So you’ve got a new TV and you want to get it calibrated. You’ve read all the articles that say it’s smart money spent to make your new set as good as it can be. You may have even visited the ISF website and found a recommended guy in your area. But the guy you called wants $400 and you heard that Sparky down at the Geek Squad is now offering “ISF” calibrations for $300. A chance to save a buck? Let’s take a closer look.

 

First, let's think about what calibration really is. It's doing everything possible, through adjustments made available in the service menu and user menus, to remove all manner of video artifacts so that you see what the Director/Cinematographer saw when they made the movie/network sitcom. Thankfully, there are a set of standards that allow Imaging Science practitioners all over the planet to bring your new set into compliance, given the right set of controls to work with. But getting your set to comply is not a cookie cutter operation. While we like to call calibration Imaging "Science", and all sets MUST obey the laws of physics, there is another element that is required for a set to look absolutely the best that it can be. That sometimes elusive element is the experience of the calibrator. It's the "Art" that compliments the instrumentation and test patterns. Consider the following dilemmas..... What pre-set color temperature should I start with? Am I really in the linear area of the contrast range, or is that the reason I can't achieve a flat grayscale? Should I remove that "red push" by de-saturating all colors or can I get to the color decoder to just fix red? Which "pluge" pattern should I use for this environment? Is multi-burst failing because of a poor cable? Can I really correct the primaries on this set with CMS? Do I have the right tests to check for motion artifacts? What are the right defaults for DNR, MPEG noise reduction, auto tint, and edge enhancement for this set ? Can I achieve 20FtL post-calibration light output with this projector/screen combination?

Never mind the answers. If the questions don't even make sense to you, don't worry. YOU don't have understand any of it - but your calibrator damn well better!