tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-341722592024-02-20T16:41:36.835-08:00Chris Eberle - ISF CalibrationsPrecision Video/Chris Eberle
Orlando, Florida
(914)850-0291
ceberle.av@gmail.comRuth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-52709935667109070832013-07-07T08:35:00.002-07:002013-07-07T08:35:30.004-07:00New Writing Gig!A few months ago, I was approached by one of the biggest computer hardware review sites on the Internet, Tom's Hardware, to become their display reviewer. Needless to say, I accepted and have now thrown myself into a whole new beat. My work with projectors and TVs will continue at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity of course.<br />
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Building on Tom's excellent foundation of reviews, I added a few tests of my own. You can check out all my coverage at <a href="http://www.tomshardware.com/" target="_blank">Tom's Hardware US.</a> To date I've posted six reviews, four of them covering two displays each. My articles publish monthly. With the large amount of space available, I have expanded the testing to include brightness/contrast, gamma, grayscale, color gamut, and response metrics. Tom's gave me a good deal of latitude in developing this benchmark suite and so far, it's received favorable responses from the readers.<br />
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In the upcoming weeks, I'll be publishing a series of articles on computer monitor calibration. We'll begin with a how-to using an inexpensive Spyder4 colorimeter. Future topics will include color science and calibration principles, as well as other tools one can use to optimize their displays. I'm also working on a review of two new 21:9 monitors from NEC and AOC. Stay tuned to see what's up with this super-wide aspect ratio!<br />
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I continue to stay busy at Secrets as well. Prior to the Florida move, I completed three projector reviews (two Epsons and a Mitsubishi DLP) and a speaker review of Axiom's new LFR1100 towers. Please visit <a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/" target="_blank">Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a> to check out all my coverage. I had to take a break with the movie reviews but as soon as my new theater is complete, I'll resume that. Also coming up is full coverage from the CEDIA Expo. In September, Robert Kozel and myself will be traveling to Denver to cover the show for three days. I expect 4K will be the hot topic so you can expect plenty of luscious screenshots from all the expensive TVs that are bound to be in attendence.<br />
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As always, thanks for reading. Please refer to my Service Area Change post if you have any questions about my services. You can contact me at <a href="mailto:ceberle.av@gmail.com" target="_blank">ceberle.av@gmail.com</a> (preferred), or call me at (914)850-0291.<br />
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Enjoy the View!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-20025045375374889282013-07-07T08:11:00.000-07:002013-07-07T08:11:59.340-07:00Announcing a Change of Service AreaAs you can see from the sidebar, I have moved to Orlando, Florida. I am now serving all locations in Central Florida within 100 miles of Orlando. This includes Tampa, Daytona and cities as far north and south as Gainsville or St. Petersburg (yes I know that's a little over 100 miles!). As always, I don't charge extra for travel. If you can get a friend or two to sign up for my services, I offer a multiple-display discount. I negotiate this on a case-by-case basis but you can expect to save at least $50 per screen; so tell your friends!<br />
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My service takes 2-3 hours to complete and includes a full-system calibration. This means I'll set up all your HDMI inputs (analog inputs can be calibrated if you let me know in advance) for 2D and 3D where applicable. I'll also optimize all your video sources to have them operating at peak performance. For those with older equipment, I still have a reference analog pattern generator which I can use to calibrate component video inputs as well as RGBHV or even composite signal chains.<br />
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If you need help with your audio, I can provide that service at no extra charge. I don't do an instrumented calibration but I can set up your receiver or prepro using an SPL meter. I will also run any room EQ setups you may have such as Audyssey or Trinnov.<br />
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Whatever your AV and home theater needs are, it's likely I can help you get the most out of your investment. If you'd like assistance choosing new gear, please email me your questions. I have access to a lot of resources that can help you make the right choice no matter what your needs.<br />
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Thanks to the ISF main website, I've already heard from some of you here in Florida. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to make your display perform at its best. I hope to hear from many of you; and as always - Enjoy the View!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-82254116193420263462012-12-20T09:40:00.000-08:002012-12-20T09:40:31.026-08:00New ControlCAL Display ProfilesI've added a bevy of new tools to my kit of late to include all the latest display profiles from ControlCAL. This gives me ISF mode and service menu access to the following models:<br />
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<strong>Panasonic <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">VT30, DT30, VT50,
DT50 and WT50 (all sizes)</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Sharp Elite TVs X5 60 & 70-inch</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Sharp non-Elite models <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">847, 844, 845, 745
Series (including Costco equivalents)</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>and 844 80" and 745 90"
