Looking at purchasing Sencore VP403 signal generator and the OTC1000 optical tristimuls colorimeter (non contact). Wanted to make sure this is good stuff from others who may have used these products or others.

TIA!

toby

how much does all that goodness run you?

This forum has a pretty strong calman bias so I would wonder if you could get something comprable from them for less.

how much does all that goodness run you?

This forum has a pretty strong calman bias so I would wonder if you could get something comprable from them for less.

A tad over ten grand. That is direct from sencore.

Well that pattern generator is sweet. Calman could use it.

For your probe Calman supports alot of different options and sells quite a few too
http://www.spectracal.com/purchase.html

The X-rite hubble is a OTC1000.
I'm not that know that much about it, being that people genrealy say that spectrophotometers are better then their tri-color stimulus counterparts why that tri-color stimulus probe is so much when their are cheaper spectrophotometers around.

Anyway I'm sure the sencore package is solid, just always suggest a quick cross shop.

Well that pattern generator is sweet. Calman could use it.

For your probe Calman supports alot of different options and sells quite a few too
http://www.spectracal.com/purchase.html

The X-rite hubble is a OTC1000.
I'm not that know that much about it, being that people genrealy say that spectrophotometers are better then their tri-color stimulus counterparts why that tri-color stimulus probe is so much when their are cheaper spectrophotometers around.

Anyway I'm sure the sencore package is solid, just always suggest a quick cross shop.

Exactly. That is why I posted my question here first before I purchased anything. I'm going to head over to calman's site and look around and continue to do more research.

Looking at purchasing Sencore VP403 signal generator and the OTC1000 optical tristimuls colorimeter (non contact). Wanted to make sure this is good stuff from others who may have used these products or others.

TIA!

toby

Please call us before you do so even if you don't buy from us. There are much better optoins for less than what Sencore is telling you. First off they don't support any form of a Spectroradiometer we support them all. The OTC-1000 is a x-rite Hubble with a different label and chances are you are getting old stock from Sencore they are trying to dump.

Please call us before you do so even if you don't buy from us. There are much better optoins for less than what Sencore is telling you. First off they don't support any form of a Spectroradiometer we support them all. The OTC-1000 is a x-rite Hubble with a different label and chances are you are getting old stock from Sencore they are trying to dump.

Thanks, I will call.

One thing to beware of with the VP-403. I used to own one, and it only outputs RGB colorspace over DVI/HDMI. A few displays react differently to RGB vs. YCbCr, and when that happens it will give you all kinds of grief. Black levels may be way off, and color decoding is sometimes different. In my estimation up to 5% of the displays I calibrate react differently, and when that happens you will not get accurate results.
I now use the Quantum Data 802BT, with HDMI output and switchable colorspace for the HDMI output. With it I can see first hand the difference on those displays.
HDMI sources normally output YCbCr unless forced to output RGB by going into a DVI input.

^^^^^^

Isn't YCbCr derived from RGB supposed to be lossless and the only reason it is used is for efficiency purposes? Isn't the 403 a rebadged Quantum Data unit?

^^^^^^

Isn't YCbCr derived from RGB supposed to be lossless and the only reason it is used is for efficiency purposes? Isn't the 403 a rebadged Quantum Data unit?

Yes and Yes. However many of the newer displays are storing the settings by input, by frame size, by refresh rate and now by color space RGB vs. YCC.

The VP403 is a QD700 series rebadged with Sencore firmware but it still only has a RGB output and does not support YCC.

Looking at purchasing Sencore VP403 signal generator and the OTC1000 optical tristimuls colorimeter (non contact). Wanted to make sure this is good stuff from others who may have used these products or others.

TIA!

toby

AccuPel's HDG-4000 has about the same functionality as a Sencore 403 with a number of extra-cost options that run the 403's price up to $4000+. The AccuPel generator is ~$1600 plus shipping.

You have to be careful with Sencore's price quotes... you may be getting the base version of the generator that doesn't have everything you want and it either arrives without being able to do everything you want it to do, or you find out at the very last minute that the things you thought were standard cost more and you have to either pony up at the last minute or back out of the purchase. The "base" version of the 403 is under $3K but lacks things you probably want.

Derek,

Thanks for the clarification!

the support you get from sencore is unmatched

AccuPel's HDG-4000 has about the same functionality as a Sencore 403 with a number of extra-cost options that run the 403's price up to $4000+. The AccuPel generator is ~$1600 plus shipping.

You have to be careful with Sencore's price quotes... you may be getting the base version of the generator that doesn't have everything you want and it either arrives without being able to do everything you want it to do, or you find out at the very last minute that the things you thought were standard cost more and you have to either pony up at the last minute or back out of the purchase. The "base" version of the 403 is under $3K but lacks things you probably want.

If memory is correct, one does not need to go to the Accupel HDG-4000 for the same functionality of the Sencore 401, it can easily be matched in the HDG-3000.

The only thing that the base Sencore 403 has for $3k or more not included in the 401/402 is the ATSC generator for patterns using a TV's tuner, which one would question if that is really worth an additional ~$1500 in cost.

Several used OTC-1000 can be found in the $2k range. A new Hubble (same as OTC-1000) with the Enthusiast license from SpectraCal can be had for roughly twice that.

Combine that with a Accupel Generator and you can get essentially the same thing Sencore is offering for roughly 40% off the new price or 66% off on the used price.

If memory is correct, one does not need to go to the Accupel HDG-4000 for the same functionality of the Sencore 401, it can easily be matched in the HDG-3000.

The big difference between the AccuPel 3000 and 4000 other than 1080p support is 5% grayscale patterns or less. The 3000 only supports 10% grayscale and the 4000 will go as low a 1%.

The big difference between the AccuPel 3000 and 4000 other than 1080p support is 5% grayscale patterns or less. The 3000 only supports 10% grayscale and the 4000 will go as low a 1%.

I'm not sure this is correct Derek. My (and all) AccuPel 3000 generators will display 0 to 10 IRE patterns in ten steps.

The big difference between the AccuPel 3000 and 4000 other than 1080p support is 5% grayscale patterns or less. The 3000 only supports 10% grayscale and the 4000 will go as low a 1%.

Even the Lumagen Radiance only has 11 Grayscale points (essentially 0%-100% in 10 point increments) unless someone has a VERY SPECIFIC setup that needs a 5% grayscale, would it ever be used in 99.999999% of the calibrations performed? Its sort of like having SDI output or an ATSC output on the Generator - is it really worth hundreds (or thousands) of dollars more?

I'm not sure this is correct Derek. My (and all) AccuPel 3000 generators will display 0 to 10 IRE patterns in ten steps.

I am sure he is speaking of 15%- 20% - 25% - 30% etc, but as most every TVs only have a high and low cut, in most cases virtually nothing can be learned with a grayscale at 35% that cannot be learned at 30% and 40%, unless I am missing something.

I'm not sure this is correct Derek. My (and all) AccuPel 3000 generators will display 0 to 10 IRE patterns in ten steps.

Yes the 3000 has a low IRE mode where you can generate 0-10 in 1% but only to 10% not the full range 0-100.

I am sure he is speaking of 15%- 20% - 25% - 30% etc, but as most every TVs only have a high and low cut, in most cases virtually nothing can be learned with a grayscale at 35% that cannot be learned at 30% and 40%, unless I am missing something.

To be clear, the AccuPel 3000 will display 0-10 IRE patterns (such as grey step ramp and individual 0-10 IRE windows).

Yes the 3000 has a low IRE mode where you can generate 0-10 in 1% but only to 10% not the full range 0-100.

:) correct.