HDTV calibration (1 Viewer)

[Steve Iseman]

I recently purcahsed the Mitsubishi 65819 and have heard that it needs to be calibrated to get the best possible picture. Can I calibrate it myself using the Avia Guide or should I get a technician to do it?

 

[jeff lam]

Use Avia or VE now, then in about 6months or so get Gregg to ISF calibrate it for the ultimate picture.

 

[Steve Iseman]

Is it very expensive to get a technician to calibrate if for you? If it is expensive is it worth the price to have it calibrated?

Would having a technician calibrate your set void the warranty?

 

[jeff lam]

Do a search for ISF in this TV area, you will find that all people that have had ISF techs come and calibrate their Tv's have said it was money well spent. Even when it cost's $500. It's a serious investment but from what I hear, it's one of the best investments you can make in your H/T.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

As someone whose had Gregg come and calibrate my Set (Mit 65807) it makes an astounding difference. But I'd recommend , like others a elf calibration with Avia or VE, and then after a couple of hundred hours a full Calibration by Gregg. I Had mine done about 9 months after I got it, but I use mine mainly for DVD viewing so it took longer to burn in.

 

[BruceSpielbauer]

Steve:
I would second what the others have said, but I would add the following comments.

1.) If you have not already, turn the contrast down on your set. For a starting point, set it somewhere in the 30% to 40% neighborhood. Mitsubishis are shipped with it turned ALL THE WAY UP (100%) and this can significantly lessen the expected life of your guns, and also increase the potential for screen burn in. My Mits is set at 9 "clicks" below the center line.

2.) Get Avia, or Home Theater Essentials, and get it soon. You can perform "basic" calibrations with this. It will be worth the money spent (even the expensive $40 Avia), as it will improve your picture. Sometimes you can find one of these in a rental store. You can buy from Amazon, if nothing else. Nothing in these basic calibrations will affect your warranty in any way.

3.) There are a lot of more advanced "tweaks" that are listed on a different forum from this one. It is a forum which tends to "specialize" in big screens, and all types of televison sets. Some of these more advanced tweaks require you to do things that would technically invalidate the warranty. Others do not.

4.) After about 100 hours, minimum, you can then further consider whether or not you still think you need an ISF calibration. ALMOST every post I have ever seen from people who did this said it was money well spent. I have seen exactly two exceptions, out of (perhaps) more than 300 posts from people who describe the experiences, and the results. The calibrators can do a few things that even the most advanced do it yourselfers usually do not do -- sometimes because the most advanced stuff requires equipment (to set your gray scale, for example). If you are brave, and careful, you could probably do more than 90% of what they would do yourself, though... Fixing the "red push," getting rid of edge enhancement, adjusting overscan, adjusting the geometry. You just need to read instructions very carefully, and go cautiously.

If you go the ISF calibration route, then yes, technically, some of the calibrations they perform do actually violate the warranty. However, in almost all cases, it is also true that service personnel who might work on your set uner warranty in the future would not usually NOTICE. So, the prevailing attitude among those who get their sets calibrated is "Don't ask, don't tell." They think it is worth it to get it calibrated, and they have no intention of ever volunteering the fact that it has been calibrated to anyone who works on the set later, for a warranty problem. The manufacturers warranties (and the add-ons you might purchase) always state that it is a no-no for anyone other than a manufacturer's authorized tech to work on the product in any way.

Hope that this helps,

-Bruce (owner of a five-week-old Mits WS 65819)

 

[mike_decock]

As a person with an ISF calibrated Toshiba 43H71, I say yes, it is definitely worth it.

-Mike...