Is it worth to have my TV professionaly calibrated

[Stephan.klose]

I have the Samsung LE37 A 552. (For about 3 weeks now).

I heard from a friend that you can have your TV professionally calibrated.

I watch mostly Blu Ray and HD-DVD.

I also heard it's pretty expensive.

My question: Does is pay off? I mean is it worth it?

Does anyone had it done to their system?

Is it even sensible to have $2000 (yeah, that's what it cost in Austria) TV calibrated or should I just go with the factory settings. Although I know a lot about all the technical aspects and such of TV's I really am not that well versed in matters of calibration. In the store, where I work I would doubt that anyone else would know more than any of you guys. That's why I am asking. (If you have Hi-Fi Questions, I am your man)

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Stephan.klose

I really don't know much about TV's.

Really? You certainly haven't come off that way with some of your previous comments in other threads.

Factory settings are almost always brutal. It's never a bad idea to have your TV calibrated using a calibration disc or getting a professional calibration done. The latter shouldn't cost more than $200.

[arush5268d]

There's tons of threads about this very subject.


If you must have perfection, get it ISF calibrated. As was just said you can also get a calibration disk and do most of it yourself.

[SS316SRV]

The calibration discs will get the picture to look very close to an ISF calibration. The ISF, however, will make the set more power efficient. If the set is in the permanent location and you take your experience seriously, get it ISF calibrated.

[Stephan.klose]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Really? You certainly haven't come off that way with some of your previous comments in other threads.

Factory settings are almost always brutal. It's never a bad idea to have your TV calibrated using a calibration disc or getting a professional calibration done. The latter shouldn't cost more than $200.

I mean I know still more than the average user but I wanted to clarify that I am not a professional when it comes to TV's. As I said, I am in the Hi-Fi Dept.

[Stephan.klose]

Originally Posted by SS316SRV

The calibration discs will get the picture to look very close to an ISF calibration. The ISF, however, will make the set more power efficient. If the set is in the permanent location and you take your experience seriously, get it ISF calibrated.

I now used a THX Demo Disc that had a Picture Optimzer. It already looks a lot better. You said $200.. I am not sure if I wanna spend that

[arush5268d]

Originally Posted by Stephan.klose

IYou said $200.. I am not sure if I wanna spend that

Then don't. Use a calibration disk and be happy with the results.

[SS316SRV]

I believe the equipment is available on Amazon as well. If I remember right.

[Stephan.klose]

Originally Posted by SS316SRV

I believe the equipment is available on Amazon as well. If I remember right.

By equipment you are referring to demo discs? like Digital Video Essentials.

That one here

[Stephan.klose]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Really? You certainly haven't come off that way with some of your previous comments in other threads.

Factory settings are almost always brutal. It's never a bad idea to have your TV calibrated using a calibration disc or getting a professional calibration done. The latter shouldn't cost more than $200.

May I ask what TV (Brand and Model) you own? Since you seem to know a lot I am just curious as what you decided to buy

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Stephan.klose

May I ask what TV (Brand and Model) you own? Since you seem to know a lot I am just curious as what you decided to buy

Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ700U, but I'm looking at getting a Pioneer PDP-5020FD before the end of the year, maybe even a PDP-6020FD if some money falls out of an airplane into my back yard!

[Monkey]

IMO just go with a calibration disc such as DVE or AVIA (does AVIA have a blu-ray disc yet)..

I ask on AVIA because DVE's DVD calibration disc was horrible to navigate but supposedly the blu-ray version is much better.


ISF's were great for old school CRT rear projections sets as it took a lot more work to get them looking great for some people.

[househead]

Originally Posted by Monkey

ISF's were great for old school CRT rear projections sets as it took a lot more work to get them looking great for some people.

Don't be fooled. ISF applies to new technology too.

My DLP and friend's LCD look incredible after calibration. They blow away any other sets I've seen. No matter how much tweaking you do by eye or with avia/dve you are only getting a step closer to an image that meets the standards.

I spent hours with both displays and those discs. There was still a huge difference after the true calibration. We were both hesitant to ante up the cash ($450 for me, $250 for him), but it was the investment that gives me the most enjoyment per dollar in my HT setup - hands down!

$2000 is a lot of money though. OUCH!

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by househead

Don't be fooled. ISF applies to new technology too.

My DLP and friend's LCD look incredible after calibration. They blow away any other sets I've seen. No matter how much tweaking you do by eye or with avia/dve you are only getting a step closer to an image that meets the standards.

I spent hours with both displays and those discs. There was still a huge difference after the true calibration. We were both hesitant to ante up the cash ($450 for me, $250 for him), but it was the investment that gives me the most enjoyment per dollar in my HT setup - hands down!

$2000 is a lot of money though. OUCH!

Don't worry I wasn't

I didn't make a claim that it wasn't for new tech either. Point was there was simply a lot more to calibrate on a CRT RP set, you have three different bulbs to work with (convergence issues), geometry issues, etc etc making it harder to get a good picture even for us Home Theater geeks. A lot of the work they could do also involved open up the big coffin boxes of CRT's, you simply don't do that with LCD's and Plasma's. It would take an ISF calibrator much less time to calibrate an LCD or Plasma than any CRT, same for a normal person who knows what they are doing.

I have to say though that my 60" Sony 120hz SXRD has a crapload more adjustments than my last plasma or RP LCD set to work with.

[Betamax]

One thing I have found with the DVE disc is that the color pattern is somewhat over saturated producing unrealistic results. Quite a few pro calibrators have confirmed this over on the AVS forum as well. Here is a link to a free disc that seems to have great results.http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948496
Remember, if your going to pay for a pro setup and your used to the way your display looks now, you actually might be unhappy with the results. I have read about a few ppl that after calibrating their display the colors didnt "pop" or it lost its "3d" effect. It would definitely bring your display closer to spec, but like with anything, what you think looks correct and what may be correct could be 2 totally different things. Just some food for thought before spending a few hundred $$$.

[Stephan.klose]

I used some THX Demo disc which had a picture optimizer. I guess that's better than nothing

[musicman1999]

Calibration will always make it better, but if you have it done watch for at least a week before you decide if you like it because it will look very different.

bill

[SDBlu]

They're selling a calibration disc at frys put out by the MONSTER brand for thirty dollars. Has anyone used this brand yet? Should i get a different one, like the ones mentioned earlier in this thread?

[crackinhedz]

Here is a link to a free disc that seems to have great results.http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948496

I actually tried out the AVCHD version...have to say I thought it was the worst looking calibration tool ever made, not sure if it would help anyone? maybe the other versions work out better?

[kx11]

noooooooooooo , do it yourself

it's not worth it