Calibrating a Non-Elite Kuro

Hello people,

Ok, so i've finally decided to keep my Pioneer Kuro 5080HD in lieu of upgrading to the Elite Kuro 1150HD. My reasoning has been based primarily from what i've learned from several forum members. I've been told that the 5080 can be calibrated just as the 1150, except that on the Elite 1150, the finer color controls are available to the user via the user menu, whereas the 5080's individual color controls are only accessible via the Service Menu.

1. Is this statement true?

2. If not, are there any additional settings in the service menu that cannot be accessed via the user menu? Or does the ISF Calibrator come to your house and calibrate your TV using just the User Menu?

If that's the case, I hardly think $3-$400 is worth it. Surely there's something "under the hood"?

3. Is the Service Menu accessible via the remote, or by hooking up a PC to the console port on the back, or both?

Can someone please help clarify this mystery? After all, this is why alot people are going Elite (or Non-Elite if they deem this user control unnecessary).


Thank You!

Thank YOU. I very much appreciate the explaination. Kinda bums me out, but that's the bed i've made..

Now, if I can ask you one more question, what's the difference between Colorspace 1 and 2?



Thank you D-Nice.

oh, that explains it

I realized after i asked the question that it was not simple answer. CS2 is more accurate. Ok.... sounds good to me

Ok..Ok.. interesting stuff.

So, with that in mind, I have a couple more questions:

1. What, besides the RGB color control, is available for calibration in the Service Menu of Non-Elite Kuros?

2. Is there a guide for the Service Menu? Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks!

Ok, Ok, now i'm beginning to understand. So, if I have this right, the following statement is true.

If an ISF Tech were to come out to my house to calibrate my non-elite Kuro, he would need to enter the Service Mode in order to access the RGB controls, which are they only controls, other than the accessible user menu, which would need to be adjusted in order to calibrate the TV?

Am i missing something?

So, are the non-elite PDP's just not capable of producing the color of the Elite series, and for that matter the other Elite capabilities, OR did Pioneer just limit the access to these controls to entice people to buy the Elite?


I'm still convinced that it's not worth the extra $1000...

In fact, i'm starting to think that paying $400 for someone to come out with 10's of thousands of dollars in equipment to play with the Brightness/Contrast/Color/Tint/Sharpness/DRE/Gamma/ColorTemp, etc on my TV for a few hours is a little extravagent.

Surely there must be more to this "calibration" thing?


I realize this might offend some people, and it is certainly not meant to do so, i'm simply trying to make sense of it all. I'm more than willing to be schooled in the ways of Video Calibration and "shown the light" as it were.... but from where I stand, i can't justify the need to A. Go Elite or B. Get your set calibrated.

Maybe if i saw a calibrated Elite and Non-Elite sitting side by side playing the same source... i might change my mind?

I might never know.


PS - i "found" a service manual. Not very exciting stuff. haha.

Ok, so if i'm missing something, please, enlighten me. I'm here to learn. Again, i don't mean to offen anyone and i'm sorry if i did. I realize that this technology is very complicated and, as a graphic designer, i know how important and complex that color is, i'm simply wondering why i couldnt just use, say, D-Nice's reference settings taken from an ISF Calibrated 5080 and call it good.

What i'm asking is, is there added value in having an ISF Calibrator come to my house? What else is there that can/needs to be done to my TV other than adjusting the user settings and the RGB settings in the Service Menu?

Thank you doug, that was very helpful. I think i've got the information I was seeking.

One thing still remains, about if the Elite's and Non-Elite Kuros are identical, component wise, but just that the Non-Elites are locked out of the functions that the Elite has...

I'm going to Tweeter to Cancel my credit line I opened up. If they "find a way" to give me a break on price on the Elite, I might just have to do it.....

thank you all for this helpful information. I'll let ya know how I work out, as I think a lot of new 5080 owners are following this post and wondering if having their new set Calibrated will make them even happier.....

Went to Tweeter on Saturday to try to use the "i'm cancelling my credit line" move to see if I could get them to budge on the $3000 price of the 1150. It didnt work. I left the store just yearning for the ELITE... I had to wait for the dude to finish up w/ a customer so i spent 30 minutes sitting in their comfy chairs in one of their setup rooms staring at the elite and a Discovery HD Broadcast of "The Universe". It was easily the best TV in the place (except for maybe the 110FD). So, the door is still open for the 1150, cuz I wasn't able to close my card there.... the salesman will call me if he finds anything like an open box..or whatever... GREAT, i'm sure you guys are just excited about hearing from me for another week..haha..

Anyways, I did have a calibration question:

To Calibrate the Elite 1150, does an ISF Calibrator need to enter the SM can they perform the entire calibration using user settings? In other words, is there anything in the SM of an Elite that needs to be "adjusted"?


Thanks!