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Calibration

Home Theater Calibration

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #623: Home Theater Calibration Discs

Home theater calibration discs offer a cost-effective alternative to professional ISF calibration, with options ranging from Joe Kane's DVE HD Basics ($39.95) to the Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark ($29.97), each providing video and audio test patterns for HDTV optimization. Formats span DVD and Blu-ray, targeting everything from plasma and LCD to rear-projection displays, with varying levels of technical depth for novice and advanced users alike. Choosing the right disc depends on your familiarity with calibration concepts and whether you need basic setup guidance or direct access to advanced signal testing.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Living with 4K - Here is the 4K Content
Home Theater Projection HD Calibration

Living with 4K - Here is the 4K Content

Sony's 4K demo server for projector owners is an HP-based system delivering up to 2 hours of 4K content, including the 48-minute TimeScapes nature film, connected via hi-speed HDMI with only stereo or Dolby 5.1 audio tracks via Toslink. Content is encoded at 8-bit, 4:2:0, Rec-709 color space at 24fps, the same baseline as Blu-ray, leaving the full potential of 4K unrealized in many clips. Viewers evaluating on a 130-inch Stewart Firehawk screen found that well-shot material like the Rocky Mountain Express clips delivered a convincing sense of realism, but inconsistent lighting and compression in other clips made some 4K content indistinguishable from 1080p Blu-ray.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Calibration

HDTV Expert - Technicolor and Portrait Displays Move to Standardize Color on Smaller Screens - by Ken Werner

Technicolor, leveraging 97 years of film color expertise spanning titles like The Wizard of Oz and Blu-ray mastering, has developed a new color specification targeting notebooks, monitors, tablets, and smartphones, implemented by Portrait Displays. The two companies hold a patent pending on a color-matching process that requires both websites and consumer displays to comply with the Technicolor specification, with compliant sites carrying a 'Technicolor Color Certified' logo. For consumers, this means automatic self-calibration without manual setup or professional fees, and more accurate color reproduction when shopping online or viewing creator-intended content on smaller screens.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Calibration

A Relative Twist to TV Calibration

Professional TV calibration costs ranging from $250 to $900 are increasingly difficult to justify as panel prices fall, raising the question of whether consumers should bear the full cost of achieving a display standard the manufacturer was supposed to meet at the factory. The author distinguishes between calibrating to a grayscale and gamma standard (a manufacturer responsibility) versus adapting image settings to a specific viewing environment such as a bright room or dark home theater. As TV prices drop toward or below calibration costs, the traditional 10% cost ratio that once made sense on an $8,000 Pioneer Elite no longer holds, pushing many buyers toward upgrading hardware rather than calibrating existing sets.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Calibration LCD TVs

Does Your LCD Image Look the Same from an Angled View? (Part 1 - The Concept)

LCD panels suffer measurable color, brightness, and contrast degradation at viewing angles beyond 20 degrees off-center, despite manufacturer claims of 170-plus degree viewing capability - a gap that becomes especially apparent after calibrating sets away from the high-output torch mode used on retail floors. A 3M-commissioned study of nearly 600 consumers found that 84 percent view their TVs from multiple angles, yet 44 percent were initially unaware of quality differences until shown a side-by-side comparison. Understanding this limitation before purchase - by asking dealers to calibrate sets to home-viewing levels and testing from your actual seating angles - can prevent a costly mismatch between showroom impressions and real-world performance.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Passive 3DTV Brain Perception - An Excuse for Technical Limitations?
Calibration 3DTV

Passive 3DTV Brain Perception - An Excuse for Technical Limitations?

Passive 3DTV technology from LG delivers only 540 lines of vertical resolution per eye, rendering each eye half the resolution of a 3D Blu-ray source, while active-shutter displays preserve full 1080p per eye. LG's consumer tests in retail centers prioritize viewer perception over measurable image quality metrics, sidestepping established Imaging Science calibration standards used to evaluate HDTV fidelity. For buyers seeking accurate reproduction of native dual-1080p 3D content, this resolution trade-off represents a permanent hardware limitation that no firmware update can correct.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Home Theater 3DTV Calibration

HDTV Expert - Product Review: A Tale of Two (3D) Televisions

A head-to-head comparison of two 47-inch passive 3D LCD TVs, the LG 47LW6500 and Toshiba 47TL515U, reveals critical differences in 3D image calibration behavior: the LG's gamma collapses from a calibrated 2.31 to approximately 1.5 in 3D mode with color temperature spiking above 9300 degrees, while the Toshiba maintains a stable 2.36 gamma and roughly 6800-degree color temperature. The Toshiba also permits menu access during 3D viewing, allowing correction of any residual shifts against the ITU BT.709 color space target. Passive 3D viewers should note that Film Patterned Retarder artifacts force a minimum seating distance of roughly 2x the screen diagonal, directly limiting the immersive potential of both sets.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Calibration Plasma TVs OTA HD & Antennas

