Official Philips PFL7422D/7432D Calibration Thread

[edgary]

Since there are now more owners of the Philips 7422/7432 sets and several questions about calibration settings have come up, I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread about calibration settings.

I personally own a 42PFL7432D and I know that the 7422 is basically the same set. I am guessing the 47" and 52" also share the same board/circuits/menus, in which case the settings would be about the same. If that is the case, settings for those sets are also welcome here.

Another reason to start this thread is some complaints about SD signals leaning towards a red push, so we can discuss that here too.

The purpose of this thread is to deal with calibration and picture settings only. For a more general discussion on the sets please go to the appropriate thread:

42PFL7432D and 42PFL7422D
47PFL7422D and 47PFL7432D
52PFL7422D/52PFL7432D


CALIBRATION SETTINGS:
Thanks to xnappo, we now have a database we can use to have everyone's settings easily available. Please enter as much information as possible, and use the comments field to explain the reason why you chose such settings, especially the "advanced" options (Dynamic contrast, Perfect Pixel, Light Sensor, Active Control, Artifact reduction, and so on), so the newcomers will have an easier time figuring out what would work best for them.


CALIBRATION DISKS:
If you don't have a calibration disk (such as DVE) you can find a free one on this link. You will need to buy some color filters (red, green and blue) for the color calibrations.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

- The screen flickers when changing between dark and light scenes. Is there a problem?
This is most probably the result of the Dynamic Contrast and/or Light Sensor features. Try setting those to OFF and check again.

- Why is there a thin white line of "trash" on my screen sometimes?
That line is information being broadcasted by the TV station. It has nothing to do with the TV set. What you need to do is set the Format to one of the zoom options (Widescreen is the most popular, followed by Automatic) instead of 'Unscaled'.


FIRMWARE FILES:
Thanks to iis_iis for the suggestion to include the firmware files in this thread:

Q531U-0.39.11.0 (Available upon request) VERY IMPORTANT: If you are connected to cable directly from the wall AND live in TX (possibly somewhere else too), you DO NOT want to install this version, as it could make your TV unresponsive and in need of a service call. Please see here...

Q531U-0.51.12.0

Q531U-0.51.12.1

Q531U-0.59.15.0

Q531U-0.59.22.0

Q531U-0.64.14.6

Q531U-0.64.14.11

Q531U-0.64.14.18

Philips support site (Latest firmware (64.14.18) available here)

Firmware release notes (up to 64.14.11) (The ReadMe file in Philips' site has the release notes for every version at the end of the PDF document)

[Sian]

7432 here, I'm definitely noticing a bit of red push in SD signals. Some orange looks too red, which makes me bump the tint up into the +5 to +7 range to get it looking right. (Tested on Tony Stewart's #20, interestingly enough)

how are folks with the color temperature settings? the stock 'warm' setting seems about right, though I haven't done any formal calibration yet.

[xnappo]

I am really interested in some 6500k color calibrations! This set gives you the full gamet of color control and we should be able to get it really good. The Sound and Vision review:
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdt...-lcd-hdtv.html
makes me want some numbers!

[EDIT] Note that I believe from the specs that the 52" uses a completely different panel - however the 42" and 47" seem to use the same panel.

xnappo

[AlenK]

Originally Posted by xnappo

I am really interested in some 6500k color calibrations! This set gives you the full gamet of color control and we should be able to get it really good. The Sound and Vision review:
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdt...-lcd-hdtv.html makes me want some numbers!

It's great to see this as a separate thread, but there are a few caveats: One, there are always going to be calibration differences from unit to unit (that's why the controls exist in the first place) so one set of numbers probably won't work for everyone. Second, when color temperature is measured with something like a PR-650, it is a _correlated_ color temperature, meaning there can be quite a number of different white points that yield the same color temperature reading. In particular, there can be a considerable and noticeable shift toward green that still gets reported as 6500K on the instrument. When calibrating to 6500K, we really need to be trying to get as close to possible to the D65 point at (x,y) = (.3127,.3290) for each gray level, rather than simply to achieve a 6500K reading. Which brings up the third point, that few people have access to appropriate color (chroma) meters that themselves are verified to be calibrated. Lastly, the Philips is inexplicably missing a black level control for blue, so the control we have is unfortunately not total.

