Un-professional Avia calibration question (1 Viewer)

[Steve_AS]

Here's dumb question I hadn't thought of before: if one has a setup disc like Avia etc. (which I have on order) , is it necessary to run a audio and video setup on *each* component -- the DVD player and the TV and receiver? And if so, in what order?

 

[Lew Crippen]

I don’t know if this addresses your question or not, but the audio portion of the disk is for your receiver. You use that (plus and SPL meter for your sound system).

The video portion is used to configure your display.

I would not think that your DVD player would be an issue, unless yours has setting that can be changed that alter your picture or sound.

 

[Steve_AS]

I think this was pitched too high for the 'Basic' forum, so I'm trying it here: I have an Avia calibration disc on order and was wondering if I'll need to calibrate the video of the TV *and* the DVD player, and if so in which order the calibration should be done. (My Pioneer DV-45a DVD player has contrast, brightness sharpness etc controls, as does my Mitsu 42" RPTV).

 

[Michael Reuben]

Leave all of the DVD player settings at neutral and calibrate the TV and (only the TV).

M.

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

Do only the TV ... unless the post calibrated results are only good for the DVD and make the TV material look unviewable.

Then optimize for the TV first with what looks good for cable say ... and then optimize for DVD player with the DVD controls.

Regards

 

[John Garcia]

Since the Avia disc is a DVD, and all the test material is on it, you are calibrating your video system relative to the player. Pro: this takes in to account all the circuitry, cables, etc.. in the path. Con: these settings may not look good for all sources; ie CATV, VCR, etc... My settings for movie watching are far too dark for average TV viewing. This is why having a Sony WEGA with memory for different settings is so handy!! I only use 2: standard and movie, each tweaked for it's source. I don't know many DVD players in recent years that have no picture adjustments. I turn off all the ones I can, and use the display's settings.

The audio portion is relative to your physical room conditions (speaker distance, room size, listening position, etc...). This one is not so complicated, as the speaker levels will pretty much be close for most or all sources.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Companion thread from Basics merged into this one.

M.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

The electronics from each device are different. Even a row of DVD players often require different calibration settings.

If you read the "Secrets of Home Theater" progressive scan DVD shootout, when they did the visual tests, they did a separate calibration on the TV for each player. (The video analysis equipment looking at each DVD player showed widely differing levels in parts of the video signal.)

One ISF guy has a price-list where he charges something like $75 per each NTSC device (VCR, CATV, SAT), and $150 per HD/Progressive device.

In truth, when you calibrate the TV for a DVD player, the adjustments compensate for the entire signal path:

- The DVD player electronics
- The cable used
- The television input electronics

 

[JohnnyG]

What you want to do is run all the video tests separately for EACH of the different connection options your DVD player has..composite, s-video, 480 interlaced and 480 progressive. Each type will probably give you different results. Record them all, then 'plug in' the numbers appropriate to your other video devices. For example, if you have a digital cable/satellite receiver that's connected to the TV via s-video, use the numbers you recorded when you ran the video tests with your DVD outputting via s-video.

Many TVs have the ability to store different user settings for each input. If yours does, plug in the numbers appropriate to each particular input and you're all set.

 

[Steve_AS]

Thanks for the input. The S&V disc (which I'd also ordered) arrived today, so I'll be trying some of your suggestions out.

One further question. I see that my Pionneer DVD-player has, in progressive mode, a 'Pure Cinema' option (Auto/On/Off) that converts film sources (24 frame/sec) to the equivalent of 60 f/sec, supposedly to make it look more film-like on a TV (?)
The DVD player is connected to the TV via component output.

Meanwhile , my Mistubishi RPTV has an 'Image Type' setting with the options 'Video/Film', which again , if set to 'Film' converts film sources to a higher frame/sec, in this case equivalent to video/NTSC standard (30 f/sec).

I'm ready to play with them to see whcih combination, if any , is best, but I'm curious to know what *theoretically* the best, msot artifact-free settings for these should be, for DVD movie material. And what the setting shoudl be during calibration.

 

[JohnnyG]

The Image Type setting on the TV will be bypassed if your feeding it a progressive-scan signal. The deinterlace circuitry in your DVD player is probably better than what's in the TV anyway.