How to Calibrate your HDTV cheap and easy!

[cfabi21]

can i try it on blu-ray disc to ? does it have the same options ?

[sonofglove]

so i should set dynamic contrast,dynamic color,edge enhancement,noise redustion to off?dynamic color and contrast seem to improve the picture when theyre set to low

[Xenokai360]

@sonofglove it only improves the images because the other settings are wrong, you need to turn all that stuff off then manually set the settings. Noise reduction should only be used when your watching none HD imageas If your using HDMI you wont need it regardless.

[sonofglove]

@Xenokai360 i did what you said and it made a huge difference.much clearer better picture

[Xenokai360]

@sonofglove Glade to hear

[CrazyCalabrese78]

Nice vid. I'm looking at this on my iPhone but can't see that link on to how to set the colour that you referred to in the video?

[qORgEOuzdULCE]

hey whats up  i have a lg 50'' plasma ,whats the best met hod

[Xenokai360]

@qORgEOuzdULCE Set the default to movie mode or custom then start manually setting each setting. Main thing to set first is the color temperature setting.

[00Paisan00]

i have a samsung and has the game mode. i usually leave it on but is it better to have it off? since it supposed to help with the whole visual lag stuff

[Xenokai360]

@00Paisan00 game mode is just a preset setting with certain feature turned off. You really shouldnt use it and set it all manually. You can achieve the no lag input in the custom setting also you need to disable or enable certain special feature that can cause lag. Example would be stuff like noise reduction, contrast boosting settings. If you want the best/most accurate pic i really dont suggest game mode those are usually way to blue by default.

[Xenokai360]

@Xenokai360 cont. its usally best to disable nearly all special features on a tv. Then calibrate the tv, stuff liek noise reduction should only ever be used on normal SDTV.  Game mode is usually a badly calibrated image with these setting turned off. More extra features on is what usually causes extra lag.

[TheyCallMePro18]

I've got a 32'' LG tv and when i play Xbox 360 there is a small Lag when i play FPS games can someone help me PLZ MSG

[Xenokai360]

@TheyCallMePro18 turn off special features on ur tv

[TheyCallMePro18]

@Xenokai360 HOW

[Sweettooth1811]

@Xenokai360 i have 42" LG tv when i play call of duty it kinda lags any help?

[Xenokai360]

@Sweettooth1811 Turn off extra features of the tv. i suggest turning all of them off even if it looks worse then calibrate it should all come back together. extra processing for extra features can cause display lag. Common stuff like contrast boosters and auto white level feature cause this so can noise reduction. Extra features on tv's are usally there to try and help grab people in stores and usally makes the screen worse at home. Also if you have low power mode turn it off.

[SuitableSnipes]

@Xenokai360 How do you turn off special features? I've got a Dynex 24'' HDTV that I use to play xbox on and it lags a tiny bit

[benblitzkrieg]

dude, i've bought both the dvd. finding nemo and the incred. but where is the thx optimizer?

[benblitzkrieg]

lol dude, bluray version doesnt have the thx optimizer?

[Xenokai360]

@benblitzkrieg blu ray version come with some hidden optimaztion patterns but there not as easy to use as the dvd thx optimizer.

[benblitzkrieg]

@Xenokai360 hmm, i think i'll get the dvd version instead, thanks for the info!

[DIRTYCHEESE]

Wow very nice video man. Your info was clear, you linked a video thank you! I have been gaming with my xbox trying to find a good picture, and no matter what i do it's edgy, too dark, too bright. I am trying this technique now and I'll comment if this works.

[Xenokai360]

@DIRTYCHEESE Some newer tv's contrast boxes wont disappear. If that happens then you adjust it till its not to white. Just turn it down till its start to dim and set it to your preference. If you get the disappearing boxes then its even easier to set.

[DIRTYCHEESE]

@Xenokai360 Dude my picture is so clear now! I set it to movie mode my settings are 1. contrast (90) 2. colour (44) 3. cell light (6) 4. sharpness (60) 5. brightness (47) 6 tint (stock)

[Xenokai360]

@DIRTYCHEESE sound like accurate settings, enjoy the accurate picture! xD

[FrankieEsposito]

do these dvds also include a geometry calibration??i messed around in the SAM menu of my tv while trying to fix an overscan issue and i screwed the east/west values up

[seriouswerious]

I have my HDTV's Color Temp set to Warm for playing games and movies and they look great, but what about watching tv Channels ? every now and then i watch a few HD Channels i get (digital broadcasts over the air i think) and find it hard to choose between the medium and Warm Color Temp. Any idea what i should choose? Thanks

[Xenokai360]

@seriouswerious Just leave it all obn warm. Swicthing color temp when wacthing diffrent channels will confuse the human eye. One will look more red and one more blue but Warm is the NTSC standard for all video.

