[Cal1981]

Since the original XXZ4100 thread seems to be devolving into a Samsung vs. Sony party, I thought that a calibration thread might be useful. Let's hear from Z owners as they experiment with their settings.


I still haven't completely locked in my own settings but I did take out my DVE DVD yesterday and fooled around a bit with the black settings primarily so these are starting points for cable.


Input: HDMI 1 (HD DVDR)

Setting: Cinema

Backlight: 4

Picture: 85

Brightness: 48 (per the pluge pattern, 48-50 nailed the blacks)

Color: 55

Hue: R1

Temp: Warm 1

Sharpness: 10

Noise Reduction: Off

MPEG Noise Red: Off

Black Corr: Off

ACE: Low (seems to lessen the auto-dim a bit but I'm not sure)

Gamma: Off

Clear White: Off

Color Space: Standard

Cinemotion: Auto 1

Motion Enhance: Standard

Power Saving: Low

Auto Sensor: Off

 

[preach]

Ok guys I got around to using the HD Basics blu-ray disc from Joe Kane productions. Here are the settings I'm using after running through several of the more common test patterns.


I'm using the 46Z

Room: 16'x12'

Distance: 14'


Little ambient light, very dark

Using HDMI input, full 1080p signal




-----------------------------

Game mode off

Setting: Custom


Picture settings:

Backlight 4

Picture 49

Brightness 54

Color 49

Hue 0

Color Temp Neutral

Sharpness Minimum

Noise Reduction Off

MPEG Noise Reduction Off


Advanced Settings, everything off

Color Space standard

White balance, everything 0

-----------------------------------



Here are some additional findings.


Using the 75% bars with grey reference test pattern, I've learned that the Z apparently has a problem with reproducing an accurate green signal. Upon matching up the blue signal properly, I noticed that the red matched ok but green you could easily see that the transitions between the steps of the pattern were too noticeable. The only way I found to correct this was to turn the hue to its maximum setting of G50, but in doing that it ruins the overall picture entirely.


I tried adjusting the RGB bias/gain in the advanced menus but this did not produce any noticeable effect in setting the green signal appropriately. I'd be very interested to hear if anyone has some suggestions of how to get the green signal to display properly according to this pattern.

 

[Cal1981]



Quote:
Originally Posted by preach /forum/post/14220807


Game mode off

Setting: Custom


Picture settings:

Backlight 4

Picture 49

Brightness 54

Color 49

Hue 0

Color Temp Neutral

Sharpness Minimum

Noise Reduction Off

MPEG Noise Reduction Off


Advanced Settings, everything off

Color Space standard

White balance, everything 0

Were you satisfied with the overall brightness at the 49 picture setting? Sometimes a lower setting can give a plasma-like image if the other values fall into place but 49 seems pretty dark. I'm fooling with DVE but I always find it cumbersome to use. Per my own visual perception, the grey scale looked pretty pretty good at Warm1. I know that Sony's Warm2 is supposed to the closest to D65 but it looks too warm to me.

 

[preach]

My environment is pretty dark so it may differ from yours some in that aspect. I determined that the outer bar on the pluge pattern was just barely faded at that setting.

 

[vtec2nr]



Quote:
Originally Posted by preach /forum/post/14221640


My environment is pretty dark so it may differ from yours some in that aspect. I determined that the outer bar on the pluge pattern was just barely faded at that setting.

I tried those settings out and the brightness was too low for my room. I have windows directly opposite the TV. Thanks for posting preach!


Keep them coming.... I need to have some alone time with my Z when my g/f isn't yelling at me to stop messing with the settings, then I'll post.

 

[preach]

I don't understand. Those outer bars are considered below black, something like 5% below black...I can't remember exactly. Is not the point of this pattern to adjust your set so that below black isn't quite readily visible?

 

[kdob]

I'm using the calibration settings that were posted on page 22 of the official Z thread. I don't know much about calibrating or anything else as this is my first HDTV, but it does look pretty good compared to the other settings. Here is part of that post....


So I put my DVE calibration disk in the PS3 through HDMI and gave it a quick calibration. Used the Brightness/ contrast test, the color decoder with the film screen for Blue, Red, Green, and the sharpness test. I am definately an amatuer enthusiast and by no means a calibration expert but alot of this is subjective also, as long as you are on the right track with the settings.

They can vary slightly from the panels baseline calibration


This is what I got for "my" panel.


Picture mode: custom

Backlight:5

Picture: 85

Brightness: 49

Color:56

Hue : G1

Color Temp: Neutral

Sharpness: 10

Noise Red: Off

Mpeg Noise: Off


Advanced

Black Corrector: Low

Advaanced CE: Low

Gamma: Off

Clear white: Low

Color Space: Wide

Live color: Off


White Balance: Have not touched.


Visually I believe its pushing the red a bit and I have yet to be able to lower that red saturation withought affecting too much of the rest of the colors. I will keep trying, and any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.


Color space set to wide gives a much more lively color palette, which I prefer.

Color space, i believe, has the largest affect on color vibrance and there is a substantial difference between normal and wide. My calibration is on the wide setting. I am sure if you prefer the normal setting for color space, you will probably get different settings.


Your first choice when you calibrate is choosing between normal and wide on the color space and then go through the color calibration.

 

[vtec2nr]

WOuld be nice to see the settings that someone gets with the SpyderTV. I should have just paid to get mine calibrated when I bought it.

