HDTV Forum

My service does include more than a simple display calibration in most cases.

My blog is intended to help people by sharing my observations with both audio and video. I cannot possibly work on every system, but I would like to see more people have better value. I also like to see fewer large installation errors.

My gear did cost about $40,000. The 5nm PR-670 alone cost me $24,000. The assumption that test gear is outdated quickly is false. I do upgrade and modify capability when it makes sense and recalibrate my gear, but that costs about $4,000 a year. I also work on many times more than 100 systems in a year.

I never work on home systems less than about $5,000 and most are over $20,000 and some are around $1,000,0000. I believe audio/video calibration and design services for the home are seen as a percentage of the cost. Post production is a different story where quality is the goal independent of equipment cost.

Rodolfo wrote:Umr,

The links/articles mentioned in your post include adjustments and tasks related to design, selection, and installation, not only calibration, such as screen gain, video processing, projector position, lamp power, throw ratio, keystone, lens shift, screen material, projector mounting, etc. An impressive list, are you doing all that for $400?

This thread is about TV calibration and I assume the person expects an honest and educated answer.

Regarding the $40,000 calibrator equipment mentioned on your second link, are you sure you have the zeros right? A calibrator would need to perform at least 100 calibrations of $400 with no income for his labor just to break even in hardware investment, and by then the equipment is obsolete. Can that equipment take me to the moon as well? Does it do dishes?

Nobody questions that audio and video can be improved if they are well calibrated, but I do not agree with creating a taboo halo around it and pushing “all” consumers to pay for these services regardless of the price most pay for their usually low/medium end audio/video equipment at the corner store. I am glad in one of the options your web site considers the use of the HD Basics disc.

I recommended educating consumers for “them” to make an intelligent choice.

I wonder if any calibrator not having time available for his own TVs would let his wife pay $400 to other calibrator to work on her $800 panel.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

I have not seen Richard nor Jeff Ppushing anyone to use their services and I know them both to be professionals whodo a good job of quaifying their clients and making sure that they are giveing them what thye need and desire. Both provide services that go far beyond the typical calibration of a display that one myight get from a BB calibration and include services that consider the wntire system and the client in the process.

It seems like you are doing your best to beg for an argument, Rodolfo, but I think you are barking up the wrong tree. I don't know of very many people who have given more "honest and educated answers" to more people for free and whoeducate more consumers more effectively than Richard and Jeff. Apparently you have some beef or agenda that is unstated here.

With 5 computers, 4 of which are used in photo retouching and 3 TVs I've "checked" the calibration, but have never found the need to change it after setting it "by eye". Admittedly working with many thousands of photos over many years, (both the old physical way and now digital) I probably have better than average color recognition. So far I've always been able to set up monitors and TVs without needing a disk. Now days the color setup is very easy, but I'd recommend most at least get a calibration disk.

For "do-it-yourselfers" there are too many outside influences that affect what you see as colors, saturation, brightness, and contrast. Among these are the type and location of external light, room color, or colors in the room, and above all your own eyes. Hence the reason I'd recommend the disk. Having said that, there are many people who just aren't up to the task, particularly when you not only have the color balance, but hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast. So, it becomes one of those, "You pays your money and makes your choice".

For those that say this is not new technology, much of the implementation is new with each new model of set and particularly if it's one of the first to arrive at the dealers. Rarely do I purchase an extended warranty, but I still do on the latest model HD sets and so far they have saved me money. OTOH when purchasing a TV I usually go for the latest models if not the largest. If a model hasn't been on the market for more than 3 months, I'd get the extended warranty. Even after 6 months I'm still a bit wary and check the manufacturing dates.

As to the "Big-box-stores" I've not recently had any one of them try to sell me a lot of extras although I did go into Radio Shack to purchase some cable and connectors and have a clerk insist I was purchasing the wrong cables and connectors. You don't gain anything by paying top dollar for cables and accessories other than bragging rights.

I'm of the old school where the eye of the beholder is the best determination. I've used the calibration disk on my HDTVs and found that I had to tweek the adjustments for my own situation. The lighting in the living room is different from the family room, just as the lighting in the rec room is different from the bedrooms. In the Summer I bring the TV from the rec room in the basement up to the screened in porch which is all windows and I have to adjust for the bright room. All eyes are different and perceive colors differently. My neighbor who is partially colorblind has the colors set so vivid that it burns my eyes and I have to close my eyes or look away every minute or so to not get a headache. This is easy to do as he has such a hot wife.