Which video calibration dvd?

[The Tahitijack]

Please foregive me.

This has probably been asked and answered as often as the chilling question "Which plasma?".

I checked the How-to sector and found the CNET review of the various DVD video calibration tools and noticed the new Monster Video Calibration DVD was not on the list. Although the CNET review gave pros and cons it did not conclude with a recommendation.

Based on what I have read I'm leaning to the Avia or Monser. Something simple/basic. I don't need or want the Spyder system. But, maybe there is more to learn before I buy.

Any update advice is appreciated.

[westcott]

Digital Video Essentials is also another popular calibration DVD.

[elapsed]

I concur, DVE is your best bet for a simple calibration DVD. AVIA is also excellent

[KaiWinters]

I just bought and used, yesterday in fact, the Digital Video Essentials calibration dvd.
I found it easy to use but only after fast forwarding nearly halfway through it the first time around as I was trying to get past the wordiness and missed much of the steps lol.

Overall it improved my picture probably around 10% but that may be because I have a pretty good eye and got lucky hehehe. I bought it mainly because I have a new plasma tv in the coming in the near future and wanted to get familiar with a calibration dvd.

I do not like the wordiness of this dvd prior to each calibration setting. But if you are a first time user with no skills or knowledge of how the test patterns work you have no choice. Having learned how to use the patterns I now can move right to them. It is a good tutorial and I leared a lot but I wanted to do a "simple" calibration, not take a class on the history of tv and signals.

I would suggest you set aside a couple of hours if this is the first time. I takes some time to get through it but you will be happy when done.

I found the audio cal section to be very good, for me. I did not have to adjust any of my audio settings as they were well set up using my receivers test signals and spl meter.

Overall I am glad I purchased the DVE dvd and may get the Avia one as well for the heck of it. Right now if you purchase the DVE dvd you get a bonus dvd. It is basically a choice of still pictures and I got one that is an aquarium. Not a bad deal overall for $25 bucks. DVE expedited the order quickly. I ordered it last friday night and had it this past Wednesday.

Good luck and tell us of your experiences.

[edtyct]

Monster may be too elementary. AVIA and DVE tell you all that you need to know, though DVE is harder to navigate. By the way, DVE has a hi def calibration disk for HD DVD; it will probably be more accurate for HD via satellite and cable than extrapolating parameters from SD DVD. I have one coming in a couple of weeks.

By the way, you shouldn't expect to get anything but a rough calibration by eye--that is, by bringing down parameters toward their middle positions in the user menus to escape torch mode. Many of the settings interact, requiring you going back and forth. I do think that Kai was lucky if he came close without help.