[howboutthemheels]

42PFL7432D; DISH ViP622 DVR
Contrast: 84
Brightness: 44
Color: 50
Tint: +1
Sharpness: 6
Color Temp: Normal
Perfect Pixel HD: On
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Noise Reduction: Max (Cannot notice any real difference at any setting)
MPEG Artifact Reduction: On
Color Enhancement: Off
Active Control: Off
Light Sensor: Off

[lark]

I tend to like a bit more brightness than most, and a bit more than you get with Avia or DE. Here's my settings on my new 47" 7422:

Contrast=80-85
Brightness=60
Color=60
Tint=0
Sharpness= 4, 5, or 6 depending on what I'm watching
Color Temp=Normal
Perfect Pixel=On
Dynamic Contrast=Off
Noise Reduction= I've been playing with this. Medium sometimes improves the picture.
MPEG aftifact reduction=On (Just because -- doesn't seem to do much)
Color Enhancement=Off
Active Control=Off
Light sensor=Off

[tommer_2a]

This is what works for me:

Contrast= 84
Brightness= 53
Color= 57
Tint= 3
Sharpness= 5
Color Temp= Normal
Perfect Pixel= On
Dynamic Contrast= Off
Noise Reduction= Med
MPEG aftifact reduction= On
Color Enhancement= Off
Active Control= Off
Light sensor= Off

[bname]

This is mine for 5432 when using TV but for blu ray movie, I'd rather use the philips preset standard set:

Contrast= 80
Brightness= 50
Color= 60
Tint= 0
Sharpness= 5
Color Temp= Normal
Perfect Pixel= On
Dynamic Contrast= Medium!
Noise Reduction= Med
MPEG aftifact reduction= On
Color Enhancement= On
Active Control= on
Light sensor= Off

[west43rd]

Here's where I've been for some time. (I'm slowly weening myself off torch mode and now I'm basking in deep blacks and richer color.) Just for the record, calibration set brightness at 45. But I can't go that dark. The blacks are better, but I feel like I have to squint to see the screen. Just a little too dim.

Contrast= 85
Brightness= 50
Color= 60
Tint= 0
Sharpness= 5
Color Temp= Normal
Perfect Pixel= On
Dynamic Contrast= Off
Noise Reduction= Medium
MPEG aftifact reduction= On
Color Enhancement= Off
Active Control= Off
Light sensor= Off

Picture Format=Wide screen

[xnappo]

Originally Posted by AlenK

Which brings up the third point, that few people have access to appropriate color (chroma) meters that themselves are verified to be calibrated.

Sure - I know I don't I am hoping some rich person will have the set professionally calibrated and post the results. Sure it varies from set to set etc - but in that case so do the factory settings.

Originally Posted by AlenK

Lastly, the Philips is inexplicably missing a black level control for blue, so the control we have is unfortunately not total.

I am no expert, but if you have the overall black level control (brightness) I think you only need two more to get all possible relationships? Red and Green are offsets of the base black level which is blue?

On another note - could people please indicate in their settings if they:

1. Used a calibration disc, and if so which one
2. Used the built-in calibration
3. Just played with it until they though it looked good

xnappo

[AlenK]

Originally Posted by xnappo

I am no expert, but if you have the overall black level control (brightness) I think you only need two more to get all possible relationships? Red and Green are offsets of the base black level which is blue?

Sure, in theory you can leave one of them (here, blue) alone if it's set correctly from the factory. But, at least in my set, it isn't set correctly - blue is clearly too high wrt red and green at the lowest luminance levels, even viewed ideally from straight on (there is angular dependence, as others here have noted). I say "clearly" based both on what I can see and what a calibrated PR-650 shows. (No, I'm not rich but I do have occassional access to that instrument ). Bringing red and green up to compensate, even partially, degrades the contrast ratio significantly. I don't know whether this tendency to blue at the bottom end is a characteristic limitation of S-IPS LCD technology, or just a miscalibration from the factory for my particular set.

[BIGJOHNB20]

Glad someone finally started a thread like this. I would love to tone down or eliminate that SD red push if possible. I have a 42in 7432.

I think everyone pretty much agrees with contrast 75-85, brightness 45-55, color 50-60, but what about custom color temperatures. That is what I am interested in. I have a slightly modified "warm" custom temp. I am at work, so I don't know exactly what the setting are. I just tweaked it until it looked decent to my eyes. No disc calibration.

