Do blu ray movies look better watching them in the nigt

[hk3cx]

why do blu ray movies look better when i watch them in the dark instead of the daytime with the blinds open

[invenio]

Their are many reasons, most importantly your going to appreciate better contrast. Your pupil will dilate in the dark to allow more light in. Brights are not going to be washed out by ambient light and darks should also be darker for the same reason. Also, you have to calibrate your TV setting for the appropriate lighting condition. You may want to calibrate it for daytime viewing if that's how you watch the TV most of the time (although I recommend dark viewing. I do all my viewing in the dark).

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by hk3cx

why do blu ray movies look better when i watch them in the dark instead of the daytime with the blinds open

Because it replicates the atmosphere of a commercial theater! I prefer to watch my blu-rays at night as well. If some reason, I periodically watch a movie in the daytime, I always close the blind, to make it dark as possible, but generally, I watch my blu-rays at night.

[Canada]

As invenieo said it increases contrast especially on LCD screens if you watch anything in a highly lit room everything looks dull and washed out that is why a lot of stores have there TV's set to "torch mode".

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by hk3cx

why do blu ray movies look better when i watch them in the dark instead of the daytime with the blinds open

It has much to do with the characteristics of the human visual system. This article will explain why in more detail: 'The Importance Of Viewing Environment Conditions In A Reference Display System'

Best regards and beautiful pictures,
Alan Brown, President
CinemaQuest, Inc.
A Lion AV Consultants Affiliate

"Advancing the art and science of electronic imaging"

[Turnda643]

I also watch everything on my main screen in a darker setting. and when iam watching at night, I turn off the lights closest to the tv. I have a large window directly across from my set. And when I moved in and got it all set-up, .......... it was like 'heeeeeeell noooo!' Perfect "THX" type logo box in the middle of my screen. And that was with the blinds closed!! I quickly made a B-line to Walmart and Target where I finally found the right shade of blackout curtains to match my wall color and diffuse the ambient light from outside during the day. Problem solved!! My next project within the month is too install some black floor length curtains behind my tv because I feel the white wall is also taking away from the black levels that I think i'll acheive better with the black background.

As someone already mentioned, the setting that you can best replacant a movie theater setting. Then the better your home viewing experience should be.

[Agent Bond]

Watching it in the evening is better because the glare isn't there to bother your movie experience.

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by Turnda643

.....My next project within the month is too [sic] install some black floor length curtains behind my tv because I feel the white wall is also taking away from the black levels that I think i'll acheive [sic] better with the black background......

You have it completely backwards. Go with the proven science, not your feelings:

"Their experimental results, obtained through matching and scaling experiments, showed that the perceived contrast of images increased when the image surround was changed from dark to dim to light. This effect occurs because the dark surround of an image causes dark areas to appear lighter while having little effect on light areas (white areas still appear white despite changes in surround). Thus since there is more of a perceived change in the dark areas of an image than in the light areas, there is a resultant change in perceived contrast.....Often, when working at a computer workstation, users turn off the room lights in order to make the CRT display appear of higher contrast. This produces a darker surround that should perceptually lower the contrast of the display. The predictions of Bartleson and Breneman are counter to everyday experience in this situation. The reason for this is that the room lights are usually introducing a significant amount of reflection off the face of the monitor and thus reducing the physical contrast of the displayed images. If the surround of the display can be illuminated without introducing reflection off the face of the display (e.g., by placing a light source behind the monitor that illuminates the surrounding area), the perceived contrast of the display will actually be higher than when it is viewed in a completely darkened room." from 'Color Appearance Models,' by Mark D. Fairchild, Ph.D., of the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science: Munsell Color Science Laboratory

[saprano]

Exactly Alan Brown.

Having some type of ambient light on in the room makes the blacks appear better than they really are.

I try to never watch a movie in complete darkness.

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by Alan Brown

You have it completely backwards. Go with the proven science, not your feelings:

"Their experimental results, obtained through matching and scaling experiments, showed that the perceived contrast of images increased when the image surround was changed from dark to dim to light. This effect occurs because the dark surround of an image causes dark areas to appear lighter while having little effect on light areas (white areas still appear white despite changes in surround). Thus since there is more of a perceived change in the dark areas of an image than in the light areas, there is a resultant change in perceived contrast.....Often, when working at a computer workstation, users turn off the room lights in order to make the CRT display appear of higher contrast. This produces a darker surround that should perceptually lower the contrast of the display. The predictions of Bartleson and Breneman are counter to everyday experience in this situation. The reason for this is that the room lights are usually introducing a significant amount of reflection off the face of the monitor and thus reducing the physical contrast of the displayed images. If the surround of the display can be illuminated without introducing reflection off the face of the display (e.g., by placing a light source behind the monitor that illuminates the surrounding area), the perceived contrast of the display will actually be higher than when it is viewed in a completely darkened room." from 'Color Appearance Models,' by Mark D. Fairchild, Ph.D., of the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science: Munsell Color Science Laboratory

Here is a link to several graphic demonstrations of how this perceptual phenomenon works.

