Will Spydertv Pro work to calibrate Blu-Ray sources? Or does it only work with DVDs?

Will Spydertv Pro work to calibrate Blu-Ray sources? Or does it only work with DVDs?

Depends on your comfort/knowledge level. :)

It's a tool, you either know (or can figure out) how to use it ... or not.

The real question is whether or not a suitable calibration disk has been released for BD (or HD-DVD.) The last time I checked, these releases were still pending.

Well, my knowledge level is practically 0... which is why I'm looking into SpyderTV. Isn't it supposed to be calibration for dummies? :D

Does the Sony Blu-Ray Test screens count as a suitable calibration disc?

Does the Sony Blu-Ray Test screens count as a suitable calibration disc?

From Micheal's description in the other thread, I would say no ... completely useless for calibrating grayscale (which is the only real reason to contemplate getting a Spyder2 package in the first place.)

OTOH, They sound usable for setting color/tint controls.

Bottom line is the spyder2 hardware/software can probably be coaxed to producing data for you, but it's only part of the equation ... you need a way to get the test patterns to your display. Maybe that's as simple as letting your BD player upconvert the supplied SD calibration disk ... maybe not. Either way, don't expect it to be a painless, semi-automated or fully automated process.

I have the SpyderTV PRO and I have a problem with the calibrated of Cuts&Gains:

When it makes the measurement with the Spyder2 colorimeter never appear to me the graphs with the percentage of R, G, B and always say: increaments the blue component
(even putting the component blue to the maximum).

Somebody has idea of so that software does not work to me?

I have tried of reinstalling the software and have proved it in two different computers

Try re-installing it again but this time select 'english' as the language to use the software with. This issue came up very early in this thread and doing this solved a very similar problem.

See if that works.

Wayne

Mystery, thank you for your response,

When you reinstall you cannot select the language, default language is English.
I have read this thread and if I have not understood badly the problem solves it to level of settings of the operative system (I suppose that it is necessary to change the Regional Settings).

So basically SpyderTV Pro is only good for calibrating DVD players then right? It cant be used to calibrate HD Cable boxes or any other sources?

So basically SpyderTV Pro is only good for calibrating DVD players then right?

That's not what I said at all. What I said is SpyderTV Pro is a tool, which when used in combination with other tools (and a bit-o-knowledge) can be used to calibrate some aspects of some displays. I don't know how I can be clearer or more precise while still making a true statement.

He was just citing a hypothetical example. He didn't want to find out after using his muscles that there was an easy solution like a button or something which in reality there isn't.

You just have to tug on it hard enough to get it to move.

Wayne

I didn't care for how hard I had to tug on the wire, since I didn't want to break it. I just unsnapped the plastic weight case and reassembled it closer to where I wanted it to be. It's just a plastic base that the wire threads through, a metal disk to supply the weight, and a plastic top. It all just snaps together. You should be able to pry the cap off with your fingernails.
Roy

I had a vendor tell me that the SpyderTV Pro would only be able to setup colour temperature on a Sony 60" SXRD XBR2 and an Sony 52" LCD XBR3, to adjustment grey scale and other settings would require access to the service menu, would this be a true assessment.

It's true if those two sets don't have RGB Gains/Cuts controls in the user accessible menu system.

Wayne

Wayne: not sure what you mean by RGB gains/cuts

Wayne: not sure what you mean by RGB gains/cuts

I think he means the RGB Gain/Bias option in the Bravia

Yes. The red, green and blue contrast and brightness settings.

Well, I just got my SpyderTV Pro and I've tried to calibrate my Hitachi 60VX915 LCD RPTV. Color temperature, check. Contrast and brightness, check. Color and tint, check.

Grey scale? No dice. The Hitachi has "phase" and "gain" rather than "gain" and "cut", and "phase" doesn't seem to be the same thing as "cut" so I tried to adjust just the gain. Unfortunately, changing the gain settings from the user menu has ABSOLUTELY zero effect on the values reported by SpyderTV Pro.

