My Mits 46" 16:9 gets calibrated (ISF'd)

Ron-P

This past Saturday I had a local Home Theater Meet at my house. Greg Loewen (one of HomeTheaterForum.com moderators) also attended. He does video calibrations (ISF). Worked under Michael TLV, one of the best.

About 2:30, he began on my HD-RPTV. He spent about 3+ hours calibrating her. He did the following;

1. Removed the glare screen

2. Manuel Focus

3. Electrical Focus

4. Disconnected SVM (scan velocity modulation) wires from the circuit board

5. Set Grey Scale

6. Set Overscan

7. Tweeked the Geometry

8. Centered the image

9. Adjusted all the user settings; sharpness, color, tint, etc...

10. Lens stripping

11. Lens cleaning

12. Plus more


This is a pic of Gregg and his lap top setting the Grey Scale:


Let me say the difference is nothing short of amazing, it's like an entirely new RPTV. I thought I had a good, he made it excellent.

The colors are extremely vibrant, the picture is very sharp, the black level is down right awesome, yet the details are very visible.

It is well worth more then $400.00. If you've got a HDTV, find yourself a good calibrationist and do it. Then you will really see your HDTV shine like it was ment to.

You can reach Gregg at: htflover@hotmail.com


Peace Out~:D

Micah Cohen

YEOW! $400! Damn.

MC

Aaron

Did you pay $400? I thought those calibrations usually cost in the $250-300 region.

Aaron

Ron-P

No, I did not pay that. It's an average for Gregg. I believe it goes as high as $550 for all inputs, not sure though. But, even if I did, it is worth it. Gregg takes a lot of time talking to you about your set and does an excellent job. Taking a lot of time and doing his work very professionally.

I could see $250-$300 without doing grey-scale. Grey scale takes a lot of time to do, very tedious work to get it dial-in.


Peace Out~:D

-justin-

Ron, hope you don't mind, but I added that picture to the system showcase

~JB

scottvamp

$400 holy smokes, and people complain about the $300 to change front projection bulbs. This "ISF guy" is making a killing.
As long as YOU think it's worth it. Bet it looks great though.:)

madmax

Ron,
From the picture the guy looks just like you. Almost looks like you did a cut and paste somehow to add your image.
madmax

CHRIS

Way cool Ron!
Its well worth ever penny right. Now you can watch all your movies again just to see the difference. Its hard to beleave all the things these guys know and do. When I had the guy do mine he charged $100 just for traveling but it was about 120 miles each way.

Ron-P

Its well worth ever penny right. Now you can watch all your movies again just to see the difference

You said it all right here Chris. It is worth every penny, even if I had to pay $400, I would.

Last night I sat and re-watched Moulin Rouge and Edward Scissorhands. I am amazed at the awesome picture, espically the black level. Setting the Grey Scale made a HUGE difference. The black is so dark, yet so detailed.


Peace Out~:D

Aaron

So if these ISF calibrations make such a difference, why can't the manufacturers ship them already calibrated? Can't they figure out how to optimize the image on one and then make the rest the same or do you need to specifically calibrate each and every one?

Aaron

RuSsMaN

I don't get it, maybe its equivalent to upgrading the caps in your crossover...or removing the jumper and bi-wire/amping?

Cheers,
Russ

Ron-P

Manufactures would not want to dump that kind of time and man power into a TV when they do not need to. Most of the consumers see the TV on the showroom floor and buy it thinking it will look the same when they get it home, when it does, they are happy. So why tweek it too look better? They do not need to. The average consumer does not demand it. Or even know that their TV has that much potential to look better.

An ISF incorporates your equipment as well. Your DVD player is used in the process. IF you change DVD player brands, a touch up ISF should be done. Your TV should not be moved after an ISF, it can be, but is not recommended. Too much work goes into an ISF for a manufacture to put time and money into it.

My TV took 3+ hours, that is after I had done a lot of tweaking myself. An out of the box could take twice as long. NO manufacture will spend that kind of money.

Manufactures build their TVs to please the mass-market.


Peace Out~:D

madmax

I have heard that a calibrated set of modest cost can far outperform a non-calibrated set at the high end of the price spectrum. (A guy who charged for calibrations and also an old time TV tech that I used to work for both told me that) If that is true it would make sense that the $400 cal fee could be well worth the price because the price difference between sets could be $1500 or more. No experience of my own here.
madmax

RuSsMaN

So is this limited to a certain type of tv? Can it (or other small tweeks) be done on your standard, 27"-32" tube type?

Sorry if that sounds ignorant, but as far as video goes, I am......

Cheers,
Russ

-justin-

My friend came over to watch the superbowl on Sunday, and as I was sitting there watching the screen I was thinking, "Man this is a detailed picture." Less than 10 min. later, my friend says, "Hey, can you turn up the brightness or whatever?"

Idiot! I just laughed.

~JB

Ron-P

So is this limited to a certain type of tv?

Nope

Can it (or other small tweeks) be done on your standard, 27"-32" tube type?

Yep

Any TV (for the most part) can be calibrated. A lot of the claibration (esp. direct views) are done via the service menu of that TV.

Justin, that does not surpries me. Most TVs are shipped with the brightness mode maxed, (torch mode). Most people turn on their sets and watch, your friend, is most likely one.