[hk3cx]

Originally Posted by saprano

Exactly Alan Brown.

Having some type of ambient light on in the room makes the blacks appear better than they really are.

I try to never watch a movie in complete darkness.

whats wrong with watching it in complete darkness, i always do.

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by hk3cx

whats wrong with watching it in complete darkness, i always do.

Most humans experience eye strain and/or viewing fatigue when viewing typically bright electronic displays in complete darkness. You may be an exception. The publisher of Widescreen Review magazine, Gary Reber, insists he is immune to viewing discomfort while watching in the dark. There are genuine exceptions to many rules when it comes to how humans behave and respond to certain stimuli. If you are satisfied with the contrast and black level performance of your TV, continuing your viewing habits works for you. The vast majority of people who try implementing the video industry recommended practice of bias lighting report an improved viewing experience. It doesn't make them right or wrong.

[invenio]

Originally Posted by Alan Brown

Most humans experience eye strain and/or viewing fatigue when viewing typically bright electronic displays in complete darkness. You may be an exception. The publisher of Widescreen Review magazine, Gary Reber, insists he is immune to viewing discomfort while watching in the dark. There are genuine exceptions to many rules when it comes to how humans behave and respond to certain stimuli. If you are satisfied with the contrast and black level performance of your TV, continuing your viewing habits works for you. The vast majority of people who try implementing the video industry recommended practice of bias lighting report an improved viewing experience. It doesn't make them right or wrong.

I'm going to politely disagree with the statement that "most people have viewing discomfort in the dark". I think that most people can tolerate 2 hours of watching a movie in the dark. How many people complain of eye fatigue after coming out of a typical movie theater? The answer is very very few. I think if you had to sit there for 5 hours straight, that would be a different matter. However, eyestrain sets in only after a prolonged time in most individuals. At the same time, I think the dark room gives better picture quality.

I would say the following is a reasonable rule of thumb:
1. If you are not experience eye fatigue after watching a typical movie in the dark. Keep watching in the dark for better performance.
2. If you are experiencing eye fatigue, use bias lighting.

[Goldengirl]

I always try to watch with light in the room. For me, the eyestrain is not as great so I can comfortably watch longer, and, importantly, there seems to be more depth to the picture. That's one reason why watching, say for example, Fellowship of the Ring in complete darkness, in order to overcome the new darker coloring look it has doesn't work for me. Of course, YMMV.

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by invenio

I'm going to politely disagree with the statement that "most people have viewing discomfort in the dark". I think that most people can tolerate 2 hours of watching a movie in the dark. How many people complain of eye fatigue after coming out of a typical movie theater? The answer is very very few. I think if you had to sit there for 5 hours straight, that would be a different matter. However, eyestrain sets in only after a prolonged time in most individuals. At the same time, I think the dark room gives better picture quality.

I would say the following is a reasonable rule of thumb:
1. If you are not experience eye fatigue after watching a typical movie in the dark. Keep watching in the dark for better performance.
2. If you are experiencing eye fatigue, use bias lighting.

The following video industry standards bodies, technical experts, and program production/post production companies, recommend/define/use bias lighting for optimum viewing quality. You are not just disagreeing with my statement, but with human perceptual factors research going back over a half century in the television industry:

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Industrial Light and Magic (ILM)
The Imaging Science Foundation (ISF)
THX, Ltd.
Electronic Arts (EA)
Deluxe
Microsoft Corporation
Image Entertainment
Universal Studios
PostWorks
Joe Kane Productions
Ovation Multimedia
DisplayMate Technologies
CNET Labs
Radical Games
Factor5 Studios
High Moon Studios
CinRam
Rev13 Films
Advanced Television Evaluation Lab- Communications Research Centre- Canada
Apple Corporation
Filet Post Production
Post and Beam
Cheyenne Mtn. Entertainment
Zombie Studios
CBS Television
Deluxe Digital Studios
Splice Here
Slant Six Games
New Hat LLC
Roush Media
Samsung Germany
Digital Film Lab- Denmark
Nice Shoes, VFX New York
Desperate Housewives, Editorial
Rockhopper Post
Live Nation Studios
LionAV Consultants
Avical
Technicolor-NY
Technicolor-Canada
Max Post
Bandito Brothers Studio
Chainsaw Edit
Twin Cities Public Television
Colorflow Post
ABC Television
The Moving Picture Company
Dolby Labs
Dreamworks Animation
Univ. of Quebec at Montreal
No6 Studios
UberMedia-Canada
Powderhouse Productions
Colorama
ColorWorkz
IndieColor
Simplexity Digital Post
The Mews-London
Contact Studios
Blue Post-Australia
The Cutting Room
Shapeshifter Post
Fading Signal
Oroboros Films
Keystone Pictures-Canada
90 Degrees West
Blizzard Entertainment
Jam Edit
Hotpixel Post
Special When Lit
Flanders Scientific
Ed Kulzer Post
Out Of The Blue NY
Blacklist Productions
Vision On
Pure
Van Hurkman Productions
Ninja Goldfish
Color Image Post
Red Futon Films
235 Studios
Pinata Studios
Flavour Productions-Portugal
Color Cafe
Greenasia Production Co.-Thailand
SRJ Media Services
Encore Hollywood
Headquarters Post
Light Of Day Studio
Jupiter Entertainment
Digital Post Ink
Films In Motion
Matero Productions
MTI Film
POSTDIGITAL
Buck NY
echoblack productions
Studio Element
Virginia Tech
Independent Edit
Engineering & Consulting Services
Film Tek: Lost Planet Editorial
Oblique FX-Canada
Whipping Post Services
McIntosh Productions
Wildbrain Animation Studio
Herzog & Company
Digital Cave Media
Westwind Media
Comprehensive Technical Group
Running Man Post
Post-Op Media
Red Echo Post
David Snow Design
The Criterion Collection

