Geek Squad "Uber" Calibration - Worth it?

[crackinhedz]

VIDEO: Consumerist Catches Geek Squad Stealing Porn From Customer's Computer

[BStecke]

Hmm . . . I didn't know anyone associated with Best Buy was ISF certified . . . my fiance works at Best Buy, and I've always wanted an ISF calibration, so I'll have to see how much of a discount she gets.

[Truckondo]

Originally Posted by OtisBDriftwood

I think they're beginning to do away with the "Magnolia home theater installer" name and just calling them Geek Squad as well. The Geek Squad is much more recognizable to people than the Magnolia installer was. They would still be the same certified installers and have all the necessary equipment, just different name.

As a former MHT Installer (I'm now Geek Squad Installer ) , I think the name change was a poor decision on Best Buy's part. Now every time I go out in my Geek Squad T-Shirt, I get asked if we do computers. I guess they wanted to be like Circuit City's Firedog.

As far as calibration goes, I would just ask myself if I'm happy with the picture. They go into the TV Service menu which allows even more settings to be changed. I got into my Sony's service menu myself and fixed the strong "red push" it had. The service menus are usually not user friendly and you can possibly screw up your TV. I was careful doing mine based on some INTERNET instructions. Like everyone says, it won't hurt your TV.

[aristotles]

Is calibration beyond the settings you can access via the picture setting through your remote even necessary for an LCD flat panel? I can understand how DLP or other rear projection systems might need adjustment but LCD is basically a digital monitor.

It seems like a waste of money to me to get someone to alter your settings on a flat panel. Just take your remote and start experimenting.

I personally have discovered that turning off Sharpen, edge enhancement and detail enhancement gives me the best picture for all cable shows and the best picture for all but the softest encoded Blu-ray/HD DVD titles.

[SS316SRV]

Originally Posted by aristotles

Is calibration beyond the settings you can access via the picture setting through your remote even necessary for an LCD flat panel? I can understand how DLP or other rear projection systems might need adjustment but LCD is basically a digital monitor.

It seems like a waste of money to me to get someone to alter your settings on a flat panel. Just take your remote and start experimenting.

I personally have discovered that turning off Sharpen, edge enhancement and detail enhancement gives me the best picture for all cable shows and the best picture for all but the softest encoded Blu-ray/HD DVD titles.

This has been answered above, twice I think. Yes it is different.

[Zaphod]

I wouldn't trust the Geek Squad to plug in my TV let alone go in and mess with the settings!

[talbers23]

they change settings that you can not access through the normal control panels. what they are changing, if not done right can wreck your tv as well, thats why you pay them to do it. they have insurance if they mess up your fine. the details in blacks and color accuracy is amazingly better. only get it done on a plasma though. it makes the phosphorus gases burn much less intensely and saves a ton on electricity bills as well. burn in is also reduced to almost a non issue. hope this helped.

[aristotles]

Originally Posted by talbers23

they change settings that you can not access through the normal control panels. what they are changing, if not done right can wreck your tv as well, thats why you pay them to do it. they have insurance if they mess up your fine. the details in blacks and color accuracy is amazingly better. only get it done on a plasma though. it makes the phosphorus gases burn much less intensely and saves a ton on electricity bills as well. burn in is also reduced to almost a non issue. hope this helped.

If an LCD panel has image issues, it should be taken back to the store for a refund or replacement.

I still believe this is a placebo effect if you have an LCD panel from a reputable brand like Sony Bravia or Sharp Aquos. It sounds like the same FUD as with HDMI 1.3 and Monster cables.

You can adjust your gamma, white balance, backlight intensity and colour temperate using your remote on the Bravia series. These controls are all you need to calibrate an LCD monitor for use in graphic work so it should be enough for calibration of an LCD panel for movie watching through the THX screen in T2.

I understand that rear projection and Plasma displays may be a different story but if an LCD required major calibration, then you are getting what you pay for when you opt for a cheaper brand. Especially with rear projection, focal length might require adjustment from a misalignment at the factory or during shipping.

I'm sorry but some of you sound like you are trying to justify your existence as professional calibrators. I'm sure you guys have enough business as it is with Plasma, projector owners and projection TV owners to last you a life time. I'd hate to see people being cheated out of their money for a service they might not need.

[clyon]

I would only pay a pro to calibrate a Front projector, most tv's (RP, LCD & Plasma) now have so many options that a pro is not needed, unless you get one that is over 70" then maybe. You can not turn crap into gold, you can not take a crap tv & expect gold too come out.

[Manco]

Caution Do-it-yourselfer's. Accessing the service menu of your expensive LCD or Plasma can void your warrranty and can most assuredly make firmware changes to your set that cannot be undone (even by a technician)...save replacing the set (which is now not warrantied cuz you f@*d with the service menu).

[mgonzo2u]

Just because you know how to use your remote control to change settings does not make you an ISF professional.