models</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">I can still activate and calibrate ISF modes on all Elite Pioneers 7th, 8th and 9th generations plus non-Elite models 5010, 6010, 5020 and 6020. And I still offer patching service for KRP monitors which has made many clients very happy!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">I've also upgraded my Accupel pattern generator to the latest DVG-5000 model which supports 3D patterns. Any TV that has separate modes for 3D content can be calibrated independently of the 2D modes for the highest accuracy in all content.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you're looking for help with any of the above-mentioned displays, or any other display for that matter; please contact me via email or phone.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">As always, enjoy the view!</span></span>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-5459969794799387722010-05-25T09:44:00.000-07:002010-05-25T10:01:03.851-07:00A Return To Posting, I'm Still Here!First off, let me apologize to all regular visitors to this blog for my long absence from posting. I want to assure everyone I am still very much active as a calibrator. I have had steady business all this year. In fact, I’m doing about as much work as I’m able to. My reason for not posting is simply that I’ve been doing more reviews for Secrets than I ever thought I would. Starting in late October of 2009, I’ve had at least one product, and sometimes as many as four, in my theater under evaluation. Below I have listed all the reviews published since August of 2009:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/home-theater-speakers/698-focal-dome-51-system-.html">Focal Dome Speaker System</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/home-theater-speakers/754-revel-performa-f52-c52-s30-and-concerta-b120-.html">Revel Performa Speaker System</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/televisions-products-menu-column2-45/744-nuvision-lcd-.html">NuVision 65-inch LCD TV</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/773-optoma-hd8200-dlp-projector-.html">Optoma HD8200 DLP Projector</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/772-optoma-hd8600-dlp-projector-.html">Optoma HD8600 DLP Projector</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/780-front-projectors-in-non-dedicated-rooms-part-four-optoma-hd20.html">Optoma HD20 DLP Projector (benchmarks only)</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/759-samsung-sp-a900b-dlp-projector-.html">Samsung SP-A900B DLP Projector</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/784-runco-ls-5-projector.html">Runco LS-5 DLP Projector</a><br /><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/factory-tours/804-a-visit-to-emotiva-audio-in-franklin-tennessee.html">Emotiva Factory Visit</a><br /><br />During all that, I calibrated a number of Pioneer plasmas and a few Samsung DLPs as well. I’ve had particularly good results from the A650 series TVs. Calibration is done in the CCA menu, just like the older models. After selecting the correct gamma curve and tweaking the white balance, these displays look very good. They’re a bargain too and well worth the price of a pro calibration. Out of the box performance is not so great with poor gamma and crushed blacks and whites. Color is OK but adjusting the CCA menu really makes these sets pop. I also calibrated a JVC HD750, a Pioneer FPJ-1 (JVC RS2 clone) and very recently, an Epson Home Cinema 8100. The HD750 needed a firmware update to fix the CMS but after the upload, performance was stunning. Anyone out there with an HD750, RS20 or Anthem LTX-500 that needs the update, let me know and I will include it with my calibration service at no extra charge.<br /><br />Despite the exit of Pioneer from the plasma market at the end of last year, there are still sets available. Some stores are gouging for them but if you dig around, you may find a deal. If you’re in the market for a new flat panel and you don’t need the extra light output of an LCD, I highly recommend looking for a Pioneer. I still believe Panasonic is at least two or three years away from equaling the contrast performance of the 9th generation Kuro TVs.<br /><br />You’ll see by my above linked projector reviews, I have experienced quite a few DLP models. I got great results from all of them and I enjoyed watching movies very much. My pick for ultimate performance is still LCoS however. My Anthem LTX-500 sat in a box for almost three months and when it finally returned to the shelf, I felt like my old friend was back. Of all the DLPs I’ve tested, the Runco LS-5 showed the deepest blacks and highest contrast. It still didn’t match the Anthem. Unless you have a large room and screen, LCoS is my preference.<br /><br />I don’t want to talk about specific gear for upcoming reviews but I’ll give a general preview. Right now I have a multi-channel processor, a two-channel integrated amp and an LCoS projector under review. I recently finished articles on two Blu-ray players and expect those to be published soon. Later this summer, I’m expecting a new surround speaker system to be delivered. This system will include the biggest center channel I’ve ever seen and a gargantuan sub as well.<br /><br />Finally, I’ve added movie reviews to my plate at Secrets. You may have read the monthly Renter’s Guides in the past. Now they are much larger as we have a total of six writers contributing. I do about four movies a month. Most recently, I covered the new Blu-ray release of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.<br /><br />Thanks again for reading and as always, if you have questions about my calibration services, please email me. Enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-76673770838762114342009-11-08T10:11:00.000-08:002010-05-25T10:03:44.568-07:00KRP-500M and KRP-600M Patch and CalibrationAs you all know by now, Pioneer will be done selling their amazing Kuro plasma displays by the end of 2009. The Elite models are becoming harder to find as dealers seek to trim their inventories. Now a model is emerging that wasn’t even on the radar six months ago, the KRP monitors. These were originally only sold in Europe but they became available in the US in early 2009. Even now there is no information on them on Pioneer’s US website.<br /><br />Here’s the spec rundown:<br /><br /><ul><li>50” and 60” screen sizes </li><li>1080p </li><li>Pure Cinema Standard, Smooth and Advance modes </li><li>Pure Mode (like the Elites)</li><li>Blue-only Mode (to set color and tint) </li><li>1 – DVI input, 2 – HDMI inputs, 1 each component, composite and S-video input, PC input, ATSC tuner </li></ul><p>Hardware-wise, these panels are identical to any other Kuro – same glass, same electronics. The only difference is software and that is where things get interesting. Thanks to some very creative engineering from ControlCAL, it is now possible to replace the firmware of the KRP monitors to enable the ISF modes just like the Elite models. The user modes are still available and all other features too. As you’ve read in my previous posts, the ISF modes are a real jump in quality because of their greater light output and contrast. The dead-on accuracy of color, gamma and grayscale is there too. The patch turns your KRP into an Elite Signature Monitor. The only thing you won’t have are the two additional HDMI inputs. I will be up front about one thing – you will likely void your warranty by applying the patch. My recommendation is to purchase a KRP and run it for a few weeks before applying the patch. Go through the break-in process and watch it in the Pure mode for a while to be sure there are no manufacturing defects. This is standard procedure for any TV you plan to have professionally calibrated. You don’t want to pay for calibration before you’re sure the TV is solid.