Calibrating Mitsubishi 52" DLP

[hemifever]

I had my 52" DLP delivered yesterday. The Tweeter (Now Audio) person set it up and put all the color bars at level 31. He said that's the default they set it to for a good picture. I know everyone is different, but is there a documented color level chart for calibrating this for special "movie tastes"?

[George Bellefontaine]

The best way to set color properly on any display, dlp, lcd or crt, is to use a test disc with color bars and a blue filter. The Avia disc is , in my opinion, the best for not only setting color, but also contrast and black levels, which should all be calibrated according to the test signals available on this disc. Avia takes you through the calibration step by step. A newer digital test disc from Joe Kane is now also on the market. It's called Digital Video Essentials. Owning one of these discs is necessary if you really want to be sure you are getting as good a picture as you can get. I'm not sure I understand what that Tweeter person was trying to say when he set all color bar levels at 31.

[Chris D]

Hemifer, I'm sure the Tweeter person means well, and that setting works okay in THEIR showroom. However, this is what their setting accomplishes for them.

- Standard setting to get "good picture" as he told you, not requiring individual unit attention taking up extra time for all their displays
- Setting gives an ATTRACTIVE picture, getting buyers' attention with bright colors and such in the showroom. This is NOT necessarily an ACCURATE picture, though
- Setting is for the showroom environment, with ambient lighting, other TV's on in the near vicinity, etc. NOT for your particular room

George is absolutely right. You need to calibrate your TV to be ACCURATE in YOUR particular room, at the typical room lighting you have when you watch TV. (including daytime or night) Use Avia or Video Essentials if you do it yourself. (which most of us do)

[hemifever]

Thanks, I'll get one of those Avia CD's and get this thing right.

[Clive]

Please also get familiar with your set before doing any changes. READ THE MANUAL!

It may also help to just go through all the settings and write them down, just in case you need to revert. YES, the "reset" will help too. I have seen situations where people have gone into the "service menu" and screwed things up. Another suggestion is maybe you should wait a few days to allow the set to settle-in then do the changes. You'll never know

GOOD LUCK!

[David Meek]

Sean, like Uncle said, be sure to write down any settings before you change them. The reset button takes the settings all the way back to the factory defaults, and you may have been lucky enough to have a dealer that modified a few of the settings to make the image look a bit better.

[Chris Lundstrom]

Hey I just wondering where can you get that AVIA cd you mentioned.

Thanks

[Shane Martin]

Amazon.com, Best Buy, Circuit City.. pretty much everywhere except Walmart

[aud19]

Hey I just wondering where can you get that AVIA cd you mentioned.

Thanks

Should be able to order it or Digital Video Essential online as well

[PewterTA]

Deepdiscountdvd.com is the cheapest place I know to get it since you get free shipping there.

[Chris Lundstrom]

Thanks for the info gents. I have recently ordered a toshiba 52hmx95 dlp and someone at work mentioned calbrating dlp's. Is it really necessary. Are the manufactures setting controls not sufficient to set the picture. I guess the picture really needs to be adjusted right out of the box? IS that true. Will this AVIA product really optimize the picture. One of my collegues mentione that had to pay some techy $350 to come set up his tv and adjust to optimal. Its obvious that the tvs controls are not for the average laymen.

Cheeres,

chris

[aud19]

What your friend had done was a professional ISF calibration using equipment and procedures not available to the average joe.

What you're doing with AVIA or DVE is a DIY calibration with the consumer controls by eye. It's a good idea and will greatly improve the PQ of your display as well as lengthen your display/lamp's life (most displays come from the manufacturer in "torch" mode) but it can't compete with a pro, ISF calibration

[PewterTA]

If you can find a good ISF calibrater, I honestly thing it's well worth the ~200-300 to get it done. It will give your picture a very 3-D look to the image. It's actually hard to get used to at first, then after about a week, you'll never be able to go back...and all other displays just look horrible... hee hee.