Calibrating your monitor

[radek42]

Greetings,

This is another post regarding monitor and its calibration for hobbyist photographer.

I am slowly moving away from idea getting Dell U2413 and Asus PA249Q monitors due to disappointment with two Dells. I am now considering NEC P232W or P242W monitors (PA-series would be better, but I cannot justify the cost).

I am now struggling with purchasing either monitor only, or SV II bundle (monitor calibration). I currently do not own any calibration device, but I was considering DataColor Spyder4 PRO. However ...

I now understand, that NEC SV package contains both sw as well as hardware (calorimeter) to achieve hardware calibration of NEC monitors, not just creating ICC color profile (as the Spyder4 would do). I can see reason for HW calibration (if monitor supports it), but exact details and benefits escape me at this moment.

I am more interested to understand (and I was unable to find concrete answer) if one can use bundled calorimeter to calibrate say a laptop screen or any other monitor one might have. This should be possible, but I am not certain ... Could someone elaborate on this?

Thanks, Radek

 

[Prodo123]

I'd see no reason why it would not be able to calibrate other screens, especially if it makes ICC profiles in addition to hardware adjustments.

 

[thegreatdivorce]

I seem to remember not being able to calibrate my ACD with my friend's NEC device. I could be wrong, though.

I vote for the Spyder4, love mine.

 

[Apple fanboy]

The software bundled with the NEC SV package will only work with your NEC screen, not your Laptop. It is basically an i1 Display Pro made by Xrite but licensed to work with NEC's hardware. The Spyder 4 Pro will do both, but with 2 completely different screen types, the results will be very different.

 

[radek42]

Thanks for all your replies ...

The software bundled with the NEC SV package will only work with your NEC screen, not your Laptop. It is basically an i1 Display Pro made by Xrite but licensed to work with NEC's hardware. The Spyder 4 Pro will do both, but with 2 completely different screen types, the results will be very different.

I suspect the calorimeter is just a calorimeter so it should work with any display as long as one can use xRite software ... I wonder if this would work with the bundled calorimeter:
http://www.xrite.com/product_overview.aspx?ID=1454&Action=support&SoftwareID=1305

The software bundled with the NEC SV package will only work with your NEC screen, not your Laptop. It is basically an i1 Display Pro made by Xrite but licensed to work with NEC's hardware. The Spyder 4 Pro will do both, but with 2 completely different screen types, the results will be very different.

Spyder is still possibility. I actually considered it first since PRO is cheaper. However, one cannot perform hardware calibration; for that NEC software (part of the bundle) is required. Actually, it can be purchased separately for $99.

My questions still remain:
* Will xRite software work with NEC-branded calorimeter?
* Is monitor hardware calibration superior compared to creating ICC monitor profile.

Thanks, Radek

 

[thekev]

My questions still remain:
* Will xRite software work with NEC-branded calorimeter?
* Is monitor hardware calibration superior compared to creating ICC monitor profile.

Thanks, Radek

Probably not. It's not a good idea mixing and matching if possible. You must realize that these things are not high end instruments that would be used by scientists. They are often sold in bundles as a known configuration is known to be within whatever performance delta (not referring to delta e values). Chromix has some decent material on the subject. This link isn't exactly related to colorimeter hardware though. With the i1 display pro, some displays are supported. X-rite doesn't support any hardware LUTs with the "colormunki" version though. Their naming convention is terrible, so I have to specify I mean the colormunki display, which is a colorimeter, not the original budget model spectrophotometer.

 

[radek42]

Oh great! I am getting deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole ... which I tried to avoid in first place

I am still trying to decipher relation between calibration SW and HW functionality. For example, I presume the NEC's spectra view software bundled the P- and PA-series monitors calibrates both, the monitor's internal LUT (hardware calibration) as well as creates "plain" ICC profile that will display proper colors on the monitor. My understanding is, that one can then copy ICC profile from one computer to another (even between PC and mac) to retain proper colors on said display.

Presumably, other monitors (say older Dell ultrasharp) could not be profiled using bundled hardware.

I have also contacted x-Rite support with similar inquiry ... still awaiting their response. I will keep you posted.

Meantime, if you have additional info and/or personal experience with NEC monitors and bundled SV calibration package I'd like to hear your opinions.

Cheers, Radek

Probably not. It's not a good idea mixing and matching if possible. You must realize that these things are not high end instruments that would be used by scientists. They are often sold in bundles as a known configuration is known to be within whatever performance delta (not referring to delta e values). Chromix has some decent material on the subject. This link isn't exactly related to colorimeter hardware though. With the i1 display pro, some displays are supported. X-rite doesn't support any hardware LUTs with the "colormunki" version though. Their naming convention is terrible, so I have to specify I mean the colormunki display, which is a colorimeter, not the original budget model spectrophotometer.

 

[thekev]

Oh great! I am getting deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole ... which I tried to avoid in first place

I am still trying to decipher relation between calibration SW and HW functionality. For example, I presume the NEC's spectra view software bundled the P- and PA-series monitors calibrates both, the monitor's internal LUT (hardware calibration) as well as creates "plain" ICC profile that will display proper colors on the monitor. My understanding is, that one can then copy ICC profile from one computer to another (even between PC and mac) to retain proper colors on said display.

Presumably, other monitors (say older Dell ultrasharp) could not be profiled using bundled hardware.

There are a lot of details and many actual engineers who could present a much more complete picture than anything I can contribute. I was trying to point out that in spite of the amount of bad information that can circulate on these things, it's ideal to go with the most closed system possible when it comes to being able to control things. I don't know the entirety of your goals. If you want your printer to match your display as closely as possible, it's much less of a headache with a good system. Of course I don't know if that is the case. I don't know if you're using a consistent viewing environment for proofing, what printer you're using, if you're using a RIP, or whatever else. I'm pretty far removed from that industry at this point.

I have also contacted x-Rite support with similar inquiry ... still awaiting their response. I will keep you posted.

Meantime, if you have additional info and/or personal experience with NEC monitors and bundled SV calibration package I'd like to hear your opinions.

Cheers, Radek

I called Chromix on the last round. I think I also linked to a wiki they maintain.