Does this make sense to anyone? I my colorimeter defective, or do I just have to retreat to the Hitachi service menu to really adjust the grey scale?

Not a happy camper at all.... :(

Grey scale? No dice. The Hitachi has "phase" and "gain"

It sounds like these may be color decoder adjustments ... of course I'd have to peek at the fine user's manual to be sure.

If the spyder2 sensor responded to changes of the color-temperature control, it's probably ok.

Anyone have any suggestions about how to calibrate with the service menu on the screen? The way you have to access the service menu is by turning the power on with the input button depressed, and power on/off isn't good for the lamp so that's not something I want to do much of...

Since the SpyderTV makes such a big deal about waiting for the menu to be off the screen, I seem to be in a bit of a catch 22.... I need the service menu to adjust the RBG gains/cuts, and I need it to be off to measure....

This weekend I did the calibrated of my Sim2 HT300 XTRA-H and when calibrating the RGB Gains the maximum level of red that I could obtain it was of 93% (I put to the maximum the bar of the red one).
In this projector the only temperature of color that allows you to calibrate cuts&Gains is “user temperature”.
On the other hand, three Gammas can be selected :
- "Film" and "video" for video images
- "Graphics" for images coming from computer

I made the calibrated with Gamma "Film".
Changing of Gamma, can that is solved the problem with the red Gain? or I must enter in the "Service menu" to increase the red Gain?

Most UHP bulb based PJ's will run out of red very fast so what you need to do is limit red to the point when it starts to drop off, then adjust green and blue around that.

derekjsmith,

What you mean is that I tried to adjust the green and the blue to 93%?

Thank you.

Hello derekjsmith,
I have read the "Calibration Guide" of Calman and the example that leaves is similar to my case.In the case of this guide it was solved proving with another Gamma.
When you say “then adjust green and blue around that”, what you mean?
It is necessary to consider that the SpyderTV PRO actually measures only two points in the grayscale (30 and 80 IRE).

Hello derekjsmith,
I have read the "Calibration Guide" of Calman and the example that leaves is similar to my case.In the case of this guide it was solved proving with another Gamma.
When you say “then adjust green and blue around that”, what you mean?
It is necessary to consider that the SpyderTV PRO actually measures only two points in the grayscale (30 and 80 IRE).


What he means is that RED is the color you wont touch when calibrating for greyscale (or barely use it), use green and blue. For example, Mits3000UDLP, Red is maxed out, if I used red, it clips (dies out), so leave I leave it at default of 0, then reduce Green to bring RED up and teeter totter between green and blue to balance all three..

Yes on to consider that even if the SpyderTV pro actually measures only two points..because even if it only measures two points, your effecting the whole greyscale, not just 30 and 80IRE..

Hey. First time poster, long time reader of this great forum. I recently got the Spyder TV Pro, and I ran it once last night on my Sony SXRD (No, I don't have a green blob! ). Looks pretty good so far! My question is this:

I have all these other options -
DTE
Sharpness
Color Corrector
Advanced Iris
Detail Enhancer
Black Corrector
Gamma Corrector

Should all of these be turned off/minimized before calibration? Should they be left off after the calibration too?

Thanks for the info!

Will Spyder work with front projector? By facing it's sensor to the projector, not to the screen (like plasma, TV)?

Have anyone experienced this? How is the result? THANKS

Will Spyder work with front projector? By facing it's sensor to the projector, not to the screen (like plasma, TV)?

Have anyone experienced this? How is the result? THANKS

Sensor FACING the screen.

The Spyder2 works very well facing the screen or the projector. In fact for very low light output you will get better results by facing the projector.

The Spyder2 works very well facing the screen or the projector. In fact for very low light output you will get better results by facing the projector.

If facing the PJ, how do you compensate for the screen? Screens have different gains and brightness that affects PQ.

Hello..

I have done this set with awesome results..

I left everything OFF, except the Detail Enhancer,DTE..

I beleive the IRIS setting was at 3 out of 5

Sharpenss set to what ever looks best to you..