<br /><br />I recently patched and calibrated a KRP-500M with the amazing results typical of all Kuro TVs. The patching process takes about 10 minutes with a laptop and serial connection. Then the calibration proceeds just like any other ControlCAL workup. The two links below will open the color and grayscale reports I generated.<br /><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="http://artfulcreations.biz/av_data/KRP%20patch%20ISF%20Day%20post%20color.pdf">KRP-500M Patched, Color Report</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://artfulcreations.biz/av_data/KRP%20patch%20ISF%20Day%20post%20gray.pdf">KRP-500M Patched, Grayscale Report</a> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><br /><div align="left">If you are interested in the patch here’s the pertinent info. Go to the <a href="http://www.controlcal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=363">Patcher Info page at ControlCAL.com.</a> Purchase the patch for $100 with the Pro calibration option. Then choose a supporting calibrator you intend to hire. This calibrator will make an appointment with you to install the patch and calibrate your monitor. I don’t charge extra to install the patch. The fee to me is still $300. The bottom line now is that you’ve turned a $1900 monitor into a $4500 monitor for only $400.<br /><br />If you’re considering an HDTV purchase I can’t stress enough how you need to move fast if you want a Kuro. In a few months they’ll be gone with prices being so low. 50” KRPs are going for under $2000 and 60” models for under $3500. This is an amazing deal.<br /><br />Please email me if you have questions and thanks for reading.<br /><br />Enjoy the view!</div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-83680828052696595842009-10-04T06:16:00.000-07:002009-10-04T06:25:58.119-07:00My Trip to CEDIAI'm a little late with this report but I recently attended the CEDIA Expo in Atlanta. I was there to cover the show for Secrets. I focused primarily on new projector models and surround speaker systems.<br /><br />The big news in projectors this Fall is LED light engines. Several manufacturers introduced LED models including SIM2, Projectiondesign, Digital Projection and Runco. The demos looked quite impressive. The main challenge with an LED light engine is achieving sufficient brightness. All the new units seemed to do just fine. I would have liked to see more varied scenes rather than the bright colorful content only. A best test of any display is how it renders darkness and shadow detail. I hope to get some of these new projectors in for review soon.<br /><br />Here is a link to my reports on Secrets as well as those of the five other writers who were there:<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://cave.hometheaterhifi.com/profiles/blog/list?promoted=1">Secrets CEDIA Expo Reports (All Writers)</a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://cave.hometheaterhifi.com/profiles/blog/list?q=eberle">My Individual Reports</a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">Thanks for reading!</div><div align="left"></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-47921845984143962082009-09-06T07:37:00.000-07:002009-09-06T07:42:55.612-07:00Anthem Statement D2v Processor and A5 Amplifier ReviewMy latest review has been published at Secrets. It's the second part of "Flagship Home Theater." I evaluated a system consisting of an LTX-500 LCoS Projector, SI Black Diamond 2 Screen and an Anthem Statement D2v Processor/A5 Amplifier combo. These are top of the line components with no flaws worth mentioning. The audio and video performance is simply wonderful. Check it out!<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/surround-sound-processors/680-flagship-home-theater-part-2-anthem-statement-d2v-audiovideo-processor-and-statement-a5-multichannel-amplifier.html">Anthem Statement D2v Processor and A5 Amplifier Review<br />at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-54952547775640988222009-07-28T18:01:00.000-07:002009-07-28T18:06:36.563-07:00Anthem LTX-500 LCoS Projector and Black Diamond II Screen ReviewMy latest review was posted yesterday at Secrets. I spent several weeks with Anthem's new LTX-500 LCoS projector. This has turned out to be the best and most accurate display I have ever worked with. The benchmark results are simply stupendous. I liked it so much I bought at the end of the review period! Check it out.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/660-flagship-home-theater-part-1.html">Anthem LTX-500 LCoS Projector and Black Diamond II Screen Review</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/660-flagship-home-theater-part-1.html">at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-48520921466631218592009-07-28T17:58:00.001-07:002009-07-28T18:01:35.022-07:00Next Generation Home Products Remote Extender ReviewPlease check out my new article on the Next Generation Home Products Remote Extender. This innovative product converts any infra-red remote that accepts AA or AAA batteries into an RF unit. What does this mean? Why no pointing of course!<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/remote-controls/654-next-generation-home-products-remote-extender-.html">Next Generation Home Products Remote Extender Review</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/remote-controls/654-next-generation-home-products-remote-extender-.html">at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-86813803446396697242009-07-13T05:56:00.001-07:002009-07-13T06:02:12.509-07:00CalMAN Calibration Software ReviewMy latest review has been posted at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. CalMAN is the analysis software I use to calibrate displays of all types. For an in-depth look at the power of this package and how I use it, follow the link below to my article.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/software/652-calman.html">CalMAN Display Calibration Package Review</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/software/652-calman.html">at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-74539712980205455602009-06-06T17:49:00.000-07:002009-06-06T17:51:06.246-07:00Pioneer 5020 and 6020 CalibrationsAs I’ve mentioned in previous articles, it is now possible to calibrate the 9th-generation Pioneer non-Elite displays thanks to ControlCAL. Without this software, there is no access to white balance controls in the service menu making it impossible to calibrate these TVs any other way. It’s a good thing too because with a proper calibration, the 5020 and 6020 sets can nearly match the performance of an Elite TV in the Pure mode. While not quite the equal of an Elite display in ISF mode, you can save a bit of money purchasing the non-Elite TV and a pro calibration.