How much does an ISF calibration usually cost? (1 Viewer)

[Justin Woodwell]

And how long does is usually take to complete? I'm assuming its done in-house?

 

[Bill Slack]

Between $400-$600 for a RPTV depending what you have done. Some calibrators only do a relatively small amount of things, while other perfor a slew of service beyond what the ISF calls for.

 

[Doug_B]

Among the items that you can have done, the number of inputs (or input types) that are calibrated are also factored into the cost. So if you want HD and DVD-based calibrations, you're likely at or above the high end of the previously quoted range.
Yes, it will be in-house. Otherwise, esp for a CRT-based RPTV, the unit could need recalibrating after you got it back in the house .
Doug

 

[AndyT]

my mom and stepfather just picked up a Panasonic PT-47WX52 which will arrive in town on Wednesday, I'm gonna have to get them to send someone out to do a once-over on it to get it set up right. wish I could find an avia, VE, or other calibration DVD locally to do some setup myself, my city sucks

 

[Adam_Garris]

AndyT: Maybe try this?

 

[Larry Rankine]

I'm new at this home theater stuff and after reading enough articles to make me dangerous (along with some other issues) decided to schedule an ISF calibration on my new set. I was shocked when told it would cost $275.00 but scheduled it anyway. After reading Bill's reply ($400-$600)I guess I should be happy about the price but it's made me wonder if I'll be getting a good job or a con job. Any thoughts?
Larry

 

[AndyT]

AndyT: Maybe try this?

Wow, $60 for that DVD? ugh. I posted another thread yesterday asking if the Home Theater Tune-Up dvd from Sound and Vision was a decent alternative to Avia, but noone responded. I can get that easier and for $30 canadian. I know it's probably worth it to spend the $60 on it, but they bought a bigger better tv, and decent cables, and 6 year warranty, I jst hate saying "so yeah, now you need a $60 dvd" hehe. I'll figure something out, thanks for the link though.

/edit I think I am gonna go for the Home Theater Tun-Up dvd. The reasons being that I am not an expert at this stuff. I know a good deal, but I've never sat down to actually calibrate a rear projection TV. Since this tv is not for me, I think I'm better off with an easier dvd for them, and when it comes time for me to pick up a nice new big tv I will pick up Avia for myself.

Sorry for taking over this thread, won't happen again, haha.

 

[greg_t]

I got my Avia off ebay still sealed for like $20 or so.

Larry, Find out exactly what they are going to do for your ISF calibration and post it here. It seems a little low, which makes me think they may just do a quickie job. Some of the well known calibrators here may charge $400 and up for their services, but they also know what their doing and will work on it until it's done right.

 

[Jan Strnad]

Andy,
Check here.
Jan

 

[Larry Rankine]

Greg,
Thanks for your reply! Here's what I know from talking with their sales people. I was told it would take 2-3 hours and they check and adjust numerous parameters, color, gray scale, focus, etc. I specifically picked these people as their ad stated they are ISF certified. When speaking with their scheduling person I was advised they only have one or two guys that are qualified to do the calibrations. I've got to wait till Feb cause their so booked up When I get the specifics of the process I'll post them.
Larry

 

[David Lovekamp]

Whenever I make my decision on which TV to get I'm obviously going to have it professionally calibrated. But I must admit I'm a little PO'd about paying almost $500 or about 1/5 of the cost of the whole dang TV just to have it tuned right. I'm probably getting the Hitachi 57SWX20B and from what I've read that set cries for calibration for maximum results. Is there any way to learn how to do this yourself and do a professional quality job?? I'd like to know anyway, I think it would be fun. What materials would I need to get top results?

 

[Hank]

ISF calibration can be expensive but in the long run you will be a very happy camper. Once I got mine done I couldn't believe it. The set took on new life. My set today still looks way better than most TV's on display at stores.

