Well, my English sucks so i did some pictures, it may help understanding what i´m trying to ask.

Basically i need to know what of these 2 settings i should use.

on option 1, i can see all shadow detail but black is a bit above what my lcd can do... while on option 2, i have the best black possible, but i´m loosing a bit of shadow detial.

those 1234, are numbers, 1 is the darker one, and 4 is the lightest.

here are the screenshot of my explanation and the pattern i´m using.

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8859/brightnessgt2.th.jpg (http://img384.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brightnessgt2.jpg)

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8349/brightnessxg4.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brightnessxg4.jpg)

Well, my English sucks so i did some pictures, it may help understanding what i´m trying to ask.

Basically i need to know what of these 2 settings i should use.

on option 1, i can see all shadow detail but black is a bit above what my lcd can do... while on option 2, i have the best black possible, but i´m loosing a bit of shadow detial.

those 1234, are numbers, 1 is the darker one, and 4 is the lightest.

here are the screenshot of my explanation and the pattern i´m using.

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8859/brightnessgt2.th.jpg (http://img384.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brightnessgt2.jpg)

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8349/brightnessxg4.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brightnessxg4.jpg)

I could only see the 3 and 4 on my laptop... but I think I managed to
get that the number one is 3, the number two is 5, the number three is 8
and the number four is 10. I guess I would go for your option 2 which makes
8 and everything above visible.

What LCD do you have and what is the name of your options, 1 and 2?

I could only see the 3 and 4 on my laptop... but I think I managed to
get that the number one is 3, the number two is 5, the number three is 8
and the number four is 10. I guess I would go for your option 2 which makes
8 and everything above visible.

What LCD do you have and what is the name of your options, 1 and 2?
my lcd tv is LNS3251D Samsung.
didn´t understand your last question.

i can see all 4 numbers on my monitor LCD, but then i´m not so sure how accurate this test is.

I found on the Internet. But with option 2 i can clearly see i´m loosing some detail so i guess it´s pretty accurate.

ok, now i understand you are correct

1:3, 2:5, 3:8, 4:10

So you think option 2 is the right one? even if i´, not going to be able to see 1 (3) and 2 (5)?

If you are calibrating the TV for your computer this is okay.

If you are calibrating the TV for other devices these blacks are too dark.

Video black is digital 16, so TV, DVD, game consoles, will all be much too dark on these settings.


For video devices 21 should be visible above 16, but everyting below 16 is black.

If you are calibrating the TV for your computer this is okay.

If you are calibrating the TV for other devices these blacks are too dark.

Video black is digital 16, so TV, DVD, game consoles, will all be much too dark on these settings.


For video devices 21 should be visible above 16, but everyting below 16 is black.
i´m using the 0-255 range, because i´m using my PC and i set that range.

So sotti, know this, what option i should use?

i´m using the 0-255 range, because i´m using my PC and i set that range.

So sotti, know this, what option i should use?

What are you using your TV for, if it's just a computer monitor (regardless of what you do with your computer) the 0-255 is correct.

If you do watch TV from cable, over the air, or a satalitte box, use a convetional DVD player or game console then 16-235 is correct.

my lcd tv is LNS3251D Samsung.
didn´t understand your last question.

I just wondered if they had some names which gave a clue to what
they were supposed to do; like "Standard Black Level" or "Enhanced
Black Level" or something like that. But from your answer, I suspect
that they are just called option 1 or 2?

What are you using your TV for, if it's just a computer monitor (regardless of what you do with your computer) the 0-255 is correct.

If you do watch TV from cable, over the air, or a satalitte box, use a convetional DVD player or game console then 16-235 is correct.

Hi Sotti,
i use my tv for everything, game console and tv cable, also i watch movies through my PC.

On my gameconsole, (xbox360) i have setted as Expanded black level, i think this use a 0-255 scale. While Standard use a 16-235 scale.

Do you think i should set it on Standard (16-235) instead?

Because everywhere were i read it said the xbox360 should be on Expanded if you were using a VGA or HDMI connection.

I just wondered if they had some names which gave a clue to what
they were supposed to do; like "Standard Black Level" or "Enhanced
Black Level" or something like that. But from your answer, I suspect
that they are just called option 1 or 2?
Oh sorry, These are not tv´s options. These are how i calibrated the tv settings, and i´m not sure what is properly calibrated.

i said option 1 and 2, to make it easier to understand but these are not tv modes.

Hi Sotti,
i use my tv for everything, game console and tv cable, also i watch movies through my PC.

On my gameconsole, (xbox360) i have setted as Expanded black level, i think this use a 0-255 scale. While Standard use a 16-235 scale.

Do you think i should set it on Standard (16-235) instead?

Because everywhere were i read it said the xbox360 should be on Expanded if you were using a VGA or HDMI connection.


If you calibrate for 0-255, and your PC is your DVD you need to make sure your PC software expands DVD levels. Calibrated for 0-255, the 360 will look right expanded.

Cable TV NEEDS 16-235 to look right. So if you want cable calibrated then you can calibrate your PC for 16-235 and transfer those settings to the cable settings, then recalibrate for 0-255, or use a uniform 16-245 setting. Keep your PC DVD software at 16-235 and keep the 360 on normal black.

Ok, i get it, but then if i´m using a 0-255 range on the pattern i post on the 1st screen i should be able to see 1234 numbers, i´m correct?

Even if this produce a lighter black on my display? or it will be better to compromise 1 and 3 (3 and 5) to get better black level?

Ok, i get it, but then if i´m using a 0-255 range on the pattern i post on the 1st screen i should be able to see 1234 numbers, i´m correct?

Even if this produce a lighter black on my display? or it will be better to compromise 1 and 3 (3 and 5) to get better black level?

I think seing 1 is debatable, those darkest darks sometimes wash out. I think you should crank it up till you can see number 2 though.

I think seing 1 is debatable, those darkest darks sometimes wash out. I think you should crank it up till you can see number 2 though.
hmm ok, i think i´m able to see number 2 without getting a lighter black so that would be great.