Peace Out~:D

CHRIS

Not tying to step on your toes Ron.
Here is the link to ISF which will explain a lot as well as the people who calibrate in your area. Some will setup your whole system audio and all. In getting the link I found a new company who does this in my area, closer then the other by 75 miles. It's an audio store so I might have them come and do the audio calibration setup too. My TV has been moved a couple times sence the last calibration so it could use a touch up. It is truely a night and day difference getting this done IMO. If your into H/T it really is a must, its better then the switch from VCR to DVD IMO. Do you feel the same way about it Ron??

www.imagingscience.com

Ron-P

ouch.........ouch............OUCH!!! Knock it off Chris:)

I was very skeptical about this whole ISF thingy. But now that I have seen the light. It is like going from VHS to DVD. The difference is amazing, very amazing. Every year or so, I plan to do a touch up calibraion. It is worth it.

If you've spent 3,4 or more grand on your HDTV, what's another $400 to max out it's preformance?


Peace Out~:D

BrandonW

Ron, congrats and welcome to 'high end hometheaters'

What was he using for the tests? looks like the sencore piece...which is what we use. VERY VERY worthwhile to have done. I wouldn't encourage it on a tube set, as really there isn't 'that' much that can be done, even from the service menu.

ANY 3 gun front or rear will benifit from a proper calibration of course..

"So if these ISF calibrations make such a difference, why can't the manufacturers ship them already calibrated? Can't they figure out how to optimize the image on one and then make the rest the same or do you need to specifically calibrate each and every one? "

Manufactures DO tweak each set before it leaves...but they don't get too carried away..why? well during any move where the tv get bounced it will change...depending on what temperature you keep your house at will effect it. moisture will effect it...really EVERYTHING effects it. As ron pointed out, differant source gear will work differantly on a tv, even say if you went from the a dvd play to an identical model its going to act differantly. Now, here is another kicker...these new HD sets scan differantly depending what they are fed which will greatly impact its setup.

Anyways congrats again ron, hopefully you took notes while he was there on what to look for when your setting it up.

Another thing you can do if you get bored (write down current settings) and run the THX 'optimiser' it will step you through setting up your colors for THX movies...(this if for those that don't wanna pay someone to setup their tvs) which will get you close to where it should be, and also pick up a copy of 'video standard' dvd..

Brandon
www.svtparts.com/theaters

goingganzo

do you think it would make a differance in my hd ready 65 inch wide screen mitsubishi tv i just got today boy i love my new tv

goingganzo

i hate it when it dont up load ment to atach this pic

juice21

any of those theaters yours in that link?

BrandonW

going,

MOST definitly on that model. lots and lots of tweaks on mits stuff. The model I encourage people to get is the platinum plus as you get ALOT more adjustment points to correct poor convergence.

What model did you get?

Brandon

juice21

goingganzo - man that center is up there! you have room to angle that down towards the listening postition a little, might get a little better result with that. just a thought. man, that RPTV dwarves the polks...:D

BrandonW

Juice,

My theater is in either one of my showrooms. I am minutes away from it and it serves me better for now as my current house doesn't have an appropriate sized room for a good theater.

Honestly though, my theater at my house is semi basic, mitsubishi 72", marantz source gear, and atlantic tech speakers. (my polk stuff is limted to my car...)

I'll try to take some pics of my showroom next time i think about it. Maybe even post some more of the theaters from this year...if you all are interested of course.

Brandon

juice21

sure, post away! any polk installations? what area you located?

BrandonW

Juice1,

I am in Kentucky,

unfortunatly my 2nd job is where i get to do all the polk installations...(car stuff) Polk makes a great bang for the buck system (for home) but unfortunatly those theaters i posted are a tad more higher end then what polk provides. maybe in the future they will have something that will and can keep up with what we currently use.

I had the polk sub/sat system in my house for awhile, and lemme say D*#$ that sub is rocking...but i needed something a little differant for the way my room is designed. id have to take a picture to make it understandable.

Brandon

goingganzo

that is the ws-65819 and it is angled down i have the small rubber pads that came with the center in the front of it and a set of evtra ones that i got with my fx 500i and i am thinking of bulding stands for my 800i's any one like the tv stand it also lights up

BrandonW

goingganzo,

can't say i ever thought about putting the glass blocks in teh theater unless it was part of a bar, but i might have to now, kinda a neat differant...maybe with a fiber optic lighting and color wheel. have the room basically change color at differant times of the day....hummmmmmm...................


Got my brain a going

Thats a killer set btw. got 3 of them in stock right now and all sold. You gone through it and reconverged it?

Brandon

juice21

brandon, if you get chance - listen to polk's new LSi line, they may have something for the higher-end consumer. i personally haven't found a place near me to audition them, but i am very eager to...

Ron-P

Hey Brandon,

What was he using for the tests? looks like the sencore piece...which is what we use. VERY VERY worthwhile to have done.

Yes, this is what he used. I did not get to take too many notes because I was hosting the meet. But, I do plan to run thru all the service menus and right down all the settings this weekend. I just sat and watched Moulin Rouge again last night. The difference is amazing. I know this film well as I watched it many times before the calibration.

do you think it would make a differance in my hd ready 65 inch wide screen mitsubishi tv i just got today boy i love my new tv

Goingganzo, it will beneift your TV alot, just wait and put a few hundred hours on her first.