<br /><br />The procedure for calibrating these sets is similar to the Elites. ControlCAL accesses the service menu through the RS232 interface. Once activated, I am able to navigate the service menus and record all default settings before starting the actual calibration. It is important to note that the calibrated picture mode is Movie with Pure Cinema turned off. Turning on Pure Cinema after the calibration will actually change the grayscale settings. It’s not permanent but the calibration will obviously be affected as long as Pure Cinema is on. This is not a great loss as 24p material will still be displayed at 72hz with the proper 3:3 cadence. The only thing you will lose is inverse-telecine deinterlacing of 480i and 1080i material. You also must use Movie mode because the grayscale adjustments are global and affect all picture modes. All the modes will look a bit different but only Movie will have the proper D65 color temperature. The calibration is also global for all inputs. You cannot have separate setups per input or per picture mode. As most modern video source components are pretty much the same in terms of color, grayscale and gamma output, this is not a big deal. I saw excellent results with both cable/satellite sources and DVD/Blu-ray. I was able to verify that components such as the PS3 and the Pioneer BDP-51 Blu-ray player perfectly matched my signal generator.<br /><br />Color performance is very good before calibration. The gamut is not quite as accurate as an Elite but it’s very close. Secondaries line up perfectly after calibration. I typically have not had to adjust the color or tint controls from the factory defaults. Luminances are also very close to perfect. Gamma is very flat but a bit under 2.2. It tracked closer to 2.1. Contrast performance is also excellent. I measured the same minimum black level of .001fl with a peak white level of 41.727fl. This translates to a measured On/Off contrast ratio of 41,727:1.<br /><br />Once calibrated, the performance of the non-Elite TVs is still better than any other display I’ve worked on save the Elites. For a substantial savings over the Elite displays you still get the second-best TV in the world, and only by a small margin. While I heartily recommend the Elite for ultimate performance, the 5020 and 6020 represent a phenomenal performance bargain right now. The 5020 (50-inch) TV can be found for around $2000 and a 6020 (60-inch) can be had for just over $4000. Even adding in a pro calibration, you’re still ahead. Now that these displays can be properly calibrated with ControlCAL, they are well worth considering.Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-42708711195796318422009-05-21T16:55:00.001-07:002009-05-21T17:00:22.946-07:00DreamVision Dream'E LCoS Projector ReviewMy latest projector review of the new DreamVision Dream'E was just published over at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. You can read all about my experiences with it and check out all the measurement data by clicking on the link below.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/627-dreamvision-dreame-lcos-projector-.html">DreamVision Dream'E LCoS Projector Review</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/projectors-products-menu-column2-46/627-dreamvision-dreame-lcos-projector-.html">at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-43395866900836239902009-04-28T12:56:00.000-07:002009-04-28T13:12:27.030-07:00Pioneer PRO-111FD Review and CalibrationRecently something wonderful has happened in the plasma TV market. Pioneer has dropped prices on their 9th-generation displays to levels never before imagined. I was incredibly fortunate just a few weeks ago to pick up a PRO-111FD for a mere $2900. Six months ago this was a $5000 display. The funny thing is it’s worth every penny of $5000. At $2900, I’m practically stealing it!<br /><br />The plain truth is the 9th-generation Kuro plasmas are the best performing televisions you can buy. That is no exaggeration. Their color accuracy, clarity, video processing and most importantly, dynamic range, are without equal. I’ll throw out a number right now: 51,080 to 1 On/Off Contrast Ratio. This is literally what I measured in the ISF Day mode. Minimum black - .001fl, maximum white – 51.080fl, incredible! Color accuracy was equally amazing. The measured color gamut is a perfect overlay of the Rec 709 HD colorspace. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll continue with these amazing performance specs a bit later.<br /><br />The PRO-111FD is the 50-inch model in the Elite line. There is also a 60-inch panel, the PRO151FD and monitors in 50 and 60-inch sizes, the PRO-101 and 141. Everything about the set exudes quality. The base and bezel are finished in a high-gloss hard plastic. The back of the panel is all metal. There are four HDMI inputs (one side-mounted), one component input and two S-video and composite inputs. There is a side-mounted USB input for the Home Media Gallery feature. This allows you to show photos and videos from a USB device directly on the display, very slick. There is also an optical digital audio input which can handle a Dolby Digital or DTS bitstream and downmix it for the TV’s speakers. These speakers by the way are the best I’ve ever heard on a television. They certainly won’t replace a 5.1 surround system but they blow away any other speakers built into a display. Pioneer thoughtfully made them removable as they add about eight inches to the overall width of the set. The remote is also of excellent build quality. The face is brushed aluminum and all buttons are backlit. It can be programmed to operate other components.<br /><br />Setup is quite easy. If you use the internal tuner, you can scan for available channels. If not, simply connect your components to the generous selection of inputs. There are seven picture modes: Standard, Optimum, Performance, Sport, Movie, Game and Pure. Pure is the most calibration-ready mode. It has the most accurate colorspace and a perfectly flat gamma of 2.2. You will need to calibrate the grayscale as it runs a bit warm out of the box. Movie is similar but it has a slightly expanded colorspace. Some people prefer this but it’s really not necessary with this TV. The color saturation and tint are dead-on accurate at the factory default settings in Pure mode. There is no need to pump up the color since the luminances are close to perfect.<br /><br />The user menus are quite extensive offering a large variety of calibration options and other features. You can find the white balance settings and color management system in the Pro Adjust submenu. This is also where you can make choices for Pure Cinema, Noise Reduction and other image enhancements. There is a very handy Tools menu that has its own button on the remote. This menu lets you change the AV Selection (picture mode), Screen Size (aspect ratio), blank the screen and other options. You can view your current input resolution, AV Selection, input number and Screen Size by pressing Display on the remote.<br /><br />The real reason to go for the Elite TVs is the available ISF modes. These can only be unlocked by connecting a laptop to the RS232 port and using ISFccc software like ControlCAL. There are two modes, Day and Night. They can be set up any way you like. You can have a Night mode with less light output. You can have a black & white mode with a 5500k grayscale, whatever you want. This can be done independently per input. After activation the ISF modes appear in the AV Selection list and in the Tools menu. All user adjustments are locked out when the ISF modes are engaged. This way no one can tamper with the modes you paid good money to have calibrated. The ISF modes can also increase the peak light output. On my set, the peak reading went from 38fl in the Pure mode to 51fl in ISF. This makes a huge difference in picture quality. The Pure mode seems dull and drab by comparison. That extra output is nice in rooms that have some ambient light coming in. I have no trouble watching on a bright sunny day.