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Stereomaniac
09-06-2007, 07:55 AM
I am in the market for a smaller (37 or 42") plasma or LCD TV.

I was talking to a dealer about calibrating the unit and he said they have an ISF certified tech who would calibrate it in their shop before I took it home.

Don't LCDs and Plasmas need to run a while before you calibrate them? I have heard they should be operated for at least 100 hours before calibrating. Do these TVs need to break in first?

I addition, has anyone seen or used the new ISF HDTV Calibration Wizard DVD from ISF for $29.95? Is it any good? Better or worse that Video Essentials or AVIA?

bfalls
09-07-2007, 11:08 AM
I've never heard you need to "break-in" a display before ISF calibration. I know all displays should be powered on 30 minutes prior to calibration so everything is stable before making adjustments, but I've never heard of breaking a display in. Unless the store is very large that they can afford a "resident" calibration technician, I doubt they're providing an ISF calibration. More likely they're just running a calibration disc. ISF calibration usually costs approx. $125/input.
This isn't to say their calibration is useless. Actually I think it's an excellent idea. Since most TVs are sent from the factory in "Torch Mode" where contrast, brightness and color are turned to high. Their calibration will made the display last longer.
The difference in the calibrations is usually during an ISF calibration the tech will additionally adjust convergence, display geometry and gray-scale. They'll make their adjustments in the service menu providing a "one-touch" default setting. They will usually provide a setting for day and night viewing as well as calibrate to different temperatures (normal, warm, cool). An ISF calibrator can also provide information for backlighting, viewing distance and what displays are more suitable for certain environments (dark room, bright room, etc).
My advice would be to go with their calibration. If you're happy with the results great, but if the image appears to "push-red", you have trouble seeing dark detail, or whites bloom, have it recalibrated. At $125/input I would have only the DVD and TV inputs done, unless you use others frequently.
I have the AVIA and Digital Video Essentials. They're both good and easy to understand. They explain both audio and video calibration in detail. Good luck.

pixelthis
09-08-2007, 12:48 AM
I am in the market for a smaller (37 or 42") plasma or LCD TV.

I was talking to a dealer about calibrating the unit and he said they have an ISF certified tech who would calibrate it in their shop before I took it home.

Don't LCDs and Plasmas need to run a while before you calibrate them? I have heard they should be operated for at least 100 hours before calibrating. Do these TVs need to break in first?

I addition, has anyone seen or used the new ISF HDTV Calibration Wizard DVD from ISF for $29.95? Is it any good? Better or worse that Video Essentials or AVIA?
Can't speak for LCD or Plasma, but it was advised to run a set for six months to a year
before having it ISF'ed for the first time. On any new device it takes time for the electronics to "settle" down.
THATS where the ninety day warrenty got started, BTW, if your set doesnt break during
the first ninety days it probably wont, this is where most breakdowns occure,
this is why "extended" warrenties are a rip off and they love to sell them, indeed this is where most make a lot of their money.
As for "burn in" its a problem with Plasma, but not LCD, although Plasma makers claim they have "fixed" this problem, but I wouldn't watch much letterboxed material in the first three months, this is the most delicate time for Plasmas.
And the two aren't interchangable, Plasmas are a lot heavier, and if the glass envelope
leaks it will die, on LCD the black level isn't as good, but most dont notice, the main problem with LCD is "bright" pixels, I have one of these on a 19in Samsung computer monitor, not that bad really. Some companies have a "zero bad pixel" guarentee".
Hope this helps

Stereomaniac
09-10-2007, 09:06 AM
I had a nice email chat with the folks at ISF. They recommend at least 200 hours on the set before a professional ISF calibration. They do not recomend a new set be calibrated before it leaves the store.

They also recommend the calibration be done in your home and matched to your lighting, DVD player etc.

