Calibration question

Subscribe Search This Thread

Start a New Thread

post #1 of 6

1/9/07 at 7:31pm

Thread Starter

889 Posts. Joined 9/2006
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Select All Posts By This User

Trying to get a nice grey scale on my ECP 3100 using AVIA.

Followed and completed the manual instructions for colour balance, grey scale, etc.

Really bright scenes still wash out the darker images on-screen. Dark scenes lose grey detail.

Adjusting the brightness to get shadow detail really washes the colours out.
Lowering it makes it too dark.

Any suggestions?

The only thing I couldn't do was setting the neckboard voltages...don't have a meter.
Is the the missing link?

post #2 of 6

1/9/07 at 7:37pm

4,368 Posts. Joined 8/2002
Location: IL
Select All Posts By This User

Start using gamma correction. It will really open your eyes. It was the biggest improvement I made. The newest FFDShow allows you to create custom gamma curves (check the NVidia gamma thread in the forum. Should still be on the front page somewhere) that only affect dark scenes without messing up color saturation in the midtones.

Bright objects will always wash out darks to some extent though, but actually having good dark detail to begin with (which can only be had with gamma correction) will help tremendously. You'll seriously wondered how you ever lived without it.

Gamma correction = Requirement. I have found that my ECP is unwatchable now without it and I don't know how I first lived without gamma correction for a short while.

I get true black now and very good dark detail. Try it. Zoom Player Pro + FFDShow. Learn how to shape the curve to affect only the dark end and the results are only more impressive. However, you don't have to do it this way. You can simply just raise the gamma. If you raise the gamma you may want to compensate by slightly lowering the white level via the "levels" filter" just a bit to compensate for the white end raising during gamma correction. It's not quite as effective as the custom curve at the dark end only, but it's a hell of a lot better than without any gamma correction at all.

post #3 of 6

1/9/07 at 8:03pm

Thread Starter

889 Posts. Joined 9/2006
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Select All Posts By This User

Man you know your stuff...thanks.

Unfortunately my Xbox 360 is my primary source so it looks like my gaming won't look any better (save for the few games that have brightness sliders...those seem to help when maxed out).

I'll have to try my hand at Powerstrip again and start playing with my Nvidia 7900 gamma settings.

You certainly saved me another dozen or so re-calibrations thinking I was doing something wrong.

post #4 of 6

1/9/07 at 8:42pm

4,368 Posts. Joined 8/2002
Location: IL
Select All Posts By This User

Thanks. No problem. I believe TSE sells a gamma correction circuit that will help when using other non pc sources. I'm just not sure how much it is or if it works with an ECP.

BTW, here is the link about the custom gamma points:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=780914

My gamma curve is quite a bit more dramatic though via FFDShow. Not sure why it needs to be, but with FFDShow I need a more dramatic curve than shown in the pic. Looks fantastic though. I'm not sure if all Nvidia cards allow custom points, but you should still be able to gamma correct.

BTW, I believe some games have gamma sliders (not all, but some). So, if any of your games have that definitely use it.

post #5 of 6

1/9/07 at 8:45pm

Thread Starter