Monitor calibration device suggestion?

[sdsumike619]

I posted this in the wrong forum before:

Tired of trying to figure out how to calibrate my computer monitor for video editing and want to go ahead and purchase a hardware calibration device. Is there a device that works on both a regular LCD computer monitor and a CRT Television? Some videos are just for online viewing, and others final destination are DVDs so I need both monitors to be calibrated. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want it to be better than me trying to look at charts and fiddling with the settings. I found one brand called Spyder, but it doesn't say anything about video, just photography. Can that be used? What do you recommend for this situation?

Thanks!

[jagabo]

I've seen Colormunki and Eye One mentioned a lot:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/328918-Is-this-VHS-Quality-Acceptable?p=2037657&vie...=1#post2037657

[edDV]

I posted this in the wrong forum before:

Tired of trying to figure out how to calibrate my computer monitor for video editing and want to go ahead and purchase a hardware calibration device. Is there a device that works on both a regular LCD computer monitor and a CRT Television? Some videos are just for online viewing, and others final destination are DVDs so I need both monitors to be calibrated. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want it to be better than me trying to look at charts and fiddling with the settings. I found one brand called Spyder, but it doesn't say anything about video, just photography. Can that be used? What do you recommend for this situation?

Thanks!

How are you connecting to the computer?

What is your editor?

"monitor calibration" can mean different things.
Most adjustments just need to be black and white levels and chroma saturation. This is best done from a SMPTE color bar.

"Brightness" = black level
"Contrast" sets white level (often need to resert black back and forth)
"Color" = chroma saturation
"hue" rarely needs adjustment

If you can't get an acceptable picture by setting levels, then the monitor itself needs internal professional calibration.

[sdsumike619]

It's an Acer X223W and it's connecting to the computer via a DVI cable.

I'm using Sony Vegas 8

Tried using the SMPTE color bar tutorials but can't seem to get it right. For example, in some tutorials, when I adjust the brightness all the way down, I can still see the difference between the 3 pluge bars. I don't know why this is, but I feel like I'm shooting in the dark every time I try to calibrate my monitor.

[edDV]

I posted this in the wrong forum before:
It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want it to be better than me trying to look at charts and fiddling with the settings.

I think you are missing the point here. Are you adjusting the monitor or are you adjusting the video levels.

You should adjust your monitor to a standard source. If you can't get a test signal generator, adjust for best TV broadcast reception. Then leave it alone.

Then if you see errors, you work back and adjust your DVD player, computer display card, etc. to match broadcast levels.

Then if you see errors, their are problems with actual video levels.

[edDV]

It's an Acer X223W and it's connecting to the computer via a DVI cable.

I'm using Sony Vegas 8

Tried using the SMPTE color bar tutorials but can't seem to get it right. For example, in some tutorials, when I adjust the brightness all the way down, I can still see the difference between the 3 pluge bars. I don't know why this is, but I feel like I'm shooting in the dark every time I try to calibrate my monitor.

You will have great difficulty adjusting your computer monitor to 16-235 video. Instead a player should be used that adjusts 16-235 for 0-255 computer display (e.g. VLC, MPCHC). A good player places level 16 black at monitor zero and peak 255 white at 255.

To get levels correct over DVI, you are going to make adjustments on your display card (assuming the TV is set right).

For SD video, best results come by monitoring over IEEE-1394 but this requires a Canopus ADVC or DV camcorder in the path to the TV.

[sdsumike619]

Well, I would think that the monitor itself should be calibrated so that whatever video I'm looking at on the screen is accurate as to what was on the tape. Then if there are some problems that need correcting, I would correct them using the color correction tools in the NLE.

So as an example, say I recorded a perfect video that needs no levels adjustment (yea right) But if my monitor is set too bright to begin with, then I will incorrectly be seeing washed out blacks and I will erroneously lower the levels in the NLE which will result in a needlessly dark video.

[sdsumike619]

But again, some videos I edit are destined for DVD, and some are just for online viewing on websites. So that throws another monkey wrench into the mix.

[edDV]

Well, I would think that the monitor itself should be calibrated so that whatever video I'm looking at on the screen is accurate as to what was on the tape. Then if there are some problems that need correcting, I would correct them using the color correction tools in the NLE.