[paulopreis1001]

thanks!

[jackpwnage117]

is your color temp. warm?

[Xenokai360]

yeah

[vinceyboi]

does this work to an hd ready lcd tv?

[pk1bla]

thanks 5 stars sub and favourite

[jjr0077]

Some good tips except that on some screens go by too fast. Also, the hip hop music almost killed it for me.

[HollowContact]

The THX thing is pretty basic, if you want something 100% accurate on all settings you could buy DVE (digital video essentials) for around £10 . Of course if you don't want to pay I guess this is the next best thing.

[Xenokai360]

i think only LCD tvs have the backlight setting.

[casaresalex1970]

Can you use a regular DVD or does it have to be blueray ?

[Xenokai360]

can be a normal DVD version. They both have the thx optimizer.

[Megathorn23]

My TV has some problems with grain. Is there a way to lessen this?

[Zickcermacity]

Don't forget, most TVs - even newer HD ones, have their color decoders set to "push" red. The reason they do this is to compensate for the overly cool(blue) color temperature setting the TVs ship with.

Setting color temp to Low/Warm/6500 actually exacerbates this red/orangeness, and the only way to combat it(short of calling in a pro calibrator for $300 a session) is to lower the color until the reddishness/bleeding stops. Your color will probably end up around 1/3 of the way up.

[Xenokai360]

nice comment and this is 100% true. ive never seen a tv that didnt bleed color at above the 30% color mark

[jackpwnage117]

hey dude umm me again are you 100% sure that warm is best cuz idc what you should have i care bout what makes your tv and games look more realistic and bettter so yeah. and btw im having trouble with contrast so ill keep it at midpoint untill u help me more.

[Xenokai360]

Warm is the US NTSC standard all games/movies are filmed in this mode. Other modes are to help the tv pop in stores. You can use what looks best to you tho but warm will give most accurate. Watch the warm mode for a month or so then swicth it back and forth you will see why warm is best. Use what looks best to you if you cant figure out what to use.

[Xenokai360]

as for contrast just turn it up or down till it looks right. long as its not to high its fine.

[jackpwnage117]

kk but u think that contrast at 2 or midpoint is good from a scale from -28 to +28 in the contrast?

[Xenokai360]

Tv's are diffrent for contrast and stuff, if you cant seem to set it just right using the disk just adjust until it looks right to YOUR eyes.

As for the warm color temp. I thought the same thing with the normal mode vs warm but after using warm for awhile you will see why its the best color are accurate. Swicthing from normal and warm back and forth trying to see which is best is not the way to set color temp Human eyes will like the normal mode when doing a blind test since its more blue.

[Xenokai360]

Also if you think warm is making reds bleed just lower the color setting. What most people dont know is color is usally below half point to stop bleeding colors. Its been like this since color tv's where released.

[jackpwnage117]

also thanks for the info about warm it just that normal seems balanced color but i guess ntsc is us tv and standard is warm so yeah

[nightshot103]

Send me an email. I'll tell you my television's make and model.

Then, you can tell me if you can get the ideal picture settings for it.

Thanks.

[Xenokai360]

if it has 3 options for color temp. the low,warm or 6500k setting is right. It is suppose to look more red. Use it with this setting for a few weeks and it will look right.

[nightshot103]

I completed the calibration and need to know if the results are accurate.

I have five different settings resulting in five different pictures. And according to the test patterns, they're all accurate. That's impossible, because they all look different.

[Xenokai360]

diffrent devices and diffrent inputs = diffrent pictures.

[nightshot103]

ah hah...!!!

[jackpwnage117]

Hey k umm i can't find a Pixar movie but umm what should I do with my settings right now everything is balanced at 0 because my tv goes down to -28 and +28 so i balanced everything at 0 but what should i do with sharpness I hear that you should max it out for more detail because when i do it looks more clear so please reply fast.