HDTV Expert - Sneak Peek: Panasonic's TH-42BT300U Reference-Grade Plasma Monitor

Panasonic's TH-42BT300U is a 42-inch reference-grade plasma monitor targeting post-production and critical imaging applications, delivering calibrated peak white levels of 75-80 nits in Cinema mode with ANSI contrast of 771:1 and a maximum color temperature shift of just 76 degrees Kelvin across a full 100 IRE screen. The monitor introduces multiple labeled memory presets, a BT.709 color gamut adjustment with custom x,y primary coordinates, and gamma presets from 1.8 to 2.6 that measure accurately in practice. Priced under $5,000, it offers post houses a credible alternative to costly CRT and LCD reference monitors without sacrificing calibration precision.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Calibration Home Theater Projection HD

One Installer's Opinion: Encouragement/Discouragement ...... and other matters

A veteran home theatre installer surveys the current AV landscape, highlighting the Epson PC9700UB projector as a standout value with a fully functional CMS capable of independently adjusting Hue, Saturation, and Luminance per primary color - a capability most manufacturers have historically failed to deliver. SpectraCal's CalMAN 4.3 software is credited with making comprehensive CMS calibration a practical workflow. On the downside, edge-lit LCD panels with block dimming measured in hundreds of pixels fall far short of true per-pixel local dimming, and 3D adoption remains stalled by brightness inconsistency, eye fatigue, and thin content pipelines.

Terry Paullin •
Columns
Calibration 3DTV LCoS TVs

HDTV Expert - Product Review: Mitsubishi HC9000 Diamond 3D Projector

The Mitsubishi HC9000D is a 3D front projector using three .61 SXRD LCoS chips and a 230-watt short-arc lamp, delivering a calibrated 2D brightness of 635 lumens with a near-perfect 2.3 gamma curve and color temperature of 6542K. In 3D mode with active shutter glasses, brightness plummets by roughly 87% to 146 lux, making the projector underpowered for low-gain screens at typical home theater throw distances. Buyers should budget for a high-gain screen (6.0 gain or similar) and ideally a 3000-lumen output to achieve satisfactory 3D performance alongside a full 2D calibration.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Calibration Home Theater

One Installer's Opinion - This Changes Everything ... (About Calibration)

SpectraCal's CalMAN calibration software advances display calibration by automating coordinated measurements across color analyzers, signal sources, and display technologies, delivering gamma readings in under 30 seconds and structured CMS workflows covering greyscale, gamma, and gamut. The software's guided workflow reduces errors for novice calibrators while enabling precise adjustments across display types including LED-based LCD, LCoS, and plasma. For consumers, pairing a well-designed display with a properly equipped calibrator using tools like CalMAN represents the most reliable path to accurate, optimized picture quality.

Terry Paullin •
Columns
Calibration Home Theater HD Audio

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #472: Crossover Frequency

Properly configuring crossover frequency requires matching the cutoff point to your speakers' actual low-frequency capability, not simply accepting the THX standard of 80Hz as a universal default. For speakers like the Polk RM75s, which have a Lower -3dB Limit of 130Hz, setting the crossover at 80Hz creates an audible gap across the entire 80-130Hz range. Setting the crossover 10Hz above your speakers' rated lower limit, or at the manufacturer's specified -3dB point, ensures no frequency range falls through the cracks in your home theater system.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
HDTV Expert - Product Review: Samsung PN50C8000 3D Plasma TV
Home Theater Calibration 3DTV

HDTV Expert - Product Review: Samsung PN50C8000 3D Plasma TV

Samsung's PN50C8000 50-inch 3D plasma TV ($2,299 MAP) delivers calibrated brightness of 80 nits with a near-perfect 2.3 gamma curve, ANSI contrast up to 913:1, and black levels as deep as 0.09 nits in Movie mode. Four HDMI 1.4a inputs, automatic frame-packing 3D detection, and a 10-point white balance menu round out a feature set that rivals Pioneer KURO performance. For viewers considering 3D at home, plasma's wide viewing angle and absence of crosstalk make it a more satisfying experience than LCD alternatives, though low-level PWM noise in 1080p/24 mode warrants attention.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Home Theater Projection HD Calibration

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #455 Interview with Ray Coronado THX Certified Calibrator

Ray Coronado, a THX certified calibrator with 10 years of experience in both video and audio, joins the podcast to discuss professional projector calibration. THX certification covers rigorous standards for display and audio performance, and Ray recently calibrated the hosts' newly purchased projectors. For home theater enthusiasts, professional calibration can meaningfully improve picture accuracy and audio performance beyond out-of-box settings.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Calibration 3DTV LCD TVs

HDTV Expert - Product Review: Samsung UN46C7000 3D LCD TV

Samsung's UN46C7000 46-inch 3D LCD TV uses edge LED backlighting, four HDMI 1.4a inputs, and a 240 Hz Auto Motion Plus panel, with ANSI contrast measured at 621:1 and peak brightness reaching 400 nits in Dynamic mode. Calibration in Movie mode yields a workable but unstable 2.44 gamma, largely due to auto-dimming circuitry that complicates consistent grayscale tracking. Practically, active shutter glasses cut brightness by roughly 50 percent, making the best-calibrated Movie mode too dim for comfortable 3D viewing without fully darkening the room.

Pete Putman •
Columns