Best Buy in my area has an ISF certified tech. I will certainly want to see credentials before I agree to anything. It is a little hard to get such services in the middle of Wisconsin.

musicman1999
09-10-2007, 11:32 AM
I think that ISF list the certified techs on their web page,you should check it out.

bill

topspeed
09-10-2007, 03:37 PM
Be aware; not all ISF techs are created equal. A while back, TAS had one of their sets ISF calibrated (even though a few of the guys on staff are ISF certified) and the set ended up far worse than when they started. References would be a very good idea.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't most fpd's much closer to "ideal" straight out of the box in comparison to their CRT based forebears? Gravity can have a huge affect on CRT's convergence, but on fpd's such matters are moot. I know when I calibrated my set with Edyct's Datacolor Spyder, the factory settings were pretty close. Sure, the picture was improved after calibration, but not $125/input's worth! ISF calibration is an extremely pricey proposition if you ask me.

LMB
09-10-2007, 10:57 PM
I am in the market for a smaller (37 or 42") plasma or LCD TV.

I was talking to a dealer about calibrating the unit and he said they have an ISF certified tech who would calibrate it in their shop before I took it home.

Don't LCDs and Plasmas need to run a while before you calibrate them? I have heard they should be operated for at least 100 hours before calibrating. Do these TVs need to break in first?

I addition, has anyone seen or used the new ISF HDTV Calibration Wizard DVD from ISF for $29.95? Is it any good? Better or worse that Video Essentials or AVIA?
I had my Pioneer Elite calibrated by ISF tech and it was worth the $325
I thought I had great picture quality but what an improvement (wait the 3-6 months depending how many hours you watch tv)
I don't know about calibration for LCD's (did not think you had to)

pixelthis
09-10-2007, 11:27 PM
Be aware; not all ISF techs are created equal. A while back, TAS had one of their sets ISF calibrated (even though a few of the guys on staff are ISF certified) and the set ended up far worse than when they started. References would be a very good idea.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't most fpd's much closer to "ideal" straight out of the box in comparison to their CRT based forebears? Gravity can have a huge affect on CRT's convergence, but on fpd's such matters are moot. I know when I calibrated my set with Edyct's Datacolor Spyder, the factory settings were pretty close. Sure, the picture was improved after calibration, but not $125/input's worth! ISF calibration is an extremely pricey proposition if you ask me.

THE MIRACLE is that CRTS ever worked at all. Try turning the yoke on one to straighten the picture. And a lot don't know this but you are gradually supposed to increase the brightness to adjust for phosper wear, when you cant turn it up anymore, time for a new set or tube!
these new displays are a lot easier to keep straight because of their grid configuration,
you dont have an electron beam shooting across a vaccume (and yes its not only affected
by gravity but the earths magnetic field)
Tubes wear unevenly, the parts in tubes wear unevenly, which is one of the many reasons I don't like tubes.
PLASMA sets are actually a "reverse" kind of tube, instead of having a "vaccume" like a tube, keeping gas "out" they have a gas envelope, keeping gas "in".
And when that seal fails, the gas leaks out and the set dies.
A lot place great creedence on PQ, as do I, but how great is PQ when your set isnt working?
The difference between plasmas and LCD isn't that great, and getting smaller all the time,
and LCD is a heckava lot more reliable and lasts a heckava lot longer, and doesn't suffer from glare.
But regardless, both types of displays are a lot easier to keep "in line"

Stereomaniac
09-11-2007, 08:17 AM
Yes, PFDs are supposed to be pretty close out of the box, but most of the reviews i have read indicate that they do benefit from calibration. Geometry is generally good. Maybe adjust overscan? Grayscale and color accuracy seem to be the big issues. Many LCDs are factory-set far from 6500K. I remember reading a review for a Toshiba that had poor color out of the box, but once it was calibrated it was almost pefect 6500K.

I am just weighing the options at this point. I don't even have the TV yet. It looks like there is going to be another price drop in the next 6-12 months and all the new 120hz/4mSec displays should be out by then.

I am a little nervous having a tech from BestBuy calibrate my TV. ISF certified or not.