Hope this helps..

:)



Hey. First time poster, long time reader of this great forum. I recently got the Spyder TV Pro, and I ran it once last night on my Sony SXRD (No, I don't have a green blob! ). Looks pretty good so far! My question is this:

I have all these other options -
DTE
Sharpness
Color Corrector
Advanced Iris
Detail Enhancer
Black Corrector
Gamma Corrector

Should all of these be turned off/minimized before calibration? Should they be left off after the calibration too?

Thanks for the info!

If facing the PJ, how do you compensate for the screen? Screens have different gains and brightness that affects PQ.

Most screen's have minimal color shift and the gain should be linear. But if you did want to compensate for the screen you need to calculate the shift by taking a reading from the screen and then the PJ noting the difference in xy coords.

Most screen's have minimal color shift and the gain should be linear. But if you did want to compensate for the screen you need to calculate the shift by taking a reading from the screen and then the PJ noting the difference in xy coords.

Oh I see. On the other hand this SpyderTV Pro rocks! I calbrated one of my HTPC that is connected to my PJ and all I can say is the difference is night and day :eek: On the software it shows you when you are finish calibrating the before and after result by showing you a picture. This only one source calibration so far. I still have my HD-AI, PS3 and XBOX 360 to calibrate.

I was just about to purchase SpyderTV Pro from Amazon, when I stumbled on this thread. I'm considering the purchase of CalMAN, so do I actually need the SpyderTV Pro package? Wouldn't Spyder2 Express (~$70) or STV100 Spyder TV Colorimeter ($199) suffice? That said, the cheaper packages don't come with a tripod mount, which I'd need.

Yes the spyder2 express would suffice since the meters are the same. Check the calman site for tips on how to create a home-made tripod mount.

Best,
jeff

Jeff, thank you.

I was just about to purchase SpyderTV Pro from Amazon, when I stumbled on this thread. I'm considering the purchase of CalMAN, so do I actually need the SpyderTV Pro package? Wouldn't Spyder2 Express (~$70) or STV100 Spyder TV Colorimeter ($199) suffice? That said, the cheaper packages don't come with a tripod mount, which I'd need.
We have updated which low-cost meter we recommend, so you may want to look into that if you are going to use our software. However, if you are headed down the Spyder2 route, you can go with the Express without any worries. We support all modes, and a few Derek invented based upon the Colorvision building blocks in the SDK, to eke as much performance out of the S2 as possible.

Bill

Thank you Bill. I actually placed an order for both the S2 and Pantone Eye-One Display 2 sensors.

I have a Toshiba 50HP16 and I recently purchased an AVIA DVD and got good results via the blue-bars test but I want something better that will calibrate gray scale without needing to eyeball it. After reading the posts above I'll most likely get the SpyderExpress package to get the colorimeter to do my LCD monitors then get the SpyderTV Pro upgrade for my 50" plasma. I've been reading a lot about RGB Cuts and Gains in this forum and I have gone into my TV's service menu to find what I believe are similar settings but I appear to have not just one cut/gain for each RGB channel, but three! I have the following:

R/G/B Drive(N)
R/G/B Cutoff(N)
R/G/B Drive(C)
R/G/B Cutoff(C)
R/G/B Drive(W)
R/G/B Cutoff(W)

I'm assuming drive=gain and cutoff=cut. So my questions are: what do the 'N', 'C' and 'W' signify and does SpyderTV Pro have the ability to adjust all three of these or just one? I should mention that this is from my component-input service menu, my VGA-input service menu only has the RGB Drive(N) setting.

*Note: I really have 18 individual settings but I combined similar Red, Green, Blue settings into one.

Thanks!

Sorry to ask this:

Why would anyone buy this $400plus Spyder just to calibrate Plasma or LCD for ONE time only in few years?

Why we don't just rent this? Or some one start to provide a rental service? :confused:

Sorry to ask this:

Why would anyone buy this $400plus Spyder just to calibrate Plasma or LCD for ONE time only in few years?