<br /><br />Since I’m calibrating this TV through a control interface, the procedure is somewhat different than other displays. I began by connecting my laptop to the RS232 port. After cycling the power, I was able to establish communication with the TV through ControlCAL’s ISFccc connection. This gives me complete control over the calibration plus video processing and aspect ratio. There is a color management system, settings for the Pure Cinema modes and a 9-point RGB gamma control. After activating each ISF mode (Day and Night), I performed a separate calibration for each. Using ControlCAL along with Calman calibration software makes for a very smooth setup. With both applications on screen and Calman controlling my signal generator, I could literally calibrate this TV without looking at it! Controls behaved exactly as they should with no interaction.<br /><br />The ISF Night mode was set about 15fl lower, peak output. Otherwise, I left all other settings the same. I set the Pure Cinema to Advanced. This allows for 72hz operation with 24p content from Blu-ray disc. It also performs inverse-telecine deinterlacing from 480i and 1080i sources. With film-mode DVDs, motion is much smoother since the repeated frames are discarded. Blu-rays play with a 3:3 pulldown. Frame interpolation is available if you select Pure Cinema Smooth. I find this look to be unnatural. It makes film look like soap opera video. It also introduces annoying artifacts and judder in content that isn’t mastered correctly. My recommendation is to go with Advanced and leave it at that. I set the Screen Size (aspect ratio) to Dot By Dot. This is a true 1:1 pixel mode with no overscan or pixel blanking. Test patterns confirmed that every pixel was rendered. Screen uniformity was visually perfect.<br /><br />As previously stated, On/Off Contrast measured 51,080:1 in ISF Day mode. This is phenomenal performance. Gamma was ruler-flat at 2.2. Grayscale tracking measured within 75k of D65. Delta E* was under 1 for all stimulus levels. A Delta E* of 3 is the point where errors are visible to the eye. The color measurements were of comparable accuracy. Primaries and secondaries were within a whisker of perfect and luminances were also nearly perfect. You can see all the results below. I used Calman 3.3 and an EyeOne Pro meter for all measurements. Patterns were provided by an Accupel HDG-3000 signal generator.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm6DVIWPVYGsjcsjC7GeXWUsOIamuH1CDFV9Phyphenhyphenmv67ZvP7YZC8dX2bovGoDFC5MKXwpfauLd5eFTQBUAESn0LH4Egz1nRgJmQCmHfNQZvzFNieEpgynfcRX2B9LWEIKih1HK/s1600-h/111gamut.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329836856084608594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 394px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 399px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm6DVIWPVYGsjcsjC7GeXWUsOIamuH1CDFV9Phyphenhyphenmv67ZvP7YZC8dX2bovGoDFC5MKXwpfauLd5eFTQBUAESn0LH4Egz1nRgJmQCmHfNQZvzFNieEpgynfcRX2B9LWEIKih1HK/s400/111gamut.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rruWSLOU9cTatpI8YLvOu4_1YQJI3_O1FtxQ1P7DxN1p_iNLQ9t1usSfFpHLr_vvCve1hpZD83Na1HJK5f9RGjUsfIDmNwY2JJ8tDvdI0QOv_GlrkOpaziNW1CEqRXfHmToU/s1600-h/111lum.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329836797556316978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rruWSLOU9cTatpI8YLvOu4_1YQJI3_O1FtxQ1P7DxN1p_iNLQ9t1usSfFpHLr_vvCve1hpZD83Na1HJK5f9RGjUsfIDmNwY2JJ8tDvdI0QOv_GlrkOpaziNW1CEqRXfHmToU/s400/111lum.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GWQ5YC8OcUlcefMNvEnymZ2pXaJdXuiaJlcqAr6bYEecFdT4Kh76Wv7XYtCjz-vUKs3e7_LjwpvYDgT1os2Fo31sd3WQvW7fKlkMeu-gVURs2VWtZeUfPh8s3hAy9ZAviUwA/s1600-h/111ctemp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329836739581529634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 189px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GWQ5YC8OcUlcefMNvEnymZ2pXaJdXuiaJlcqAr6bYEecFdT4Kh76Wv7XYtCjz-vUKs3e7_LjwpvYDgT1os2Fo31sd3WQvW7fKlkMeu-gVURs2VWtZeUfPh8s3hAy9ZAviUwA/s400/111ctemp.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BotoAhN8aJApuNGFIxlRxKhvblhzjKxNxNPBH5KEvX74-7n-VCxNWxUcgE_5NugpgoWpqWvJWTjZkwYzhRsCGlVGKycjtLmzItaWZctApGYtAnKNr6KwqTeAnG02vDPN6GJJ/s1600-h/111gamma.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329836678794678498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 204px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BotoAhN8aJApuNGFIxlRxKhvblhzjKxNxNPBH5KEvX74-7n-VCxNWxUcgE_5NugpgoWpqWvJWTjZkwYzhRsCGlVGKycjtLmzItaWZctApGYtAnKNr6KwqTeAnG02vDPN6GJJ/s400/111gamma.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPicGmwOxufM57wyPlrjjMtKax6izk7DNzEUnPVyJXW8Z9mjSu4lVvS-dMh6z9QT48sYtaDIY6NMXCzN_ms1WAODg4gTAUd7uPFdxhLRT6NejJ11mfUWg17wHtccvggl8UE6tC/s1600-h/111data.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329836610756637378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 69px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPicGmwOxufM57wyPlrjjMtKax6izk7DNzEUnPVyJXW8Z9mjSu4lVvS-dMh6z9QT48sYtaDIY6NMXCzN_ms1WAODg4gTAUd7uPFdxhLRT6NejJ11mfUWg17wHtccvggl8UE6tC/s400/111data.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div>Once complete, I closed out the ISFccc interface and all settings were saved. I was able to set up the other inputs just as easily and accurately with ControlCAL. Disc-based test patterns were used to adjust and verify my Denon and Panasonic disc players. When exiting ControlCAL, calibration information is saved to the display that can be viewed by the user. It’s cool to hold down the Display key on the remote and see my name, calibration date and phone number. I save this same data to all clients’ displays.<br /><br />Since calibration, I have lived with this excellent display for several weeks. Even though I have the Night mode available, I find myself leaving the TV on Day mode. I never have my room totally dark and I am sitting about ten feet away. I like a bright image and 51fl is quite comfortable for my wife and me. There is no question that I have purchased the finest flat-panel display available. By activating the ISF modes, I have tapped into its full potential. There is literally nothing I could wish for with this TV. All performance specs are a close to perfect as my instruments can measure. Perceived picture quality is simply unparalleled. This is truly a TV that makes you want to watch your entire movie collection over again. With an artifact-free image, perfect color and stupendous contrast performance the Pioneer Elite PRO-111FD is literally without flaw. Now that prices have dropped within reach of most of us, there is no better time to add one of these fine TVs to your viewing room. </div></div></div></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-57275613494931393062009-04-19T04:56:00.000-07:002009-04-19T05:13:19.383-07:00SVS PB-12Plus Subwoofer ReviewAbout the two months ago I had the pleasure of reviewing the PB-12Plus subwoofer from SVS. The article is now published on Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. Check it out!