 

[TimMc]

"Between $400-$600"... I hear what everyone says, but it still makes me wanna gag. We've had our Pioneer 533 for all of a week now and I've already AVIA'd it just a couple of times. I don't mind futzin' and tweakin', and yes it's helped and things are looking and sounding pretty darned decent. But - (and yup, there's always a butt, isn't there?) it would probably be totally wunnerful after a good ISFing, wouldn't it?

And that's the point where I gag. I'd bet almost everyone would be pretty bent if they bought a new car and then found out that they had to spend an additional 20% (+/-) to get it tuned/calibrated so it ran just right. I don't see that ISFing our new 533 as being really all that much different - heck, it's got wheels, too!

 

[Dave H]

I paid $250.00 for my ISF calibration on my RPTV. This included greyscale and overscan correction.

 

[Larry Rankine]

I agree with Tim on this issue being a little hard to swallow but it sounds like we have the good old free market system (supply & demand) hard at work here! The ISF calibration guys are simply charging whatever they can get from the market they are in. That's why the same house that costs $50K in one part of the country/world costs $150K in another part.

 

[David Lovekamp]

Heres a brilliant idea - why not have the manufactors of these TVs have them properly calibrated for maximum performance when they leave the factory!! WOW what a concept!!! I mean, why does a company like Hitachi release a TV that is SO good when calibrated and so average when its not?! Most people when they buy a TV don't do that stuff. Better yet, they assume Hitachi's much heralded(at least by them)"Magic Focus" system will do it for them perfectly. I agree, I want to gag when it comes to this issue. I'm sorry for the rant, but when it comes to this $100 I might be able to deal with, but if $400 is the charge for a little tweaking of my television then I cry outrage even if it does improve performance substantially. That is ALOT of GD money!!! I apologize if my thoughts on this matter upsets any of the ISF calibraters who frequent this board. I totally respect what you do and it sounds like a fun job but as a consumer when I lay down thousands for a TV I kind of expect that to be it and not have to write out another huge check to someone just to get it to run right. If anything, professional calibration should be something that is offered free of charge by the store you bought the TV from at the least.

 

[Page]

The problem with having a RPTV properly calibrated before it leaves the factory is that almost certainly the set will not arrive at its destination perfectly calibrated due to stress put on it during shipping. IF the set was ISF calibrated at the factory that would make the cost of the set higher, and many companies don't want to kick in the extra bucks and pass on the cost to the consumers because, let's face it, a LOT of these sets are sold to people who think they look great out of the box with the contrast and colors turned up high. Companies selling these sets want to make as much profit as possible so it doesn't make sense (cents) to go the extra mile and provide a fantastic-looking set when an average one will appease the majority of the purchasers.

(At one time I thought I read about one company that included an ISF calibration as part of their selling points. I don't recall which one, but it was probably a high-end company.)

As far as the car analogy goes...my Honda Civic rights right, but I know I can improve its performance by buying premium gas, better tires, a V-6 engine as opposed to the standard one, etc. Same thing with my RPTV. It runs "right", but to MY critical eye it can run better. And to make it run better costs money. If stores offered a "free" ISF calibration, I'm sure their cost of selling the actual set to you would be higher.

In other words, just factor in the cost of an ISF calibration as part of the purchase price. Say to yourself, "There's a four hundred dollar luxury tax to owning a RPTV and I have to pay it to get the set." (Sort of like paying a VAT in England.)

 

[Kevin. W]

Luckily for my Panny 47 I have a website that I visit that gives you the low down on slef calibrating the set. Now its just finding the time and nerve to do it. I should be able to get it as close to ISF calibrated by doing it myself. Checkout the following sites:
http://www.panny.tv/
http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/index.htm
Kevin

 

[Lew Crippen]

A more complete analogy is if you bought a new car and decided to have the engine ‘blueprinted’. The fact is that this is important to a few and meaningless to everyone else.

What Page wrote as to the manufactures spending the effort (and money) to ship everything exactly the way the most demanding customers desire. Should one do this, they will be at a price disadvantage against their competetion.