Sharp LC-70LE845U Calibration, including 3D!

Tested on many sources in many lighting conditions:

2D:

AV Mode: (STANDARD)

OPC: (ON)

Backlight: (-4)

Contrast: (+29)
Brightness: (+1)
Color: (0)
Tint: (0)
Sharpness: (+10)

CMS Hue: (ALL 0)

CMS Saturation:
R: (-4)
Y: (-5)
G: (0)
C: (0)
B: (0)
M: (-8)

CMS Value:
R: (-8)
Y: (-5)
G: (-14)
C: (0)
B: (0)
M: (-8)

Color Temp: (LOW)

10-Point Color Temperature: (ON)

Position 1: R(-30), G(+30), B(+30)
2: R(-30), G(+5), B(+27)
3 R(-30), G(+12), B(+30)
4 R(-30), G(+11), B(+30)
5 R(-30), G(+12), B(+23)
6 R(-30), G(+9), B(+25)
7 R(-30), G(+12), B(+30)
8 R(-30), G(+14, B(+21)
9 R(-25), G(+15), B(+19)
10 R(-30), G(0), B(0)

Motion (OFF)
Active Contrast (OFF)
Gamma (O)
Film Mode (OFF)
DNR (OFF)
Range of OPC: (+16 MAX) (0 MIN)

*********************************************

3D:

AV Mode: (STANDARD)

OPC: (OFF)

Backlight: (-2)

3D Brightness Boost (MIDDLE)

Contrast: (+33)
Brightness: (+4)
Color: (+2)
Tint: (0)
Sharpness: (+2)

CMS Hue: (ALL 0)

CMS Saturation:

R: (-17)
Y: (0)
G: (-16)
C: (0)
B: (0)
M: (0)

CMS Value:

R: (-20)
Y: (0)
G: (-20)
C: (0)
B: (0)
M: (0)

Color Temperature: (HIGH)

10-Point Color Temperature: (ON)

Position 1: R(0), G(0), B(0)
2: R(-16), G(+16), B(0)
3: R(-16), G(+11), B(0)
4: R(-11), G(+7), B(0)
5: R(-15), G+8), B(0)
6: R(-16), G(+9), B(0)
7: R(-16), G(+14), B(0)
8: R(-13), G(+13), B(-8)
9: R(-13), G(+9), B(-13)
10: R(-19), G(0), B(-22)

Active Contrast: (ON)

Gamma: (0)

Film Mode: (Advanced)

DNR: (Middle)

Each setting is warm in the highlights, with sunny yellow predominating rather than red.
There is little to no clipping in colors or whites, but plenty of 'pop'.
I reverted to 'Standard' mode because the 10-Point calibration is accessible there.
It tends to have more pop to it than my previously preferred 'User' mode.

Results may vary and are worth at least what you paid for them...
Edited by johnfull - 1/11/13 at 1:53am

I should add that this is a re-calibration after 6 months of ownership.
There are threads discussing the color and brightness shifts that occur with usage with white LEDs.
I've used my set about 5 hours a day, on average, with the backlight at 50% or less, on average.
I don't detect any brightness or color shift that can't be corrected in the 10 -point color temperature control,
the CMS controls and the backlight. It's still very bright and very evenly illuminated. I feel lucky after so
much of what I read about flashlighting, dirty screen effect, clouding. I had tried to turn up the brightness
on the 3D settings, but found that it lead to artifacts. That system is deliberately very 'contrasty' with the
mid-tones squelched. I've watched several 3D films with this new setting and like it very much. The factory
settings for the motion controls were respected. 3D works better with Soap Opera Effect, apparently!

I saw no benefit from the function and prefer to operate the TV closer to 'native' mode.
Most observers see no advantage and no change till you get to the most extreme setting, where the picture darkens considerably.

In other news --
I made a change in the white balance:
The #9 step in the Red Drive on the 10-point color balance was changed from -30 (minimum) to -25, and Green reduced from +20 to +15 to remove occasional green tinge in highlights.
I tried more than this and it caused flesh tones to become less natural and more 'clay-faced' or orange. It's the right amount to correct without creating a new problem...
Edited by johnfull - 12/17/12 at 3:55am

Try! You can always re-set. The 847 is distinguished by the Quad Pixel that most reviewers think is worse than useless. Turn it off.
The basic setup of white balance and colors may be very similar. You could use the settings as a starting point and use common sense
to make slight changes. One user wanted a brighter picture, so I suggested either more Contrast for brighter highlights or higher Gamma
for higher mid-tone values. I haven't heard if that was sufficient to customize. These settings work for me under all conditions I've encounted...

Looks very very good -- more of an art than an exact science -- the colors will never track in a completely linear way. Maybe in a perfect world...

Quattron is different from Quad Pixel. My 845U is a Quattron 3D, but doesn't have the Quad Pixel interpolation cicuitry.
The reviews I've read say it is supposed to make diagonal lines smoother -- an issue I have NEVER had at proper viewing distance.
The Quad Pixel interpolates and dithers to smooth the line, but critics say it introduces artifacts similar to what a poor Sharpness control does.
I think the 847 does have the ability to turn the feature off. I've heard that 847 adjustments don't correspond to 845, so beware of using
my settings if you have the 847. Maybe it's a starting point. Maybe not...

