us once is good enough. We're generally perceptive individuals with pretty good memories.

As for "professional credentials," in the interests of forum anonymity, I'll keep that to myself. Make of that what you will. I honestly don't mind.

 

[bigboss]

TV settings suggested by other members and TV calibrators certainly can help. That can be used as a starting point for further tweaking to suit you. Just bear in mind that this is not equivalent to a professional calibration. A professional calibration takes the lighting conditions in your house into account. Otherwise, it would've been easy for dealers to offer "professional calibration" service which they can do for you in their workshop before shipping the TV to you.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Well, you can't go wrong employing Steve or Mark. Have you contacted them yet?

I'll be interested to hear what you think of the results.

I have contacted both of them, but I stupidly got my wires crossed and they are now deciding between themselves which of them comes to calibrate two or four of my televisions. I'm sure that either will be excellent. And yes, I'll be saying, in this thread, what difference, if any, the calibration has made. I'm also prepared for the calibration to maybe have a greater benefit on some of my televisions than others. So far I have adjusted all my televisions as best I can using the Spears and Munsil test Blu-Ray, but of course I can't do things like the two-point or ten-point white balance, the greyscale, or set the gamma correctly, or the intricacies of the red, magenta and cyan adjustments in the colour management systems. All these need specialist measuring equipment which I don't have, and, following the spirit of what Mr Malarky said on the first page of this thread, I'm quite happy not to have! Which is where the professional calibrators come in!

You need an isf trained calibrator

Steve and Mark are indeed so trained, thank you. They are on the AVForums list of approved calibrators!

 

[bigboss]

You need an isf trained calibrator

Steve and Mark are indeed so trained, thank you. They are on the AVForums list of approved calibrators!

Indeed. In fact, Steve is the reviewer of Sony W905 on AV Forums and has posted those settings which z058261 has used!

 

[Anonymous]

AV Forums has only recently decided to publish setting in response to endless requests from forum members. Reviewers publish settings with the caveat that they may make your TV look worse. (That's been my experience when copying settings, at least as often as not.)

It may seem that I'm making a tedious semantic point, but anyone reading your post might conclude that copying settings will deliver results equivalent to professional or DIY calibration using a meter. It won't.

Finally, if it seems like I'm on the attack, this is because your posts often contain misinformation. Moreover, your contributions to this forum seem consistently motivated by a compulsion to shout "I've got the best TV." Perhaps you have; but telling us once is good enough. We're generally perceptive individuals with pretty good memories.

As for "professional credentials," in the interests of forum anonymity, I'll keep that to myself. Make of that what you will. I honestly don't mind.

You have indeed made a tedious point and I am glad you admit to it.I have not said copying calibration setting is better than paying for Steve Withers to do it.I commented from my experience and are pleased.I am having a bit of a jolly from the recent good publicity on my TV so do not spoil it....as I would not rain in on your parade.
Secondly, you need to give more credence to readers on the forum as they are able to decide on the merit of what they read and you not need to act like a prefect or moderator which you have been in vetting post? You think I was attacking you for paying for a calibration and it is all in your imagination and I never said I have the best TV, again your imagination.
I am sharing my belief backed by published analysis and to inform on my unshakable believe in LEDs. It is all done and consistent with the forum rules.

 

[strapped for cash]

Indeed. In fact, Steve is the reviewer of Sony W905 on AV Forums and has posted those settings which z058261 has used!

But the Ministry of Misinformation told me that copying setting will produce more accurate results with LED televisions.

I'd argue strongly that copying settings will likely cause more problems than it solves, irrespective of technology. There may be a placebo effect.

 

[bigboss]

AV Forums has only recently decided to publish setting in response to endless requests from forum members. Reviewers publish settings with the caveat that they may make your TV look worse. (That's been my experience when copying settings, at least as often as not.)

It may seem that I'm making a tedious semantic point, but anyone reading your post might conclude that copying settings will deliver results equivalent to professional or DIY calibration using a meter. It won't.

Finally, if it seems like I'm on the attack, this is because your posts often contain misinformation. Moreover, your contributions to this forum seem consistently motivated by a compulsion to shout "I've got the best TV." Perhaps you have; but telling us once is good enough. We're generally perceptive individuals with pretty good memories.

As for "professional credentials," in the interests of forum anonymity, I'll keep that to myself. Make of that what you will. I honestly don't mind.

You have indeed made a tedious point and I am glad you admit to it.I have not said copying calibration setting is better than paying for Steve Withers to do it.I commented from my experience and are pleased.I am having a bit of a jolly from the recent good publicity on my TV so do not spoil it....as I would not rain in on your parade. Secondly, you need to give more credence to readers on the forum as they are able to decide on the merit of what they read and you not need to act like a prefect or moderator which you have been in vetting post? You think I was attacking you for paying for a calibration and it is all in your imagination and I never said I have the best TV, again your imagination. I am sharing my belief backed by published analysis and to inform on my unshakable believe in LEDs. It is all done and consistent with the forum rules.

It seems to me that there is a misunderstanding z058261. From what I can see, strapped merely commented on your statement:

I had my W905 calibrated by following Av forum's settings.

He just wants to make sure you're not getting confused. What you've done does not imply calibration. You've tweaked your settings to your liking.

I also don't understand why you think strapped is spoiling all the good publicity the Sony has got. I haven't come across any of his posts to that effect.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

I am sharing my belief backed by published analysis and to inform on my unshakable believe in LEDs.

I hope you don't mind that all the televisions which I will be getting calibrated are plasmas? Which, incidentally, I have happened to prefer since I got into home cinema five years ago, but I certainly wouldn't call that an unshakeable belief in plasma technology over LCDs or LEDs. I've seen very fine examples of all technologies. My sister-in-law's 2011 and 2012 Samsung LEDs, for instance.

 

[strapped for cash]

You think I was attacking you for paying for a calibration and it is all in your imagination and I never said I have the best TV, again your imagination. I am sharing my belief backed by published analysis and to inform on my unshakable believe in LEDs. It is all done and consistent with the forum rules.

I didn't think you were attacking me; I simply took issue with the way your post was phrased, since it suggested copying settings is as good as a professional calibration.

Your commitment to your "LED is best" agenda is unwavering. I don't want every thread to turn into an LED vs. plasma debate, but this seems to be your objective. I just wish you'd stop it. Nobody's objecting to you enjoying your new TV; but a string of posts crowing "my TV's better than yours" gets tiresome pretty quickly.