Why we don't just rent this? Or some one start to provide a rental service? :confused:

For the reason why we are here at AVS. We want to get the most PQ from our viewing set. AVIA and DVE are not cutting it anymore for some of us. There is just no way in hell you can hit accurate readings based on 6500K by just eyeballing it. I tought it was enough by using these DVD calibration tools, but when I fired up the SpyderTV Pro, boy I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off :eek:

I will be purchasing PJs and LCDs in the future so this tool will pay for itself in the long run.

For the reason why we are here at AVS. We want to get the most PQ from our viewing set. AVIA and DVE are not cutting it anymore for some of us. There is just no way.

Bingo! Also alot of my friends have or will soon have HDTV's so it will get more than one use and I might even consider charging a small fee (~$25) to make up some of the cost that way.

For the reason why we are here at AVS. We want to get the most PQ from our viewing set. AVIA and DVE are not cutting it anymore for some of us. There is just no way in hell you can hit accurate readings based on 6500K by just eyeballing it. I tought it was enough by using these DVD calibration tools, but when I fired up the SpyderTV Pro, boy I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off :eek:

I will be purchasing PJs and LCDs in the future so this tool will pay for itself in the long run.

I have still not tried a Spyder, and still waiting for the HD version of a DVD only tool to be released, but I was very surprised to hear Robert Heron at dl.tv state that he was not particularly impressed with the Spyder, and in fact he got just as good if not better results eyeballing it. Now granted his experience would make his eyeballing a lot more accurate than most people's, but an interesting comment to come from someone so experienced in this stuff (he's PC Mag's Display expert).

I have a Toshiba 50HP16 and I recently purchased an AVIA DVD and got good results via the blue-bars test but I want something better that will calibrate gray scale without needing to eyeball it. After reading the posts above I'll most likely get the SpyderExpress package to get the colorimeter to do my LCD monitors then get the SpyderTV Pro upgrade for my 50" plasma.


If you are buying the SpyderExpress package, you may want to check out this free calibration software first before you buy the SpyderTV Pro upgrade package.

http://www.homecinema-fr.com/colorimetre/index_en.php

There is also a complete thread here on AVS about the software, and the people who wrote it are even participating in it.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=737550

And a short 'how to'.

http://geekwithfamily.com/2006/12/16/home-theater/howto-hcfr-free-video-projector-calibration-software/

I have still not tried a Spyder, and still waiting for the HD version of a DVD only tool to be released, but I was very surprised to hear Robert Heron at dl.tv state that he was not particularly impressed with the Spyder, and in fact he got just as good if not better results eyeballing it. Now granted his experience would make his eyeballing a lot more accurate than most people's, but an interesting comment to come from someone so experienced in this stuff (he's PC Mag's Display expert).

He is one of a kind. Thats all Im gonna say.

Where is the best place to buy spyder tv pro, I saw it on Amazon for 450 a month ago but now its 500.

The best place or the cheapest? :-)

The best place or the cheapest? :-)

LOL ... $150 plus months/years of fixing your credit and recovering your ID ... humm ... where do I sign up. ;) :D

hehe....

the reason I posted what I did is that LionAV is now reselling Datacolor products. We sell at MAP and we support what we sell. Do you want best price or do you want the best support?

Happy tweeking!!

Gregg

I just received my Spyder2Pro and SpyderTVPro software upgrade. I've used the previous SpyderTV software, so I "thought" I understood how all this worked. Well, I'm dang confused.

First, is there a dedicated Spyder forum at ColorVision, or anywhere else? I looked around and didn't find anything. And the FAQ on the Colorvision site were quite weak.

Second, I get an error "file 316.bmp not found" when I launch SpydeTVPro. Once I bypass the error and continue to let the program load it displays a SpyderTVPro screen with menu options, but no wizard. Is there a wizard? How do you start it? Maybe the original error is aborting the wizard.