Also curious about some ambilight settings. I use the color mode (don't like any of the "active" modes) at cool white, about 20 brightness. Anyone have any way to find what color settings give around 6500K for the ambilight. That would be great.

[xnappo]

Originally Posted by AlenK

Sure, in theory you can leave one of them (here, blue) alone if it's set correctly from the factory. But, at least in my set, it isn't set correctly - blue is clearly too high wrt red and green at the lowest luminance levels, even viewed ideally from straight on (there is angular dependence, as others here have noted). I say "clearly" based both on what I can see and what a calibrated PR-650 shows. (No, I'm not rich but I do have occassional access to that instrument ). Bringing red and green up to compensate, even partially, degrades the contrast ratio significantly. I don't know whether this tendency to blue at the bottom end is a characteristic limitation of S-IPS LCD technology, or just a miscalibration from the factory for my particular set.

Thanks, I look forward to your results.

Still don't really understand about the need for a blue black level though. If you set:
Brightness = 30
GL = 8
RL =8

Isn't that saying that GL and RL are 8 above BL?

If the set DID have BL and you set it to 8, wouldn't that be the same as having all the individual controls set to 0 and Brightness set to 38?

xnappo

[evangelos k]

42PFL7432D

-Contrast: 73
-Brightness: 46
-Color: 52
-Tint: 0
-Sharpness: 3
-Color Temp: Normal (Although cool seems to have better blacks)
-Perfect Pixel HD: ON
-Dynamic Contrast: MIN (I did notice that DC makes for quite better blacks, but anything above MIN setting gets annoying w/ the screen "flickering")
-Noise Reduction: MIN (Cannot notice any real difference at any setting)
-MPEG Artifact Reduction: ON (Again, cannot see a difference)
-Color Enhancement: OFF
-Active Control: ON (Really did not see an effect)
-Light Sensor: OFF

[iis_iis]

47PFL7432

Contrast= 86
Brightness= 55
Color= 60
Tint= 0
Sharpness= 8
Color Temp= Cool
Perfect Pixel= On
Dynamic Contrast= Medium
Noise Reduction= Medium
MPEG aftifact reduction= On -- although I try to turn it off but always shows "ON"
Color Enhancement= Medium
Active Control= on
Light sensor= Off

[Ken H.]

Here's what I came up with after running Digital Video Essentials:

Contrast: 80
Brightness: 57
Color: 45
Tint: +4
Sharpness: 4
Color Temp: Normal
Perfect Pixel HD: On
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Noise Reduction: Med
MPEG Artifact Reduction: On
Color Enhancement: Off
Active Control: Off
Light Sensor: Off

Custom WB
R-WP 100
G-WP 115
B-WP 93
R-BL 8
G-BL 11

[AlenK]

Originally Posted by xnappo

Thanks, I look forward to your results.

Still don't really understand about the need for a blue black level though. If you set:
Brightness = 30
GL = 8
RL =8

Isn't that saying that GL and RL are 8 above BL?

I was assuming that a BL control could be used to _reduce_ the blue black level from where it is now. That might not be possible without another, internal, adjustment in the set. Your question does bring up an interesting possibility - that BL could be reduced simply by reducing the Brightness control. I suspect that this will merely clip the blacks in the input signal, but it's worth trying in case Philips implemented Brightness differently than most everyone else.

[xnappo]

Originally Posted by AlenK

I was assuming that a BL control could be used to _reduce_ the blue black level from where it is now. That might not be possible without another, internal, adjustment in the set. Your question does bring up an interesting possibility - that BL could be reduced simply by reducing the Brightness control. I suspect that this will merely clip the blacks in the input signal, but it's worth trying in case Philips implemented Brightness differently than most everyone else.

Right - I think you can effectively reduce BL by decreasing brightness and increasing GL and RL.

xnappo

[AlenK]

Originally Posted by xnappo

Right - I think you can effectively reduce BL by decreasing brightness and increasing GL and RL.

FYI, this did not work. I did not think it would, based on what I know about video processing. Reducing brightness just crushes the blacks on the input signal without changing the minimum black the panel is putting out (set by RL, GL and whatever is adjusted or set internally for BL).

