Anyone in/near London interested in ISF calibration?

[Lyris]

Hope this isn't against forum rules, obviously let me know if it is!

I've had enough requests from people across Europe to come and calibrate their HDTVs to HDTV and PAL industry standards now that I've arranged a trip to London early next week (sometime around Wednesday October 23, Oct 24, and so on). I'm doing calibrations all day so daytime/evening is a possibility (although the evening slots are obviously filling up faster). If there's any interest on here, I'd happily extend that visit.



ISF calibration (I'm an ISF certified tech) involves measuring the luminance levels, as well as the hue and saturation points of colours, from your TV or projector screen, in your specific viewing environment, and using the basic and advanced controls to precisely offset (or "dial out") errors. It also involves finding any weak links in the video chain (bad deinterlacing, scaling etc) and compensating for them, and making sure all the sneaky behind-your-back video processing is avoided.

The goal is to make your TV match the HDTV, PAL and/or NTSC standards as closely as possible, so you see the real picture. The end goal is that you see "the whole picture, the right picture, and nothing but the picture", the same image the filmmakers/game designers/artists/DoPs etc saw during the content production: whites that are white rather than tinted blue, flesh tones that look like flesh rather than tan-in-a-can, grass that looks real rather than radioactive.

I'm using a Klein K-10 colorimeter, which is a meter that's actually accurate at low light levels, meaning it isn't thrown off by newer displays with very deep black levels.

Anyway, if you're about and interested, give me a PM or reply here, and let me know what display you're using.

[Colin]

What are we looking at cost-wise here Lyris? I'm pretty much 98% sure I have my TV set up like a bag of crap, but wouldn't be too sure of spending a lot getting this done in case I saw little improvement. (I have a 60" LG plasma)

[Lyris]

The LG plasmas definitely benefit from calibration. They have basically all the advanced controls you need to get it done, and there's no way to adjust those by eye.

I'll PM you in a sec!

[fuse]

Arg. I'm unlikely to be moved in / set up before those dates, but if by some miracle I manage it and you still have slots spare (ooh, suits you sir) then I will likely be interested too.

[Lyris]

When are you expecting to have everything in place?

[fuse]

Wish I knew. I thought I would be moved in by the end of August, but am still having to facilitate a daily back and forth between solicitors which could end anytime between tomorrow and the end of time.

I am pretty much set on an Optoma HD300X (screen undecided yet) in one room, and likely a Samsung plasma in the other, if that helps? I will have to buy, take delivery of, and wall/ceiling mount as appropriate though, hence me saying its unlikely I will be ready before

[Lyris]

That's too bad, but something to keep in mind for later. It won't be the last time I'm in London.

In the case of the Samsung plasma, it's best not to calibrate it right out of the box anyway.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I'm intrigued...I have a Samsung LE40C530 that I've pretty much used out of the box for the last 2 years.

Would calibrating honestly be worth it? And what would you be charging?

[Lyris]

In the out of the box settings, it'll be way out - blue tinted whites, pumped up colour, contrast stretching, noise reduction and so on. A lot of distortion.

You can make a big difference by just using the Movie mode - and obviously you don't need to pay a calibrator to do this for you. That can get things looking good, but there are still other variables which can affect quality (both in the TV and elsewhere in the system).

But with a full ISF calibration, you'll be left with a setup which couldn't possibly look any better, and scientific proof of it (charts), so you can banish the "tweaker's urge". As well as charts showing what the accuracy was like before (which usually resemble a bad day at the stock market). That's really the point, to get everything firing on all cylinders.

[Shozuki]

I got my VX300 done for free mate but could be interested in getting the Pioneer KRP-500, let me know the price mate!

[wakka]

This sounds absolutely wicked Lyris, I'd be well up for it if I'd found my new place in London. Maybe next time you're in town (post again then!).

[Soundwave]

I'm in Sunny Essex so not a million miles away from London if you fancy popping out to this neck of the woods I could be interested depending on Price

I has a Panny G20 that I tried faffing about with using one of those DVE set up discs but I'd be interested to see what results the ISF would achieve

Thanks

Neil

[Lyris]

That's a stroke of luck - my last day is in Essex and I have a slot free.

My own G20 was improved with calibration. The out of the box THX mode is green tinted and surprisingly, more washed out than a full calibration also.

I'll send you a PM!

[bash]

Hi Lyris

Is my old beat up Toshiba 36" ZD26p CRT worth doing for the crappy freeview? It still gives a decent image but I fear its on the way out as the picture jumps around for about 5 mins when you turn it on. Once it settles its fine. I also play classic emus via my old Xbox on it via 480p

Plus my TX-P37x10B is my main tv, in my bedroom for watching hd movies and current gen console gaming.

How much please sir? Based in east London

[Lyris]

For the CRT, I'm sure it would make a good improvement to the quality (the geometry especially), if you really did want to spend money on something that may be on its last legs.

I'll send you a PM, I do have a slot that just opened up!