Third, I ran Spyder2Pro on my laptop and the results are horrible. Everything is very, very blue, but the red, green and blue bars are all within desired tolerance. Also, the calibration was nothing like I was expecting. My laptop (ATI video) allows me to control the brightness, contrast, and gamma for all three colors, and it displays a little graph. Unfortunately the graph has no labels, so I don't know what it actually corresponds to. I'm guessing that the left side is IRE0 and the right side is IRE100. When I change brightness it shifts the entire line up. When I change contrast is shifts the right most point, keeping a straight line to the left side. And when I change gamma it curves the middle point of the line up and down. So when Spyder2Pro asks me to adjust the settings for red, green and blue, how the heck am I supposed to know which setting to use? Am I adjusting for the left side of the graph, the right side, the middle? I was under the impression that the software would help me adjust RGB gain and bias. I figured I would adjust for IRE100 and then for IRE0, and maybe a few points in between. Perhaps that's what SpyderTVPro will do if I can get it to work?

I'm very confused. I'm probably missing something very obvious.

Thanks for your help.

Second, I get an error "file 316.bmp not found" when I launch SpydeTVPro. Once I bypass the error and continue to let the program load it displays a SpyderTVPro screen with menu options, but no wizard. Is there a wizard? How do you start it? Maybe the original error is aborting the wizard.

Increase the color quality of your PC's display. They forgot a file you need for your color depth. If you switch to 32 bit color, you won't get that error and you'll get the wizard.
Roy

Increase the color quality of your PC's display. They forgot a file you need for your color depth. If you switch to 32 bit color, you won't get that error and you'll get the wizard.
Roy

Wow! That was it. Somehow my color depth was changed to 16-bit. I changed it to 32-bit and the wizard launches. Very cool. Thank you!

SpyderTVPro prompts me to change gain/driver and cuts/bias/offsets for each color. My display has brightness and contrast (as well as gamma) for each color. So does brightness and contrast map into those other names?

Yes, RGB cuts/bias/offsets are the same as RGB brightness; RGB gains/drives are the same as RGB contrast.

Yes, RGB cuts/bias/offsets are the same as RGB brightness; RGB gains/drives are the same as RGB contrast.

Man I love the AVS forum. Ask a question and minutes later a stranger in another part of the world answers it. Wow. That's just excellent. Thank you.

(Unfortunately I guessed the other way round, which could explain why I was stuggling to adjust the color. OK, time to try again...)

OK, I've been using SpyderTVPro for a few days and am thoroughly enjoining it. I think my picture is looking very good.

But I'm a little confused about the order of things in the Spyder wizard. I go through the RBG settings first, adjusting Gain and Bias, and I assume by the end of this phase I have "perfect" color. I've got all percentages within 1% of 100%. But then the wizard helps me change Color and Tint. Why does this need to be checked? Haven't I already set the color accurately? I'm worried that after I go through Color and Tint then it will screw things up and I need to go back though the RGB Gain and Bias.

Can someone explain this? Thanks.

By adjusting the RGB settings, you are calibrating the gray scale. Color and tint are used for setting the color. Picture coloration is added on top of the gray scale. While the gray scale does affect the displayed colors, color and tint do not affect the gray scale. Think of the gray scale as a sheet of paper over which water colors are applied to create a color picture. Adjusting the grayscale is like selecting the color of the paper, while adjusting the color decoding is like selecting the color pallete of the paints.

-Steve

Ah, I see. So changing Color or Tint should change all colors equally, keeping the gray scale constant (if that's the right phrase)?

If SpyderTV is hung on the tv screen, how does it see the whole screen or are the test patterns just displayed in the center? Do you see what SpyderTV sees on the screen, or just the charts?

Question to the owners of the SpyderTVPro.

I know that US market version comes with NTSC test pattern and Instructions DVD.

Does it also include a PAL DVD disc?

Question to the owners of the SpyderTVPro.

I know that US market version comes with NTSC test pattern and Instructions DVD.

Does it also include a PAL DVD disc?

Yes.

