Monitor Callibration at DVinfo.net

Ryan Bauer · December 6th, 2002, 09:27 PM

Hello Friends!

I've almost finished my NLE setup! I've installed a few new video drives...and just received my GL2 in the mail!

Now for the bad news...
I'm out of money to plop into this thing for a while. I'd love to get an NTSC monitor...but unfortunately I'm stuck previewing on my 27" Phillips TV for the time being.

I've callibrated it to the color bars generated by my GL2 using a tutorial I found at http://www.videouniversity.com/tvbars2.htm and my blue filter.

Now for the question...
Is there anything I can reference for sharpness? My set has controlls from 0 to 100. Maybe there's a test pattern I can feed to it to set it up?

I know it's not an ideal situation...but it has to do for right now.

Thanks all!
®yanbaue®

Christopher Go · December 7th, 2002, 05:40 AM

Hey Ryan, not sure if this is what you're looking for but I like to use it for my 21" Sony computer monitor:

http://www.displaymate.com/

Maybe you can feed it to your TV and calibrate with it? Trying to find an equivalent free program for you, I know of one but can't remember the name of it now...

I'm looking to get a TV for the time being as well, any recommendations?

Zac Stein · December 7th, 2002, 11:39 AM

I am interested in knowing how people are pumping the picture out to the tv/monitors.

Are you guys using the camera passthrough, or a special breakout box.

I use vegas video which dosn't seem to have a hardware companion which could do video out and i don't like always having to use a camera as a bridge, are there any firewire boxes i could plug into for a video out, or something along those lines.

kermie

Jeff Donald · December 7th, 2002, 12:41 PM

Most consumer TV sets have the factory preset for sharpness way to high. I recommend turning the sharpness way down. Over sharpening the picture accentuates the noise, or grain, particuarly in low light. I would set the sharpness no higher than 20 or 25 to start. Try it that way for a week or two. Don't be surprised if the image looks strange to you. Most people way over sharpen their images. Give you eyes a little time to adjust to the new sharpness levels. After a week or two you may want to adjust it even lower. The sharpness on my production monitors is almost off.

Jeff

Christopher Go · December 7th, 2002, 04:58 PM

Found the free program, it's called Nokia Monitor Test, filename nokia1a.zip. You can grab it here:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/article.php?sid=960

Really don't know how well these programs translate over for video monitors, the DisplayMate software is probably better suited for that. Then again the Nokia one is free.

Kermie, don't know of anything off-hand. I have yet to try this for DV editing myself.

Scott Silverman · December 8th, 2002, 03:14 AM

I "calibrated" my make-shift NTSC video monitor yesterday to the NTSC color video bars and was amazed at the results. Just from following a web tutorial and using bars generated by my NLE I was able to improve the quality of the video I watch by about 20%! I was very impressed, especially since my "NTSC monitor" is a $100 Funai car-TV with combo VCR. Thanks you guys! I never would have even considered messing with the calibration on my monitor if it wern't for this post!

Richard Alvarez · December 8th, 2002, 10:30 AM

Kermie,
I am unfamiliar with it, but supposedly the new Matrox Parahelia card will give you what you want. I use a canopus advc100 transcoder for my analogue imports, and to drive the ntsc monitor.

But then, I use Avid XpressDV, so I am not sure about VV.

December 6th, 2002, 09:27 PM	#1
Ryan Bauer New Boot Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Tampa, FL 33616 Posts: 10	Monitor Callibration Hello Friends! I've almost finished my NLE setup! I've installed a few new video drives...and just received my GL2 in the mail! Now for the bad news... I'm out of money to plop into this thing for a while. I'd love to get an NTSC monitor...but unfortunately I'm stuck previewing on my 27" Phillips TV for the time being. I've callibrated it to the color bars generated by my GL2 using a tutorial I found at http://www.videouniversity.com/tvbars2.htm and my blue filter. Now for the question... Is there anything I can reference for sharpness? My set has controlls from 0 to 100. Maybe there's a test pattern I can feed to it to set it up? I know it's not an ideal situation...but it has to do for right now. Thanks all! ®yanbaue®

December 8th, 2002, 03:14 AM	#6
Scott Silverman Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Cupertino, California, USA Posts: 301	I "calibrated" my make-shift NTSC video monitor yesterday to the NTSC color video bars and was amazed at the results. Just from following a web tutorial and using bars generated by my NLE I was able to improve the quality of the video I watch by about 20%! I was very impressed, especially since my "NTSC monitor" is a $100 Funai car-TV with combo VCR. Thanks you guys! I never would have even considered messing with the calibration on my monitor if it wern't for this post! __________________ Scott Silverman Shining Star Digital Video Productions Bay Area, CA

December 7th, 2002, 05:40 AM	#2
Christopher Go Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 429	Hey Ryan, not sure if this is what you're looking for but I like to use it for my 21" Sony computer monitor: http://www.displaymate.com/ Maybe you can feed it to your TV and calibrate with it? Trying to find an equivalent free program for you, I know of one but can't remember the name of it now... I'm looking to get a TV for the time being as well, any recommendations?

December 7th, 2002, 11:39 AM	#3
Zac Stein Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 730	I am interested in knowing how people are pumping the picture out to the tv/monitors. Are you guys using the camera passthrough, or a special breakout box. I use vegas video which dosn't seem to have a hardware companion which could do video out and i don't like always having to use a camera as a bridge, are there any firewire boxes i could plug into for a video out, or something along those lines. kermie

December 7th, 2002, 12:41 PM	#4
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Most consumer TV sets have the factory preset for sharpness way to high. I recommend turning the sharpness way down. Over sharpening the picture accentuates the noise, or grain, particuarly in low light. I would set the sharpness no higher than 20 or 25 to start. Try it that way for a week or two. Don't be surprised if the image looks strange to you. Most people way over sharpen their images. Give you eyes a little time to adjust to the new sharpness levels. After a week or two you may want to adjust it even lower. The sharpness on my production monitors is almost off. Jeff

December 7th, 2002, 04:58 PM	#5
Christopher Go Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 429	Found the free program, it's called Nokia Monitor Test, filename nokia1a.zip. You can grab it here: http://www.majorgeeks.com/article.php?sid=960 Really don't know how well these programs translate over for video monitors, the DisplayMate software is probably better suited for that. Then again the Nokia one is free. Kermie, don't know of anything off-hand. I have yet to try this for DV editing myself.

December 8th, 2002, 10:30 AM	#7
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Kermie, I am unfamiliar with it, but supposedly the new Matrox Parahelia card will give you what you want. I use a canopus advc100 transcoder for my analogue imports, and to drive the ntsc monitor. But then, I use Avid XpressDV, so I am not sure about VV.