BTW, this thread did not show up in the list when I looked for it - I had to follow a link to it from the Philips 42PFL thread (the big one).

[xnappo]

Originally Posted by AlenK

FYI, this did not work. I did not think it would, based on what I know about video processing. Reducing brightness just crushes the blacks on the input signal without changing the minimum black the panel is putting out (set by RL, GL and whatever is adjusted or set internally for BL).

For educational purposes, can you please explain? I was purely going on simplistic assumptions.

Thanks,
xnappo

[deckpros]

I've had this set for about 2 weeks now. No major problems yet.

However, when watching sports on HD channels (Cablevision), I notice a lot of pixelation when the action gets fast. Especially on white objects. Anyone else notice this? Is there anything to do to fix it? I am a newb when it comes to HDTV

Thanks

[gameling]

Originally Posted by deckpros

I've had this set for about 2 weeks now. No major problems yet.

However, when watching sports on HD channels (Cablevision), I notice a lot of pixelation when the action gets fast. Especially on white objects. Anyone else notice this? Is there anything to do to fix it? I am a newb when it comes to HDTV

Thanks

Welcome to our group of Philips 7432/7422 owners. Most are very happy with their sets. What you are describing sounds like macroblocking which results from cable stations compressing the source data leading to what you describe as pixelation. Not the fault of the Philips set. You may also want to be sure you have some of the "advanced" processing features turned off and don't have your brightness and contrast set too high (see some of the settings above). I suspect that you don't see issues with fast action when watching a DVD or other source right?

Lastly, this thread is strictly for calibration discussion. Please join us at the big thread for general discussion. Here is the link:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...pp=30&page=117

[speedman]

I see a lot of Backlight leakage in the upper left hand corner when the screen goes dark. Turned the Backlight all the way down but that does not help… Anyone else having this problem?

[evangelos k]

Originally Posted by speedman

I see a lot of Backlight leakage in the upper left hand corner when the screen goes dark. Turned the Backlight all the way down but that does not help… Anyone else having this problem?

Well, this is a Calibration" thread, but I have to ask this: WHERE did you see a "backlight" setting in the menu of the PFL7422D/7432D?

[west43rd]

Originally Posted by evangelos k

Well, this is a Calibration" thread, but I have to ask this: WHERE did you see a "backlight" setting in the menu of the PFL7422D/7432D?

On this set the brightness and backlight are the same thing. We've had some hearty debate with the Philips reps over this fact, but their programmers insist that having two separate options cancels out each other. I'd argue more, except I'm happy with my results so I can't really complain.

Bob

[thendreks]

I am a new owner of the 7422. So far so good. I am newbie in HD land so some questions:

1. Anyone have specific settings for Xbox 360 (via HDMI)? Can this TV be adjusted via input...say Xbox has HDMI3 thus I want specific levels for that vs. normal TV viewing?

2. What does the term "torch" setting refer to?

T

[edgary]

Originally Posted by thendreks

I am a new owner of the 7422. So far so good. I am newbie in HD land so some questions:

1. Anyone have specific settings for Xbox 360 (via HDMI)? Can this TV be adjusted via input...say Xbox has HDMI3 thus I want specific levels for that vs. normal TV viewing?

2. What does the term "torch" setting refer to?

T

Regarding your question 1.2, Yes, most of the settings are input-independent, so you can calibrate each one to different setting if you so like to.

As far as the other questions, I don't own an Xbox and I don't really know what "torch" means either.

[west43rd]

Originally Posted by edgary

Regarding your question 1.2, Yes, most of the settings are input-independent, so you can calibrate each one to different setting if you so like to.

As far as the other questions, I don't own an Xbox and I don't really know what "torch" means either.

Torch means when you set the brightness at extremely high levels. From what I understand, this is what is done in most stores to combat bright store lighting. But when you love a screen that's bright as a torch you are sacrificing black levels.

Bob

[thendreks]

It seems most people have the advanced settings turned off (with some exceptions). Can someone tell me (in layman terms) what those advanced settings try to accomplish and when would they be used?

T

[edgary]

Originally Posted by west43rd

Torch means when you set the brightness at extremely high levels. From what I understand, this is what is done in most stores to combat bright store lighting. But when you love a screen that's bright as a torch you are sacrificing black levels.

Bob

Thank you, Bob. Helpful as always