• Avid Media Composer

  HDTV monitor calibration

  Posted by Len Hugh on June 5, 2014 at 2:42 am

  More and more these days I am questioning the colour of monitors I have to work with.
  I am freelance so I work with a variety of monitors.

  After some web research there seem to be affordable options to calibrate computer monitors but when it comes to my client monitor with is often a domestic HDTV it becomes more expensive.

  Does anyone have advise on how to calibrate a HDTV with in a reasonable budget e.g. less then $1000
  I have had success with contrast and brightness using Pluge.
  its fairly rare that HDTV has a blue mode.
  I hear mixed reviews about the reliability of blue filters.
  My biggest problem is how to adjust correctly for a blue, red or green shift.
  thanks in advance

  Len Hugh replied 11 years, 11 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  Mike Nagel

  June 5, 2014 at 8:49 am

  Hi,

  here are calibration approaches for your HDTV/monitor, starting with best possible results:

  1) full 3D LUT calibration (using probes and calibration sw)

  2) 6pt calibration using the CMS controls of your TV (using probes and calibration sw)

  3) ICC based calibration (using probes and calibration sw)

  4) calibration using calibration discs and dedicated calibration patterns (no probes or sw involved)

  re (1): I can only highly recommend this, which will give the best possible results on any screen – there is no better alternative. This is the only calibration suitable for color critical application.

  Purchase list for (1) – cheapest option for best results:
  * i1D3/i1Display Pro colorimeter OEM version (do not buy RETAIL version): ~ US$250
  * i1Pro spectro rev D (make sure to get rev D version): ~US$200 used or new off eBay
  * Lightspace HCL: GBP400 (~US$670) – best 3D LUT calibration sw available
  * eeColor LUT box: US$699 – 65^3 (274,625 correction points) external 3D LUT box supports full HD up to 10-bit

  total ~ US$1,819

  you can use this over and over on any HD screen (–> max resolution 1920×1080) and get stellar results.

  If this is above your budget, you could try Argyll CMS (instead of Lightspace) which is another 3D LUT calibration sw and also supports the eeColor LUT box and is free – total now: US$1,149.

  re (2): buy again both probes mentioned above, get Calman or Chrompaure and calibrate HDTV/monitor using internal CMS controls. If the screen does not have CMS controls or only limited or these controls don’t do much, there’s not much u can do. If you have a VERY linear display and good, usable CMS controls u can get a decent calibration from this approach. Other than that, not suitable for color critical application.

  re (3): buy again both probes mentioned above – u could create an ICC profile using Argyll CMS which is free. Obviously ICC profiles are limited and cannot target a gamut when active on the OS level, so there’s only limited use… not suitable for color critical application.

  re (4): since you tweak by eye via on screen patterns and cannot directly target gamut, greyscale or gamma, this is not suitable for color critical application.

  Hope this helps 😉

  – Mike

  Profiling & Calibration Workflow Tools: http://www.DisplayCalibrationTools.com
• 

  Michael Phillips

  June 5, 2014 at 12:43 pm

  I watched a webinar yesterday on the SpyderHD product from Datacolor. Something to consider if your on a tight budget.

  https://spyder.datacolor.com/portfolio-view/spyderhd/

  Michael
• 

  Len Hugh

  June 5, 2014 at 10:30 pm

  What a fantastic response.
  Cant thank you enough for your time putting this together.
  Ill have a think
  Thanks again

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