Can I learn to calibrate a display?

[Matthew J Poes]

for anyone who saw my other posts, I’m a very technically minded person. I’m proficient in acoustic measurement and acoustical physics. I’ve built amplifiers, speakers, preamplifier, etc. yet for some reason I’ve always felt overwhelmed trying to learn display calibration. I understand the basics like contrast, brightness, the basic stuff one can do without measurements.

can I learn to measure and calibrate a display? If so what do I need? What is the most affordable way to obtain the tools needed to practice and learn?

 

[mechman]

Absolutely! All you need is hardware and software. I'd recommend picking up a CalMAN Home Enthusiast bundle with the OEM i1Display. CalMAN pretty much holds your hand for you throughout the whole process. Chromapure is the other software package you could use that costs money. If you prefer to keep it on the cheap, You can look into HCFR.

I plan on doing write-ups for each platform in the coming weeks/months.

To be honest, if you have your brightness and contrast set properly, you're 80% of the way there.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Absolutely! All you need is hardware and software. I'd recommend picking up a CalMAN Home Enthusiast bundle with the OEM i1Display. CalMAN pretty much holds your hand for you throughout the whole process. Chromapure is the other software package you could use that costs money. If you prefer to keep it on the cheap, You can look into HCFR.

I plan on doing write-ups for each platform in the coming weeks/months.

To be honest, if you have your brightness and contrast set properly, you're 80% of the way there.

Is HCFR harder to use? Would I be better off with a pay option for ease of use.

I think I have contrast and brightness set right. With the JVC I find a balance between best black levels and crushing black detail to be a balancing act.

 

[mechman]

HCFR doesn't come with any documentation from what I recall. You would have to teach yourself. And it's particular with regards to instrumentation. There are only certain meters that function with it.

 

[mechman]

I guess Kal did do a guide for HCFR here. Not sure if it's up to date or not though.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I guess Kal did do a guide for HCFR here. Not sure if it's up to date or not though.

I downloaded it years ago and bought a meter but at the time my projector had no color management so I played with it a bit and moved on. I was never sure I was taking measurements right. Now I have a Samsung LCD that has pretty comprehensive controls. The JVC RS1 is course but has enough I should be able to do something with it? I had it professionally calibrated in 2009 on a different screen than I'm using. At this point I'd rather learn how to calibrate myself.

 

[mechman]

Well if you go with a CalMAN package, it pretty much walks you right through the whole process.