[nightshot103]

jackpwnage117, for the sharpness, put on a screen with words. If you crank up the sharpness, you'll see bright lines appearing around those words. That's bad. Those lines make things falsely look sharper, but they disturbe natural details. They block details behind those bright lights.

Now, turn the sharpness down until those lineds disappear.

Like movies, the picture should appear soft, almost out of focus.

Tell me your television.

[nightshot103]

Hey man, from my personal experience and preferences, practically all my settings are below the mid line. And I usually watch tv with the lights turned off, at night.

TRY THIS -- Pick a DVD movie or Video game. Look at the back of their boxes to see the in-game or in-movie screenshots.

Play the games or movies and PAUSE "II" EXACTLY at those in-game or in-movie screenshots.

Now, adjust your television until what you see on your tv is exactly the same as what you see in the photos.

[jackpwnage117]

Ehh is it good to have everything balanced execpt for color temp to warm because im only 10. lol so i don't understand to much but still it's kind of complicated.

[Xenokai360]

Find or rent a pixar movie, check ur dvds cases if it says THX on it then it should have the program you need. Midpoint to 60% mark is where sharpness needs to stay. Never turn it all the way up. The THX program can help u set this. backlight also shouldnt ever be set over the 60% mark which is like +2 or +3 on ur tv. Setting up a tv can confuse the eyes. a more sharp and blue picture will grab ur eyes more but isnt the right settings.

[nightshot103]

EXPLAIN what barely visible fucken means.

It can mean slightly fuzzy and squint to see or can see easily. Fuck, man.

[Xenokai360]

barely visible mean you can see it. just lower it till you dont see it at all no matter what and raise it till you see it. Doesnt matter if its squinting or not.

[nightshot103]

Got it.

[Xenokai360]

glade i could help xD

[jackpwnage117]

Hey thanks for guide but umm my tv aint hd or analog it's digital EDTV but it has color temp settings and back light but there is only three settings for back light which are dark normal and bright so idk. plz reply

[Xenokai360]

Sorry for the late reply. No matter what tv your using always use low or warm. As for backlight leave it on normal.

[jackpwnage117]

k thanks and are you sure bout warm instead of balanced cuz on balanced a fog in nazi zombies on my 360 is white like realisticly and on warm it looks a little more dark and yellowish even though it does look a bit more vibrant in most cases.

[Xenokai360]

Yeah use warm. Play on warm for a week and swicth it back to balanced and you will clearly see balanced/normal/mid is to blue. Whites will look whiter to most people on normal or balanced but it just because the blue in the white make it pop more. NTSC accurate color is warm and has a reddish tone which isnt notiacble after you wacth it for awhile trust me. I had the same problem picking the 2 as you. Warm is much better.

[jackpwnage117]

k does it add more detail or is it like just change color

[nightshot103]

Jackpwnage117, I suggest you contact the maker of your television directly and ask them which color temperature is closest to 6500K.

Then, set it accordingly.

It's a change in color, I'm guessing. It's like deciding to use a reddish paper or a bluish paper or white paper.

Movie directors and game developers chose a certain color paper to work on. If you want your screen images to look like theirs, choose the same paper color. Or else you will see something they didn't intend.

[jackpwnage117]

Hey man also i dont have any thx movies that are dvd lol umm but my EDTV looks pretty good when i resest the settings to default and all i gotta do after that is put color temp. to warm and it looks good.

[nightshot103]

6500K for NTSC is actually bluish. It varies by set. On my television, I contacted the manufacturer directly, and they told me it's mid-low. Browsing the net on reseller's websites, they list midlow at 6500k, as well.

All this time, I had it at low, which was obviously red.

[nightshot103]

i meant bluish compared to the 5500K used often in computers or photography, I'm guessing again.

[Xenokai360]

6500k or ntsc standard will always be low or 6500k. 6500k will look bluer then 5500k but still should have a red tone. if theres a option for 6500k then use it. if not Low is where its at. all tv's make 6500k the low setting the manufactor that told ya mid was 6500k prob doesnt know whats going on. lol read the book to your tv should say.

[Xenokai360]

some tv has a low 1 or low 2. (one of those are the 6500k usally low 1or warm 1 would be the right choice. IMO i think all tv shouldnt have a color temp option confuses people more then it helps.

[nightshot103]

lol...he actually told me High at first. LOL.

[Blogsterle]

Thanks for the detailed walkthrough! My Blu-Ray films look much better now, and even my PlayStation 3 games seem more vibrant.