Spears & Munsil Blu-ray Test Disc

[aramis109]

Hah, didn't even know this thread existed. I was just talking up your calibration disc today. Ordered it from Oppo (apparently the only place you can get it right now) and really dig it. Feel it's a big quality jump over the DVE offerings.

Thanks!

[Sharpie]

Originally Posted by Stacey Spears

Don and I just signed off on a blue filter. Assuming all goes well, we should have them in about a month. The plan is to provide the filter to everyone who has purchased the disc.

As far as stacking the glasses, that depends on the display. Look through the glasses and see if they are able to block out red and green. You can tell by looking at the bars that are supposed to turn black. If colors are leaking through, then stack them.

I just purchased and recieved(..from Amazon) both the DVE and your guy's disk, I haven't tried to use either one yet but plan to try yours on my Sharp Aquos LC65D93U TV not this weeked but the following weekend, Mine has a Blue filter with it, but the 1x side has a smudge right in the middle, is that the filter you refer to or is there going to be a better one?

Thanks !

[Stacey Spears]

Mine has a Blue filter with it, but the 1x side has a smudge right in the middle, is that the filter you refer to or is there going to be a better one?

That is the filter, and there should not be a smudge. Email support over at OPPO and they can hopefully swap it out. If not, let me know and I will find a way to swap it.

[Stacey Spears]

I do not know how to change the Contrast, Luma and Chroma related things.

We have posted articles on our website for adjusting brightness and contrast. If you have not ready them, please do.

The contrast pattern is used in conjuntion with your contrast/picture control on the display. Luma and chroma patterns are used for evaluation. If you want to figure out which color space is best, they will be used.

I am hoping we finish up the color/tint article soon. Once the basic articles are complete, more interesting stuff can be covered.

[garlad]

Might seem a silly question, but is this disc region free??

[moviefan]

Originally Posted by jwbbud

Here's the Amazon link for anyone that needs to order:

Spears & Munsil High-Definition Benchmark

OR you could buy the OPPO BDP-83 and get it for free!

[Sharpie]

Originally Posted by Stacey Spears

That is the filter, and there should not be a smudge. Email support over at OPPO and they can hopefully swap it out. If not, let me know and I will find a way to swap it.

The one that has the smudge in the middle is the one I got from Amazon(stand alone purchase). I wound up, after extensive reading in these forums and other sites, buying the OPPO BDP-83 player and its' blu filter is good. Used it on both of my HD screens. They look awesome now, I had no idea that the factory settings were that far off! I also used the audio calibration disk that came with the OPPO after rewiring to use the analog out. My speakers never sounded better!

My natural inclination is to "forgive" the bad blue filter from Amazon since I now have a good one...should I go for a replacement?

Thanks for your reply

[Stacey Spears]

Might seem a silly question, but is this disc region free??

Not silly at all. Yes, it is region free.

should I go for a replacement?

Not unless you need 9 layers of filtering. (3 x 3x)

[Stacey Spears]

We have posted an article with additional detail on the patterns. Technical Notes on the Patterns | Spears & Munsil

[jorjoskim]

Hey all I just received this disc in the mail.

I was wondering, the first time I use the disc should I reset the picture settings on the TV first? I have a 52Z5100. My current settings are:

Picture Mode - Custom
Backlight - 2
Picture - 90
Brightness - 46/47
Color - 48
Hue - R1
Color Temperature - Warm 1
Sharpness - Minimum
Noise Reduction - Off
MPEG Noise Reduction - Off
MotionFlow - Off
CineMotion - Off

ADVANCED SECTION

Black Corrector - Off
ACE - Off
Gamma - +2
Auto Light Limiter - Off
Clear White - Off

WHITE BALANCE

Red Gain (-4)
Green Gain (-13)
Blue Gain (-11)
Red Bias (0)
Green Bias (0)
Blue Bias (-1)


The default Gamma and White Balance are 0. Should I put them back there or leave it as I have it? I came to these levels based on someones calibration on their TV.

Also is there a way to determine how high the backlight should be? I think "picture" is contrast.


I have never used a calibration disc, so I am soooooooo lost

[Stacey Spears]

There is no calibration for backlight.

-Picture -> Use the Contrast Pattern
-Brightness -> Use the PLUGE Low pattern
-Color -> Use the Color Bars pattern
-Hue -> Use the Color Bars pattern
-Color Temperature -> Use the 11-step Gray Scale pattern. You also have custom white balance values. I am not sure how this display works with both. I assume you have the white balance written down. If so, default back to 0 and then change Color Temp to Neutral. In fact, compare Neutral to your Warm1 with the custom settings.
-Sharpness -> Sharpness
-CineMotion -> I think Auto2 is probably the good mode, but should not matter on 1080p24 input.
-Gamma -> Use Image Cropping as a start. Stand at the back of your room and select the gamma that makes the middle the least visible. ie try and make it blend into the gray around it. You may also want to look at PLUGE Low. You want the gamma where the right two bars are closet in brightness to each other and the checkerboard is barely visible. Should still be present up at the screen, but back at the room you should wonder if it is present.

The rest of your setting are in off, which is a good thing.

I also recommend putting up contrast and switching through the various picture modes (Vivid, Cinema, etc...) to see the behavior. Don't be afraid to test stuff out.

Here is an example. Select PLUGE Low. Pull up the brightness control. Turn it all the way up and then all the way down. This will give you and idea of what happens. Then set it where the left two bars are no longer present. You should still have the two bars on the right and the checkerboard in the background.

w/r/t Blue clipping - While looking at the clipping pattern, cycle through the color temp modes and see if it changes. Also, does turning down contrast change it? Blue is probably the most difficult to see. Red would be next. White and green are pretty easy to see.

[Stacey Spears]

Not sure if anyone has been listening to the home theater geeks podcast. We were on last weeks. http://twit.tv/htg8

There are lots of interesting podcasts. Don Eklund was on a couple of weeks ago. He talks a bit about 3D.

[spartyblu]

Do the color filters come with the disc sold on Amazon? Any other "extras" that need to be purchased to use this disc fully? I would like to know before purchasing. Thanks.

[Stacey Spears]

The disc comes with a blue filter for setting color and tint.

Nothing else is required to use this disc. We have published an updated article that provides additional details on the patterns included. Just go to the articles section on our website.

[spartyblu]

Originally Posted by Stacey Spears

The disc comes with a blue filter for setting color and tint.

Nothing else is required to use this disc. We have published an updated article that provides additional details on the patterns included. Just go to the articles section on our website.

Thanks Stacey!


Buying....

[Stacey Spears]

If you have any questions, you can post here or send us an email and we will do our best to answer.

[blu-bry]

I FINALLY broke down and ordered this. Now I can't wait for it to arrive! Previously I used DVE but only have it on DVD. I also used settings posted by others on this and similar forums. My display looks great, but I'm always wondering - could it be better? (I can't justify shelling out what it would cost to have a pro come in to calibrate).

[Joe Cain]

After considerable research, I just ordered mine.

A thought? It might be nice---and perhaps easier for folks to find the info they seek---if the thread were retitled to reflect the name of the product and the disc's authors' involvement here.

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by Joe Cain

A thought? It might be nice---and perhaps easier for folks to find the info they seek---if the thread were retitled to reflect the name of the product and the disc's authors' involvement here.

+1

The thread title is way too generic.

Anyone else see the irony in "Joe Cain" pointing this out?

[Stacey Spears]

Probably more so if he spelled his last name Kane.