Cailbrating your HDTV

[gizbug]

I've been reading a lot on the net about people tweaking or calibrating their HDTV.
My question is this. When I first plug in a new HDTV, should I be changing or tweaking any settings?

I've noticed there are a lot of forums and topics of what people set their settings to, to get optimal color and picture. Is this one of the "first things" one should be doing upon new purchase?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Especially if it's a plasma, make sure you get brightness and contrast turned down right away as that's the time it's most vulnerable to burn-in.

Get a calibration disc like AVIA or Digital Video Essentials and calibrate the other settings as well (sharpness, color, etc.)

To get a ballpark setting, you can adjust some of the settings if you have a DVD with a THX optimizer section.

If you have an expensive TV and really want to get the most out of it, a professional ISF calibration might be a good thing to consider.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Especially if it's a plasma, make sure you get brightness and contrast turned down right away as that's the time it's most vulnerable to burn-in.

Get a calibration disc like AVIA or Digital Video Essentials and calibrate the other settings as well (sharpness, color, etc.)

To get a ballpark setting, you can adjust some of the settings if you have a DVD with a THX optimizer section.

If you have an expensive TV and really want to get the most out of it, a professional ISF calibration might be a good thing to consider.

Whats the best way to find a pro ISF to calibrate the TV? Also whats the average cost?

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Especially if it's a plasma, make sure you get brightness and contrast turned down right away as that's the time it's most vulnerable to burn-in.

Get a calibration disc like AVIA or Digital Video Essentials and calibrate the other settings as well (sharpness, color, etc.)

To get a ballpark setting, you can adjust some of the settings if you have a DVD with a THX optimizer section.

If you have an expensive TV and really want to get the most out of it, a professional ISF calibration might be a good thing to consider.

Whats the best way to find a pro ISF to calibrate the TV? Also whats the average cost?

PM umr at avsforum. He's got a great reputation. You can also check out his pricing at his website.

 

[gizbug]

Paying someone to calibrate a tv? No thanks.

BTW - Its an lcd tv, not plasma. Ill take a look for those calibration disc's

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Well, just be aware that you can drop from $30-$50 on one of the calibration discs mentioned, and all of them have their flaws, not to mention "user error" (for lack of a better term) can also come in to play.

So IF you have a really good TV, spending the money on a reputable ISF calibration pro is worthwhile. And this applies to LCD as well as plasma. I was hesitant initially as well, but the results are "eye opening" (sorry for the bad pun ...).

 

[Spydermag68]

AVS Forum has calibrations for the most popular TVs.

 

[heyheybooboo]

+1 for AVS 'suggested' calibrations.

I thought my picture was great - and then changed to some AVS recs and just went "Wow"

Made a big difference ...

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Yeah, there's ISF-based calibrations for many sets on AVS.

But as I understand it, "room conditions" (ie. lighting, etc.) come in to play when these calibrations are done, so using someone else's calibration may not yield the same results for you. All I know for sure is that when I was initially scheduling my ISF guy, he asked if my set was fully broken in yet (I have a Pioneer plasma) and if the set was in a location where I planned on keeping it. When I mentioned I was moving to another home in a few months he told me to wait until I had moved and then to call him back.