ISF vs. THX

Generally speaking, the typical ISF course concentrates more on communicating a broad foundation of understanding imaging science principles, whereas the THX course offers much more specifics regarding actual display calibration. The typical THX training has much more hands-on, supervised calibrating of a wide assortment of display types. In other words, a THX grad is better trained in class on calibration technique and procedures. Skill level will depend largely on how much practice in the field either graduate has performed after being trained. Individual aptitude, discipline and experience are key. Sophistication of tools used is secondary to those elements.

Best regards and beautiful pictures,
G. Alan Brown, President
CinemaQuest, Inc.
A Lion AV Consultants Affiliate

"Advancing the art and science of electronic imaging"

Hi superstring

Check this LIST for Calibrators for your Pioneer Non-Elite - some are only ISF Certified, some are only THX Certified, some are both and some don't have ISF or THX Calibration but are well qualified to calibrate your Pioneer and other Display from other Manufacturers) - they can properly calibrate the 9G Non-Elite's Move Mode.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me..

No disrespect to turbe and the wonderful program he offers, but to answer the OP's question, there are several methods for professional calibrators to enter the service menu for the 9G non-Elites, and at least one method specifically designed for these panels. However, the easier method is more costly than purchasing ContralCal provided you already have a computer.

Neither certification guarantees one calibrator is better than the other. THX does offer (at extra cost) a wall-plaque for your home theater room stating that your theater is THX Calibrated but few individuals seem interested in this unless they own "high end" home theaters. An ISF guy with 5 years of experience may or may not be a better calibrator than another guy fresh out of a THX class - you just don't know.

There is ONE significant difference though... THX requires that the calibrator uses a meter that makes accurate color and grayscale measurements. This leaves out many of the mid-range (priced) metering devices commonly used by ISF calibrators. So a calibrator who is THX certified definitely will be using a meter that meets a higher minumum standard than an ISF certified calibrator. Of course, there's nothing stopping an ISF guy from using a better (potentially more expensive) meter than any THX guy also - so there's no hard and fast "rule" that you'll get anything better or worse from a THXer vs an ISFer.

Greetings

But if you had to pick one fresh out of the class ... with that as a base line ... then THX would be preferred.

As time moves forward ... who really knows. The good calibrators were there even before the THX program showed up on the scene in late 2007. It's just that many of us had a hand in the development of the THX program.

bottom line ... you still have to ask the right questions ... and it comes down to good experience ... as opposed to bad experience.

Regards

OP, why not interview them [you have the right]- over the phone or in-person. The personality is important too. You will be spend a # of hours with them today and in the future (recalibration every 4 yrs or new gear]
db

Doug,

Can you tell me what meters are approved by THX? I plan on taking the THX course in Atlanta next month and I was ready to buy an i1Pro. Hate to spend the money and then find out I can't use it. Thanks

Sign up very soon. We are expecting to max out on attendance.

No big hurry on making a hardware selection. There are lots of hardware options available to for use during the class.

Thanks Gregg, I just didn't want to get any gear beforehand and find out I wasted money because it wasn't THX authorized.

If you are attending the training class, they will review the list of approved meters.

I went into calibration after leaving Eastman Kodak Company after 34 years. I was used to using $50,000-$75,000 spectroradiometers in the labs there. There were so many of them I had no idea they were THAT expensive until I started shopping for my own meter for calibration. I considered the i1-Pro also, but ended up deciding I couldn't do the job I wanted to be able to do with it. If your aim is pro calibration, your meter is one of your main tools and you will be competing with other calibrators using meters costing $10,000 to $25,000. As a purchaser of calibration services, if I found 3 calibrators and one was using a $10,000+ meter while 2 were using a ~$800 meter and all of them were charging around $300 for a calibration, I'd have to really dig deep to patronize the calibrators with the less expensive meters (obviously there are other skill/experience related issues, but let's set those aside for the moment). The fact that the better calibrators I knew before getting into calibration myself were using meters selling for $10K and more along with my experience with high-end instruments at Kodak pushed me well beyond what I thought I was going to spend at the beginning of the whole "turn myself into a calibrator" process.

On a related point, does anyone know what are the standards (if any) for THX display certification? The THX page lists several tests but no performance standards. I ask because the color performance of the 2009 Panasonic plasmas in THX mode is significantly worse than it was for the 2008 models.

Greetings

That stuff is proprietary ... and nda stuff. They don't list it.

Of course THX certification and THX calibration have nothing to do with each other.

regards

I'm not familiar with the US models, but in the European market, the Panasonic V-series got a firmware update about a month ago. This update very significantly improved on the color accuracy of the THX mode. It might be worth checking out. The V-series updates through the ethernet connection, no fuss at all.

Best Regards
Kim

I wrote down this from somewhere, no idea if they are correct:

+- 300K from 30 to 70 IRE (ISF)
+- 200K from 20 to 80 IRE (THX) from 6500K standard.

Delta E under 10 from 20 to 80 IRE is both ISF and THX compliant.

THX spec is 2.0 to 2.4 Gamma AVERAGE...30-37.5 ftL Peak White...
THX recommends 30 fl for a 100% white window reading for panel displays

Edit: found the post http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...e#post16725057