What we do
OK, so getting your TV calibrated sounds like a good idea. Why not use the service offered by the "big box" store you bought the equipment from? Because you're likely not going to get a trained, certified professional doing the work – which means the results probably aren't going to be worth your time.
A professional independent calibrator from Canada reveals what he learned from a former calibration field supervisor at Best Buy and talks about his experience with a client who had had a Best Buy calibration (click the link above or the text below to read the whole post).
Here's what you should expect from a professional calibration.
Video Calibration
Examples of Measurements
BEFORE and AFTER Calibration
(taken from actual client's calibration report)
What happens during a calibration?
- Connect calibration equipment.
- Take and document pre-calibration measurements.
- Adjust user menus based on your viewing environment and components (standard and high-definition TV, digital cable, satellite, off-air HDTV, progressive scan DVD, Blu-ray, computer game systems, etc.).
- Adjust advanced and/or hidden service menus to THX and ISF calibration standards using test equipment and software.
- Adjust signal path and source equipment as needed.
- Take and document post-calibration measurements.
- Verify calibration with known video. (This is the fun part!)
- Review and explain our calibration results with you. We'll also send a PDF copy of our report to your In box.
Unlike the more common calibration which adjusts only user controls and grayscale, Cinetune's training and equipment allows us to also optimize gamma and color space.
When we're done, your HDTV should produce an image that is as close as possible to what would be seen on a professional post-production monitor. That means your TV should:
- Show a sharp-focus, full-resolution image
- Provide full detail in the darkest and brightest parts of the image
- Maintain accurate color balance at all picture light levels*
- Produce a full range of accurate colors, including flesh tones, grass, sky, and sports jerseys (typically rec. 709)
- Contain minimal picture artifacts (distortions)
*While D65 grayscale is the standard color temperature for the vast majority of content, creating a special warmer D55 color temperature for viewing older black-and-white films is often possible and can be arranged for the classic movie buff.
Any TV can benefit from calibration! For the best results, your new TV should have at least 100 hours of use. That gives the electronics a chance to stabilize, so your calibration will hold better. Plus it saves you the hassle and expense of having to do a second calibration if your TV turns out to be defective.
Our standard video calibration is $375 for flat-panel TVs and $475 for projectors. The calibration process typically takes 3 to 4 hours, although it can vary depending on the display and components.
Please call 770-330-9389 to schedule an appointment to begin enjoying your home theater the way you were meant to.
Audio Calibration
Audio calibration often requires changes to seating position, speaker location, or other difficult compromises you may be unwilling to make. The time, materials and costs involoved with such solutions can vary greatly. Cinetune is attempting to streamline the audio calibration process, and our services and pricing are currently being reviewed and updated.
If your system needs immediate attention, please call 770-330-9389 to discuss your specific issues with a technician.
Certified in ISF calibration and THX video calibration. Call 770-330-9389 to schedule an appointment.