<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/subwoofers-products-menu-column1-41/592-svsound-pb-12-plus-subwoofer.html">SVS PB-12Plus Subwoofer Review</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/subwoofers-products-menu-column1-41/592-svsound-pb-12-plus-subwoofer.html">at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity</a></div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-40740046844123038052009-03-31T17:29:00.001-07:002009-03-31T18:02:31.919-07:00Pioneer Plasma Calibrations, ControlCAL and ISF ModesSince my last article, I have had a lot of opportunities to calibrate many different models of Pioneer plasma TVs. ControlCAL has allowed me unprecedented access to the ISF interface on Elite displays and the service menu of the non-Elite sets. Calibration results have been in a word, astounding. There is truly no more accurate or better performing direct-view television available today.<br /><br />Results have been comparable between 8th and 9th generation TVs. The 9th gen displays have a bit lower black level but the difference is small. Black level stability and gamma are excellent across both lines. Similiarly, results are very close between Elite and non-Elite sets. The one big advantage to the Elites is the ISF interface. Using this, I can engage two extra picture modes, ISF Day and ISF Night. They can be set to anything the client desires. Usually I set ISF Night about 15fl lower than ISF Day. But I can also use it for a seperate grayscale say D55 for watching black & white movies. The other really cool thing about the ISF modes is they are brighter than either the Pure or Movie modes. You get a perfect color gamut, ruler flat gamma and over 50fl peak light output! It also locks in all settings. Once enabled, ISF Day and ISF Night are in your AV Selection menu and can be called up at any time.<br /><br />I have in my toolkit all available display profiles for ControlCAL. This means I can use it to calibrate ALL 9th generation displays, ALL 8th generation displays and 7th generation Elite displays. If you would like to see data from my calibrations, just send me an email and I'll send you the grayscale and color gamut charts.<br /><br />As most of you know, Pioneer is exiting the TV market at the end of the year. Right now there are incredible deals on all Pioneer plasma TVs. I recently picked a PRO-111 for myself for $2900. This is truly a reference display. I'll post a full review shortly. With the low prices and a pro calibration, a Pioneer plasma will have no peer in picture quality. If you would like to book an appointment with me, please send me an email. I service the New York Hudson Valley Region from Albany to Westchester County, New York Metro, New Jersey, Connecticut and eastern Pennsylvania to Philadelphia.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-3821723392758627742009-01-17T16:52:00.000-08:002009-02-17T05:31:18.028-08:00Pioneer 8G and 9G Plasma CalibrationsAfter calibrating many Pioneer plasmas over the last two years, I can say without reservation that this line of displays is the finest available. Impeccable build quality and a superb picture make these plasmas the ones to beat. While the Elite line includes all controls necessary for a professional calibration, the non-Elite TVs do not. The eighth-generation sets have grayscale controls in the service menu but the ninth-generations ones have none. This is unfortunate because the potential in image quality is the same for all Pioneer plasma displays.<br /><br />I'm happy to say this has now changed. I recently acquired an application called ControlCAL. This windows program allows me to access the RS-232 interface available on ALL Pioneer plasma TVs. Through this interface, I have the ability to do a full calibration on ANY Pioneer plasma from both the eighth and ninth generation lines. ControlCAL allows access to the ISF Day and Night modes on the Elite models (eighth-gen PRO-110, 150 & 950; ninth-gen PRO-111, 151, 101 & 141) with all calibration controls in play. ControlCAL also allows a higher contrast setting on Elites so you can have a true daylight mode without any compromises. With these ISF memories properly calibrated, a user can simply select the appropriate mode with the remote to lock in all calibration settings with one button press.<br /><br />The best part of all this is how inexpensive the ninth-generation non-Elite models have become. You can get the 50-inch 5020FD for around $2500 and the 60-inch 6020FD for around $3800. This is an incredible deal. There is no difference in picture quality between these and the more expensive Elite TVs. Now with ControlCAL, you can buy the cheaper set and pay for a professional calibration for hundreds less than just buying an Elite display. Of course, ControlCAL can be used with great success on Elite TVs including the new Elite monitors, the PRO-101 and 141. ControlCAL is the only way to activate the ISF modes, view panel hours or change the level of the side masks on Elite displays.<br /><br />If you've lusted after a Pioneer Kuro as I have, now is your best chance to acquire one. You can save about $1000 by going for the 5020 or the 6020. ControlCAL now makes it possible to calibrate these displays for maximum performance. If you have any questions or you'd like to book a calibration appointment, please <a href="mailto:ceberle@hvc.rr.com">email me.</a><br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-29164950612185644422008-11-24T12:17:00.000-08:002009-04-02T07:39:18.261-07:00I Have a New Writing Gig!I recently answered a call at <a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/">Secrets of Home Theater and High-Fidelity </a>to apply for a position as a contributing writer. To my surprise and excitement, I was hired a few weeks ago. My first technical article was posted today.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a class="latestnews-latest" href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/technical-articles/488-a-secrets-technical-article.html">Professional Display Calibration:</a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/technical-articles/488-a-secrets-technical-article.html">What It Is and What It Means to Your Home Theater Experience</a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /><br />I'm looking forward to making more contributions to Secrets in the coming months. Stay tuned!