I'm hoping some of you Spyder owners are on the RS-1 pre-buy list. :)

I searched the thread for RS-1 and got no results so if there is a long discussion please point me there.

My question is given the somewhat limited user available calibration adjustments does it make sense to buy this calibration system or any at all assuming JVC never enhances the calibration options?

(There is a lot of chatter around JVC eventually giving access to the LUTs and some hope of getting RGB cuts and gains but if we don't can this or any other calibration software do much to dial in the gray scale and improve the picture?)

Thanks for your time, LylePDX

I have a SpyderTV Pro in for review and some RS1s on order. While I will be calibrating the RS1s with my OpticOne probe and software, I will also cross check it against the SpyderTV Pro. So far, results have been what I expected, that is it does a pretty good job, but it's not as precise as using OpticOne (as you would expect). I haven't tried the other software (mentioned above) that can be used with the Spyder probe, but I'll be trying that next.

Mike,

I have SpyderTVPRO and I'm curious how you think a calibration might be done with the RS1 given that you can tick off RGB gains and cuts in the software from Colorvision but according to the RS1 manual you only have RGB offset to work with?

In this case would you just not tick RGB gains and only go with the cuts and then work with the RGB offset on the RS1 or would you go at this another way?

Wayne

I just got Spyder TV pro (Used to have spyderTV) because i want to calibrate the gray scale on my Pioneer 507. But when I get to the gains and cuts it only says increase blue, nothing is shown in the colorbar but the 100% line. The lock is open. What can I be doing wrong? When I increase blue its just the same?

TW ver spyderTVP also has PAL disc.
but I believe actually TW ver is 99.99% same as US ver but adds a very simple Chinese quick guide. :rolleyes:

Yes.

Is there a way to acquire a TV Pro these days? I don't see it on the Colorvision website. I'd like to have the automated process of the other settings not found in the regular TV version.

Is there a way to acquire a TV Pro these days? I don't see it on the Colorvision website. I'd like to have the automated process of the other settings not found in the regular TV version.

You might be able to find it if you google it. It's now SpyderTV Pro 2007 and comes with the platinum version of the Spyder2 colorimeter (the same one that comes with colorfacts). The software is also updated.

I actually bit the bullet and picked it up and I really like it. On top of being able to get things really good with the normal wizard, you can also enable diagnostics mode by holding ctrl-alt and typing "sierra" (without quotes). This brings up the x, y, Y coordinates and the kelvin color. With this you can not only make sure your RGB is at 100%, but you can also make sure the coordinates and luminance are accurate as well!

hi guys, quick query. I've seen some pros (A/V shop owners primarily) using SpyderPro so I checked Amazon and found out that there's the spyder2 express, presumably for amateurs. Has anybody tried this tool already? If so how different is it from the flagship variant? Many thanks in advance.

the express is for an easy process to calibrate computer monitors. The Spyder2 can be used with the other software found around avs for calibration but as far as I can find none of the other softwares are easy to use with a guided setup process found in Spyder products. It's why I am considering finding a TV Pro

Does anyone know the upgrade path if I have an spyder pro from 1.5 years ago???

I will call colorvision but curious if anyone has done it.

Larry

A few months ago I asked about it on the now-defunct SpyderTV forums hosted by LionAV. I was told that LionAV had an upgrade from SpyderTV Pro to SpyderTV Pro 2007 for something like $300-500. It is not clear whether the 2007 edition does anything new besides interfacing directly with Pioneer Plasma displays for automatic calibration. I was hoping that they had fixed some of the worrisome glitches in the TV Pro software.

Their tech support is awful, by the way. I opened two problem tickets back in January and have received no response yet. I also opened tickets on the spydertvpro.com site which had its own tech support system, and that web site has been shut down and replaced by something else.

the website is still there.

www.colordisplaysupport.com

i have recently got my hands on a spyder tv and have been playing with it like a little kid . it has improved my picture but im still looking for more. should i stick with the default settings when trying this or our their changes i can make to help improve . also is their different software that can be applied. and last i read somewere to try it without the filter on it is this true