Let the professionals do it.

I looked up an ISF pro for my TV (see sig) and he was honest enough to tell me that my model was generally pretty good out of the box. Just use the available menus to adjust it to my eyes preference and I should be fine.

Early on, ISF visits were easily over $600

$300 is chump change in comparison if you really want to see your TV at its best.

[Luis_A51]

You can get some good tips on the web for doing some calibrating (especially taking it out of torch mode) That is what I did with my tv. I dont pretend its perfect however. Theres no way im touching the service menus, you can realllly screw things up in there.

Also its worth noting that each tv (yes even tvs with the same model number) is unique, so using someone else's settings might help but it isnt the same as a professional calibration.

If I had a LOT of money laying around (lets be honest, if I had $500 laying around id still find something other than a calibration to spend it on) id go for it.

[aristotles]

Originally Posted by Manco

Caution Do-it-yourselfer's. Accessing the service menu of your expensive LCD or Plasma can void your warrranty and can most assuredly make firmware changes to your set that cannot be undone (even by a technician)...save replacing the set (which is now not warrantied cuz you f@*d with the service menu).

There is absolutely no need for an owner to access the service menu on an expensive LCD panel. The picture settings menu are all you need and can be reset to default easily.

LCD flat panel TVs are basically computer monitors built in speakers, tuner(s) and multiple inputs.

[Disturbed350z]

I have the same exact tv as you...the GP1U and i have it calibrated...(yes through "Geek Squad")...and it was worth every penny...the tv (by factory settings) is running over twice as hot as it needs too...(think it was around 13500 kelvin) when it should've been down at near 6000-6500 area...now I love to pop in a movie like PotC or another dark movie cause I can actually make out the details in the night scenes...and it just keeps my room cooler without all that heat..(not to mention the lower temp should extend the life of the tv)..I used to feel the heat while walking by a few feet away...now I don't feel anything unless I put my hand over the cooling fans on the top of the set..

I work at Best Buy
And as for the geek squad being the name of the installers...they have nothing to do with the "Geek Squad" you think of when you hear the name...the are actual certified ISF people using the name. For instance, there are only 5 or so people in the greater DFW area (TX) alone that do the callibrations, none of them work in the store they are solely calibration people. So don't let the name scare you off from these guys...they know what they are doing...and no I'm not just talking them up because I work there...I wouldn't trust geek squad with my computer...(but then again I probably know more about it than they do)

Then as for the name changes to magnolia installers....they are all still the same magnolia people, the same geek squad people etc. They just combined them under one name and logo for everyone. (something new they are rolling out making it easier for best buy to handle it or something...idk...maybe they think it will be more appealing to the average Joe that has never heard of magnolia to hear that they can have the geek's set them up)

[Truckondo]

I still think the Geek Squad name should stick with computers. If they wanted to get rid of the confusing "Magnolia" name, why not just call it "Best Buy Home Theater Install"? As a corporation, Best Buy is no stranger to change so I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the GS name for the home theater install side.

[Kousakuya]

The Geek Squad were ordered to report those with dubious porn on their computers.

[mix1031]

It is very surprising to me that Best Buy would EVER get rid of the Magnolia name. In the Seattle area, at least, Magnolia is about the highest end name in home theater that you can find. Shocking that they would dump that branding for a name that almost everyone associates with computers.

[MouseRider]

Several posters have used the statement that "LCD flat panel TVs are basically computer monitors" so you don't need to calibrate.

Sorry to burst your bubble here but even computer monitors need to be calibrated if you're doing work that requires color matching and accurate color reproduction.

Just because the data is digital does not mean that any reproduction is going to be accurate. This is because when the digital signal is turned back into light, that light is analog and how that digital-to-analog process is done is what you are calibrating.

DLPs are also digital devices, so are rear-projection systems that use DLP or LCD variants (LCD, SXRD, D-ILA, etc). All these technologies will still benefit from calibration if your use or application justifies it.

What exactly are you calibrating?

For starters, all the above including LCD and Plasma displays use color filters to create the three primary colors, red, green and blue. These filters are not always perfect and sometimes, manufacturers choose to bias their displays a certain way to appeal to consumer tastes and create a unique aka "vibrant" picture when compared to other brands.

There's also compensating for light spectrum bias of the backlight or projection light source.

Just go to an electronics store and look at a bunch of displays, they will probably all look different, if they were all calibrated, they should all look identical on several parameters, which is point of calibration.

Some displays cannot be calibrated to standards as they might be limited by certain physical characteristics or manufacturing "flaws".

[MouseRider]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

VIDEO: Consumerist Catches Geek Squad Stealing Porn From Customer's Computer

Maybe that's where the new TV series "Chuck" got their plot from.

The main character works for a company called the "Nerd Herd" and he apparently sneaks a peek at some video and ends up getting secret info downloaded into his brain.

[Dadds]

The "geek squad" is a joke.