</div>Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-15985230758560206812008-10-14T18:22:00.000-07:002008-10-14T18:44:56.068-07:00Tech Note: Iron Man on Blu-ray DiscI recently received my copy of Iron Man on Blu-ray disc and made an interesting discovery. You may have read about this on forums already but I'm talking about it here for those that don't want to wade through the 3,000 post mega-threads on AVS. As you probably know, the Blu-ray release of Iron Man was recalled at the last minute due to an authoring error. Apparently, some reviewers had trouble with their pre-release copies. I found in my research that there is an old and new UPC code and the old one was covered by a decal when the disc was replaced by the manufacturer. Well, there is still a quirk with the replacement disc that I discovered when I viewed the film.<br /><br />Iron Man includes an excellent Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Unfortunately those of us who own certain model receivers (Onkyo 805 in my case) will note that the sound lacks the punch and dynamic range we've come to expect from lossless sound mixes. I watched the entire movie and felt underwhelmed by the sound even when I turned it up quite high. I remembered an early review I'd read which said the standard Dolby Digital track actually had more punch and the TrueHD track was enabling Dynamic Range Compression automatically. I played the movie again checking the Late Night mode on my receiver. Sure enough, it was set to Auto. Turning it to Off made a huge improvement. I watched the movie through two more times and was much more impressed. I also discovered that powering down the receiver resets the Late Night mode on all TrueHD tracks to Auto. I have to manually turn it off for every Blu-ray that has Dolby TrueHD. Auto doesn't always mean compressed but Off is a guarantee that there won't be any range compression. I had always wondered why some TrueHD movies required a higher volume level than DTS Master Audio. I believe I now know why. By the way, this only applies if you're bitstreaming the audio. Analog or PCM won't exhibit this behavior.<br /><br />Advice: check the Late Night setting on your receiver every time you watch a TrueHD enabled movie. You don't have to worry about DTS because Late Night mode is only for Dolby codecs. This may also not be the case for all receivers and processors. I believe Onkyo and Yamaha use the same DSP chips so you Yamaha owners might want to check this out the next time you watch Iron Man.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-74713434408606436942008-10-02T05:50:00.001-07:002008-10-02T06:23:48.226-07:00The Samsung Color Management SystemSamsung's newest flat panel TVs are quickly becoming a reference standard for calibrators. The user menu boasts the most complete set of adjustments I've seen outside a projector. There is even a comprehensive color management system (CMS). These controls are available on all Samsung 1080p TVs, LCD and plasma, 32 inches and up. As mentioned in other articles on this blog, there are also controls for gamma and white balance. It's so nice not to have to navigate an arcane service menu to find these adjustments. With the user menu, I can achieve a nearly perfect calibration in all respects. In this article, I'd like to focus on the CMS. I recently learned a new technique that has allowed me to achieve a high level of color depth and reality. Thanks to Doug Blackburn, Widescreen Review writer and ISF calibrator, for his research and instruction on the new Samsung CMS.<br /><br />A CMS has two major goals: achieving the correct colors and the proper amount of each color. In layman's terms, you want the three primaries and three secondaries to match the SMPTE standards on the CIE triangle. This standard is also referred to as Rec 709 which is the HD color space. Most TVs with a CMS allow you move the color points to make this happen. What Samsung allows which is a real plus on a consumer TV, is adjustment of the luminance of each primary. There is a standard for that as well but most CMS equipped TVs won't allow adjustment of the color luminance independently. Below is a CIE chart from a 650-series LCD.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgnn0PEED7yZWZtEAptSWcCov4KF8K_Qek-EyiT3DOvGuoHlxph6y2TVn6D7JJgI0i5Yz81WvD51xxNT8XaQxLnoM7P5QC1WxshtILG7nEhja2iV2VNndch19tX8U8ZXefYkN/s1600-h/CIE.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252541512306602386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgnn0PEED7yZWZtEAptSWcCov4KF8K_Qek-EyiT3DOvGuoHlxph6y2TVn6D7JJgI0i5Yz81WvD51xxNT8XaQxLnoM7P5QC1WxshtILG7nEhja2iV2VNndch19tX8U8ZXefYkN/s400/CIE.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's not absolutely perfect but I've never been closer on any other TV. What the CIE chart doesn't show is the luminance of each color. That is the third axis that I can now address thanks to Samsung. By using a luminance calculator, I can input the actual measurements of each color at 75IRE and find out what the luminance should be. My initial measurements on this TV showed the luminance levels to be about 20% too high for green and blue while red was almost perfect. You can see what needs to be done: the balance must be restored! By using the Custom mode in the Color Space menu, I can adjust each color individually. Once I dropped the luminance of green and blue, I had each color within .5fl of the correct number.<br /><br />The net effect is a more realistic color representation. The "looking through a window" effect is heightened and the sense of depth and dimension in the image is greater. You see, low black levels aren't the only thing needed for a great image! Samsung has added a feature that makes their TVs truly capable of unprecedented image accuracy. Thanks to the ISF, the community of independent calibrators and probably influential internet forums like AVS, manufacturers are finally delivering displays that offer accurate image modes in addition to their retina-searing showroom ones. These latest Samsung panels can provide an image to rival any professional monitor. I have revisited the current-generation Samsung TVs I've calibrated to adjust the CMS and I now employ this technique on all Samsung flat panel calibrations.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-47117427639528230622008-09-25T10:21:00.000-07:002013-09-30T10:01:19.390-07:00Products and Services Pricing<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="paypal">