This is true. The TV should be adjusted to a test signal generator for black, white and saturation. Lacking that you need to assume your cable company is close so you adjust to the best local TV station. Better to do this off an OTA digital broadcast.

Don't adjust to a DVD player because most of those are off. Many have output levels adjustments.

Don't adjust to the computer DVI. Those are way off.

So as an example, say I recorded a perfect video that needs no levels adjustment (yea right) But if my monitor is set too bright to begin with, then I will incorrectly be seeing washed out blacks and I will erroneously lower the levels in the NLE which will result in a needlessly dark video.

Not if the TV is set correctly.


PS: DVD HDMI out is usually at correct levels. Above I was talking about analog outputs.
Use a DVD with the THX Optimizer to set monitor levels. If done correctly it should match local ATSC broadcasts.

[edDV]

But again, some videos I edit are destined for DVD, and some are just for online viewing on websites. So that throws another monkey wrench into the mix.

DVD should be using the same levels as ATSC or QAM broadcast. They are all 16-235.

Uploads "should" be accepted as 16-235. All camcorders use these levels (DV, HDV, AVCHD).

Only the computer display is the 0-255 odd ball. Most computer players adjust for this.

You will encounter the most levels errors with computer downloads although some cable channels can be way off too. Use your Vegas waveform monitor.

[sdsumike619]

Oh, now it's clear!
Sorry, it's not your fault, I just have a really tough time grasping all this information.
I understand about 0 to 255 for computer screens and 16 to 235 for television. The part I have trouble with is being sure that what I'm seeing on the screen is what other people will see too. But then again, all these computer monitors factory settings are with brightness much higher than they should be and most people never make any adjustments either. So for the computer, maybe it is better that I just work with the factory settings (higher brightness)

[jagabo]

a player should be used that adjusts 16-235 for 0-255 computer display (e.g. VLC, MPCHC). A good player places level 16 black at monitor zero and peak 255 white at 255.

Just to let the OP know: the player usually doesn't perform that levels adjustment, the graphics card does via its video proc amp. With YUV sources the player usually writes YV12 or YUY2 data directly to video memory and the graphics card's video proc amp converts that to RGB for the monitor. One exception is VLC when using the Window GDI output device.

[edDV]

Forgetting the computer for a moment, do you get that your ATSC OTA signal is your close enough reference? Digital levels don't change. Adjust the TV to black, white and color saturation. Call the chief engineer at the TV station if you think his levels are off. He can verify from his test equipment exactly where black is.

Next check a THX optimizer setup for DVD over HDMI if you have it. If those match the TV station levels then connect the analog outputs of the DVD player and adjust the DVD player levels until those match.

At that point you have a levels calibrated HDTV and DVD player.

With me so far?

A caveat: Unlike a broadcast monitor, many TV sets try to auto adjust for best picture. Turn all that stuff off. Better, buy a broadcast monitor which is an instrument. It shows the source as it is and doesn't try to make it pretty. That is your job.

http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/home-theater/thx-optimizer/

Here are 23 pages of DVD that contain the optimizer. Most all Pixar/Disney discs have it.
http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/thx-certified-releases

[sdsumike619]

I dont even know what ATSC OTA stands for, so that should give you an idea of where I am

[jagabo]

ATSC OTA = Over the air digital TV transmission in the USA

[edDV]

I dont even know what ATSC OTA stands for, so that should give you an idea of where I am

How do you receive TV? Can you get HDTV from any source?

Also, what formats are you editing?

[sdsumike619]

I get TV through Cox Cable. I capture video from miniDV tapes, through firewire, onto the hard drive an those are AVI files, 13GB per hour.

[edDV]

I get TV through Cox Cable. I capture video from miniDV tapes, through firewire, onto the hard drive an those are AVI files, 13GB per hour.

Do you have a DVD player with HDMI out?

Adjust the TV to a local TV HD station. If you don't get HD adjust the best average over several SD cable channels. Try for a good black without crushing.

[jagabo]

Be careful if you use an HDMI DVD player to set up your TV. Some players have features to "enhance" the picture before sending it to the TV. Make sure you disable such features. This post has an M2V file you can use to adjust levels:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/326496-file-in-Virtualdub-has-strange-colors-when-o...=1#post2022085

Does HDNet still broadcast their test pattern?

http://www.smartcalibration.com/hdnetpatterns.html