HDTV Calibration

What Is HDTV Calibration And How To Do It Correctly

If you're thinking about buying an HDTV, or even if you already own one, then you're bound to hear about HDTV calibration. But what is this, and do you really need to do it?

Why Calibration Is Important

All TVs come with a range of different settings that change the way the picture looks. Most televisions are set up for sales rooms, making them brighter than normal, and leaving the picture looking plain wrong in a living room environment. If, when you first switch on your TV, it doesn't look right, don't just assume your TV is faulty. Chances are that you just need to take time to calibrate it to make sure the colors more accurately represent real life.

HDTV Calibration -How To Do It Correctly

Some people are happy with the way their TV looks and won't bother to alter the settings at all. If you do want to change it, however, there are a few options. You could choose between the presets on the TV, or you could take time to calibrate.

Some people pay professionals to come in and do it for them. The benefit of this, of course, is that they know what they're doing and they take time to get it just right. But most of us simply can't afford the price tag: paying hundreds to someone to set up a TV you already spent thousands on just doesn't make sense. Thankfully, there is another way.

Using Software To Calibrate Your New TV

There is a range of software available for HDTV calibration: some TVs may even include it as standard. If not, many Blu-Ray DVDs now come equipped with software known as THX Optimizer. This tool takes you step by step through all the settings you'll need to calibrate, but you will need to purchase an set of blue lens glasses from their website to do it properly.

The glasses mean you'll find it easy to see exactly how the colors should look. Once you've completed all of the tests, the TV will be calibrated for that room only. If you do ever move it, then you'll need to go through all of the calibration steps again.

One more factor to bear in mind is that screens look different when viewing in the night or the day. This is why you should calibrate at both times and save the settings to a preset that makes it easy to switch between the two.

HDTV calibration is a little time consuming, but it can make the difference between a mediocre picture and a fantastic one.