Commercial cinema viewing cannot be compared to TV or computer monitor viewing in many regards. Most especially regarding eye strain issues. The typical commercial cinema screen brightness is between 8 and 10 foot Lamberts. The typical calibrated video mastering monitor is between 30 and 35 foot Lamberts (three times as bright). Some TVs are even brighter in the darkened home viewing environment.

[Trogdor2010]

Originally Posted by invenio

I'm going to politely disagree with the statement that "most people have viewing discomfort in the dark". I think that most people can tolerate 2 hours of watching a movie in the dark. How many people complain of eye fatigue after coming out of a typical movie theater? The answer is very very few. I think if you had to sit there for 5 hours straight, that would be a different matter. However, eyestrain sets in only after a prolonged time in most individuals. At the same time, I think the dark room gives better picture quality.

I would say the following is a reasonable rule of thumb:
1. If you are not experience eye fatigue after watching a typical movie in the dark. Keep watching in the dark for better performance.
2. If you are experiencing eye fatigue, use bias lighting.

Actually most commercial movie theaters have lights on the floor, those lights affect the black level and perceived contrast, as well as the wall lights if you look at them. The reason they are on is that insurance companies won't cover damage if there are no lights on.

What is also forgotten about front projectors is that there is a lower brightness (footlambert) requirement when compared to TVs because in many situations, the image covers more of your eye. Well if the image appears larger, it'll also appear brighter.

[Trogdor2010]

Originally Posted by Alan Brown

Commercial cinema viewing cannot be compared to TV or computer monitor viewing in many regards. Most especially regarding eye strain issues. The typical commercial cinema screen brightness is between 8 and 10 foot Lamberts. The typical calibrated video mastering monitor is between 30 and 35 foot Lamberts (three times as bright). Some TVs are even brighter in the darkened home viewing environment.

Exactly!

[Turnda643]

Originally Posted by Alan Brown

You have it completely backwards. Go with the proven science, not your feelings:

"Their experimental results, obtained through matching and scaling experiments, showed that the perceived contrast of images increased when the image surround was changed from dark to dim to light. This effect occurs because the dark surround of an image causes dark areas to appear lighter while having little effect on light areas (white areas still appear white despite changes in surround). Thus since there is more of a perceived change in the dark areas of an image than in the light areas, there is a resultant change in perceived contrast.....Often, when working at a computer workstation, users turn off the room lights in order to make the CRT display appear of higher contrast. This produces a darker surround that should perceptually lower the contrast of the display. The predictions of Bartleson and Breneman are counter to everyday experience in this situation. The reason for this is that the room lights are usually introducing a significant amount of reflection off the face of the monitor and thus reducing the physical contrast of the displayed images. If the surround of the display can be illuminated without introducing reflection off the face of the display (e.g., by placing a light source behind the monitor that illuminates the surrounding area), the perceived contrast of the display will actually be higher than when it is viewed in a completely darkened room." from 'Color Appearance Models,' by Mark D. Fairchild, Ph.D., of the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science: Munsell Color Science Laboratory

hmm! Interesteing. Thanks. I'll test this theory with a black sheet before i go more permanent by installing the curtains.

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by Turnda643

hmm! Interesteing. Thanks. I'll test this theory with a black sheet before i go more permanent by installing the curtains.

Knock yourself out! However, it's not just theory, but thoroughly proven practice that's incorporated into video mastering facilities and other critical monitor installations all over the world. Did you go to any of the links provided previously in this thread? They are there for your convenience and learning. Here's another (check out the 'Brightness Illusions'): http://www.lottolab.org/articles/illusionsoflight.asp .

[onemorechance]

i have LED lights behind my tv...thats the best viewing experience