I wonder what the latest update from Sharp was all about? Mine installed successfully...

Found it:

This firmware adds Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, Flickr, Picasa, Rhapsody as well as several new games to the Smart Central Apps.

This firmware also contains all previous fixes and enhancements.

Version: 407U1212101

Date: 12/19/2012


http://www.sharpusa.com/CustomerSupport/ProductDownloads.aspx?model=LC-70C8470U

Very interesting! Seems like that would be a very warm picture if you are starting from LOW color temp and then adding even more red. On top of that, you're cranking the TINT toward red!
Also, you have the GAMMA set extremely contrasty and then compensating with tons of backlight. Don't you get a lot of washed out black at that high of a backlight setting?
At least we agree on reducing the Blue Drive in the color temperature settings -- the white LEDs are very heavy on the blue.
I'm glad you are happy with that setting. I don't think I would use it for fear of burning up the yellow phosphor on the LEDs prematurely...

Congratulations!
The settings at the top of this page are a better set of calibrations than my originals on 'Overcoming The Blues' by far.
I've started with a warmer setting and then aggressively removed the objectionable red -- much easier than removing the blue from the cool setting.
As an experiment, you could always set the Standard Mode to the settings up top here and compare them with your calibrated Movie Mode settings.
You should write down the calibrations you received in case you ever have to do a factory reset.
When I worked with Movie Mode, I found the dynamics to be too weak for everyday viewing. The Standard Mode seems snappier, if not as accurate.
A good BluRay source in a darkened room is quite different from Wolf Blitzer off the Dish Network Satellite (thank goodness!), which is where Standare Mode shines.
Thanks for the feedback. Did the calibrator give an estimate of the number of hours you will get before the color drifts a bit?...

Thanks for the feedback!
I shove the Sharpness all the way to maximum because there are so few artifacts relative to my perception of detail.
As for the blue, I thought I had tamed the blue in favor of a slightly green top end. Once in a while, blond hair with strong light on it gets greenish highlights.
When I switch to Monochrome, there is no excess green in the highlight, so that is something in the chroma circuit and less objectionable than blue highlights.
Sharpness can be turned down to suit taste. Blue can be opened in the CMS and the Value and Brightness adjusted to reduce perceived blue push.
The reason I left blue alone is because the LED light doesn't clip in the blue like it does in the green and red. There is blue to spare, so I just left it alone.
For 3D, I found that the factory setting for most things was essential to keep the ghosting to a minimum. I tried to make it less contrasty, but that created ghosts.
I did balance the 10 point white for the 3D, but left the other picture controls alone, with the exception of turning off the Active Contrast.
The main thing I like is the vibrancy of skintones with accuracy in all colors (blue might be a little strong, but doesn't clip).
It's a starting point and is easy to customize. Standard will never be as accurate as Movie, but it economizes on the LED usage, which I like, and less backlight leakage...

The OPC only activates when there is ambient light. My settings are optimized for a dark environment.
Experience has shown that it is much more desirable to add light/contrast with increasing need than to reduce from optimal.
I watch movies in darkness and wanted the optimum setting for those. Broadcast TV is watched in all manner of daylight and artificial illumination.
The whites clip a bit when the OPC kicks in, but it is minimal and the added contrast is very welcome.
Putting the minimum OPC below 0 makes for a muddy picture, in my experience...

In complete darkness, it's as if the OPC is not on. The settings will be what was input for contrast, backlight, and whatever other parameters are affected.
I'd have to go back and read my settings -- if -4 is what I settled on, then that is what a dark room is using. Blacks are quite good and highlights are plenty bright...

Go into the CMS and turn down the Blue values -- tinker with the intensity and the brightness to get what you want.
I deliberately left the blue alone because it doesn't clip the way red and green do.
You are correct!

I downloaded the calibration .iso available on this site and burned it to a DVD. It is essential for the 10-point adjustment especially, as well as the clipping corrections.

I'd like to see those as well -- I'm wondering if the calibrator used the expanded gamut.
I found the Movie setting to require too much backlight.
I prefer the Standard setting for that reason alone.
All the issues of clouding and flashlighting and light bleed and premature LED failure are thus reduced...

Thanks, Jeff. I was frightened away from the Expanded Gamut by its tendency to totally alter colors. I'm sure that a professional calibrator would steer clear as well.
The Standard setting has no surprises in the Chroma area at all. Whites are pushed somewhat and finding the sweet spot in the Contrast setting to maintain facial
highlights while avoiding burn-through over a wide range of media (mostly broadcast variations) was daunting. Making the highlights 'sunny' was key for me -- the
look of strong sunlight on skin is so much preferable to blue or red (or green!) reflections. I'm so glad that LCD setup is nothing like the old CRTs, where the change
of white color affected all the colors and vice-versa. The 'drive' is simulated in LCDs and the white temperature is independent of color accuracy...

The latest update installed yesterday without a hitch -- seems to be mostly for the 'smart' programs. I took a look at the apps and they are much improved and more easily accessed than before. Kudos to Sharp to continue to update and upgrade their products into the next model year...
Edited by johnfull - 3/14/13 at 2:00am