 

[dkew5]

Can someone post settings for the component video input? My DVD player does not have an HDMI output and cannot upscale my DVDs.


Thanks, David

 

[puckjones]

Any other suggestions on settings out there? I just ordered DVE Blu-ray, but I don't even know where to begin...

 

[dkew5]

The picture on my Z washes out if not seated directly in front of the set. Is this usual on LCD TVs? It is a great picture when sitting in front, but the picture fades when viewing from the side.

 

[raylock]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dkew5 /forum/post/14283161


The picture on my Z washes out if not seated directly in front of the set. Is this usual on LCD TVs? It is a great picture when sitting in front, but the picture fades when viewing from the side.

My set has very good color even at large angles. I was commenting to my wife that I was surprised that I could see such a nice picture while setting at our kitchen table. I would guess my chair at the kitchen table gives me about a 75 degree angle from the TV which is in the adjoining great room.

 

[Cal1981]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dkew5 /forum/post/14283161


The picture on my Z washes out if not seated directly in front of the set. Is this usual on LCD TVs? It is a great picture when sitting in front, but the picture fades when viewing from the side.

Mine is Ok to around 80 - 90 Degrees from center (assuming that 180 is lined up with the side of the set). It will lose a small bit of vibrancy as the angle increases but is more than just watchable.

 

[madcatxx]

46" (silver!). Configured with DVE (Blu Ray).

Room Size: 13'x15', back wall opposite of TV entirely windowed. Large ambient light level variations throughout the day.


Colour and grey levels were quite close out of the box once in Custom mode. A few tweaks dialed it right in. I'm very satisfied with the picture.


Picture Mode: Custom

Backlight: 6

Picture: 90

Brightness: 50

Colour: 55

Hue: 0

Color Temperature: Neutral

Sharpness: 6

Noise Reduction: Low

MPEG Noise Reduction: Low

Black Corrector: Low

Advanced C.E.: Low

Gamma: Off

Clear White: Low

Color Space: Wide

Live Color: Low

White Balance: All 0

Power Saving: Low

Light Sensor: On

 

[Dogbreath]

My 46Z should arrive next week.


Netflix has Avia, Avia II and Digital Video Essentials NTSC. Is DVE the best of the bunch?

 

[JDMoose]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogbreath /forum/post/14324742


My 46Z should arrive next week.


Netflix has Avia, Avia II and Digital Video Essentials NTSC. Is DVE the best of the bunch?

I've used both Avia II and DVE with my Z. I think I preferred DVE. I purchased Avia II to replace my original Avia and DVE, and was not really that impressed with the upgrade. Of course this is like a discussion of preferring Coke or Pepsi, Ford or Chevy.

 

[Cal1981]

Aside from the basic video settings, which can vary per each user's tastes, has anyone come to any conclusions about the Advanced settings? I'm speaking about the Black Corrector, ACE, Gamma, Clear White, Color Space, Live Color and last but not least the individual White Balance settings. What are your impressions of these after you've played with them and do you detect their usage (espcially in combination) causing any problems with the set's Cinemotion/Motion Enhancer processes?

 

[dmaxdmax]

I've never before owned a set that could be calibrated so please forgive my remedial question. Does one calibration work for all sources? Blu-Ray, digital cable ( HD & SD), Wii, upconverted DVD, Apple TV etc.


I understand the desire for a game setting (though I can't imagine the Wii needs one - its appeal isn't based on video performance).


Thanks


I don't suppose the tv has an ambient light sensor that adjusts the image like my laptop.

 

[nismo604]

Just got my 46" setup, I have the DVE in DVD, should I step up and get the BD or will the DVD do. Thanks

 

[Flaken2000]

Here's my settings after using DVE BD and the THX Optimizer on the Attack of the Clones DVD.

TV Settings


Backlight 3

Brightness 50

Picture 90

Color Temp Neutral

Color 48

Hue G3

Sharpness 6

Noise Reduction Off

MPEG Noise Red Off

Powersaving Low

Light Sensor Off

Cinemotion Auto 1

Motion Enhancer Standard

White balance everything 0

All advanced settings OFF except

Color Space Wide

Live Color Medium

PS3 Settings


Display Settings

Cross Color Reduction Filter: Off

RGB Full Range (HDMI): Limited

Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr Super-White (HDMI): On


BD/DVD Settings

BD/DVD Video Output Format (HDMI): Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr


I've taken a short analysis from cnet's XBR4 review to explain why i took all the avanced settings OFF.


Those advanced settings sure seems to improve the PQ of the picture but like cnet's review explains, you lose a lot of detail in the image.


From cnet's review of the XBR4:

• Black Corrector, which is best left to Off to preserve shadow detail;
• Advanced Contrast Enhancer, which changed the overall brightness and seemed to dim areas near black as the image got brighter (and that's again best left off to preserve shadow detail)
• A four-step gamma control, which should be set to Off in dim environments for the most-linear rise from black to white;
• A three-step Clear White control that belongs in Off since the other settings just make whites look bluer
• Two-option Color Space setting we left in Standard for the most-accurate primary color reproduction
• A four-step Live Color setting that seemed to make red and magenta more intense, although Off provided the best color balance;

I just kept Color Space on Wide and Live Color on Medium because i like how it brings out the red.