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<strong>Video System Calibration</strong><br />An ISF calibration has one goal, to make your display match as closely as possible the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) standards for video displays. These specs are used in the industry to master all content whether it be broadcast or disc based. The end result is that you will see the same image the director sees when the content is created. By improving the dynamic range and color fidelity of your display, you will see more detail, fewer video artifacts and a greater sense of dimension. You will also experience less eye fatigue as most displays come from the factory set to a retina-searing Dynamic mode to make them more attractive in showrooms. The standards set by SMPTE take human factors into account. After a few days with a calibrated display, you will wonder how you ever watched TV before!<br /><br />All calibrations are full system calibrations and include the entire signal path. Source components are adjusted to the highest level of accuracy to match the display.<br /><br />· LCD and Plasma panels - $300<br />· CRT direct-view - $300<br />· Rear-projection (all types) - $350<br />· Front-projection (all types) - $400<br /><br />A full-system calibration includes:<br />· Setting correct Black and White levels<br />· Adjusting grayscale tracking to 6500K<br />· Correcting color decoding errors (Color and Tint)<br />· Removing artificial edge-enhancement (Sharpness)<br />· Correcting color primaries and secondaries where applicable<br />· Correcting geometry and aspect ratio<br />· Correcting convergence on CRT displays<br /><br />My tools include:<br />· Accupel DVG-5000 Pattern Generator<br />· Spears and Munsil Benchmark Blu-ray Disc<br />· X-Rite EyeOne Pro Spectrophotometer</div>
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- X-Rite/SpectraCal C6 Tri-Stimulus Colorimeter<br />· CalMAN Professional Display Analysis Software<br />· ControlCAL ISFccc Calibration and Control Software</div>
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- Dell XPS Core i5 Laptop<br /><br /><br />Calibration is always done with instruments, using known reference test patterns, never by eye. Results are documented and stored. All settings are provided to the client and follow-up service is always available.</div>
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Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-3940906987236143442008-08-20T15:44:00.000-07:002008-08-20T15:49:17.197-07:00Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray Player ReviewSince I am firmly committed to the Blu-ray format in my theater, it was only a matter of time before I felt the overwhelming need to add the format to my living room AV system. With more and more TV shows being released on hi-def disc I couldn’t quite bring myself to buy my favorites on DVD when they are available on Blu-ray. To that end, I recently installed Panasonic’s latest entry, the DMP-BD50.<br /><br />The BD50 is Panasonic’s third generation player and its most feature-laden to date. In addition to all the excellent video playback features carried over from the BD30 it supports full PCM and 5.1 analog decoding of ALL lossless sound formats. This is the main reason I waited for this player rather than buying the less-expensive BD30 for my living room. The BD30 only supports lossless formats as bitstreams. You will need a decoding receiver like the Onkyo SR-805 to fully enjoy the improved sound Blu-ray has to offer. The BD50 works nicely with my Denon 3806 by converting all sound formats to LPCM which the receiver accepts through its HDMI 1.1 inputs.<br /><br />Aside from the improved sound support, the BD50 appears identical to the BD30. Though I have not compared them side-by-side on the same display, I can see no difference in image quality between the two. I believe both players have the same video sections. Menus and setup are pretty much the same. 24fps and DVD upconversion to 1080p are supported and you can force both resolution and scan rate if your display doesn’t play nice. As I am still using an older 720p Samsung TV, I set the BD50 to 720p and 60hz. Sound setup was a bit different. In the Audio menu, you can specify the type of digital output independently for Dolby and DTS formats. These settings will hold for Blu-ray and DVD playback. This means if you’ve specified PCM for Dolby and DTS formats, your receiver will say “PCM” or “Multi Channel” whether you play a Blu-ray or a standard DVD. For those of you wondering, I can’t hear any difference between audio that’s bitstreamed or decoded to PCM. I certainly CAN hear a difference between compressed (Dolby Digital & DTS) audio and uncompressed audio (Dolby TrueHD & DTS-Master Audio). Detail and clarity are much better and the dynamic range of even an average soundtrack is larger than the best mixes on DVD. I don’t believe you have to have a killer system to enjoy the benefits of lossless sound. My living room is far from ideal and I don’t have expensive gear. I do know that the soundfield is larger, the sense of surround is greater and detail is improved. I know there are other media formats vying for your entertainment dollars but Blu-ray is the only one to offer such a huge improvement in audio quality.<br /><br />As I stated, there seems to be no difference in image quality between the BD30 and the BD50. DVD upconversion isn’t too bad. It’s not the equal of a high-end processing solution like Anchor Bay or HQV but I think it does a better job than the cheap upconverting players I’ve encountered. It certainly beats the video processing in my Samsung DLP. I noticed a few combing artifacts and occasional jaggies but images were noise-free and color fidelity was excellent. There was no added edge enhancement and dynamic range was superb. Though this player did not ace the HQV test disc, I still would consider it an excellent DVD player. The next step up would be Oppo’s $400 983 or Denon’s $850 2930. The BD50 will play standard audio CDs but not DVD-Audio or SACD. It will play all burned media provided it has been finalized. It also accepts SD memory cards like the BD30 for viewing of photos and home videos.<br /><br />The BD50 is one of the first Profile 2.0 players on the market. It has the required Ethernet connection on the back panel. It does not however have sufficient internal memory. For this, you must install an SD card. I did not test the BD-Live features of this player but I did install a memory card just in case. They’re so cheap now; you might just have one lying around the house!<br /><br />Obviously, I am quite happy with this new player. At $599 it’s not cheap but the bleeding edge never is. I wasn’t sure I would be as thrilled with Blu-ray on a 50-inch 720p display as I am in the theater with its 92-inch screen but I am. The image quality is simply wonderful and the audio is equally amazing. There’s just nothing like an artifact-free color-saturated picture. It’s much more difficult to achieve that from Standard DVD. Even an average-quality Blu-ray is superior to the best DVD transfers. I’m all about removing video processing from the signal path whenever possible. Now we have a format that allows this and I think we need to embrace it. Of course there will be something better in the future but when is that not the case? Blu-ray is the best video and audio format going right now and is likely to be for the next few years. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get the most out of your display right now!<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-89057003003081483222008-06-30T05:49:00.000-07:002008-06-30T06:01:45.038-07:00Samsung LN52A650 LCD CalibrationThe competition in the flat-panel TV market has never been hotter and LCD has taken a commanding lead over plasma in recent years. While plasma still holds the edge in image quality, LCDs are so close as to be nearly indistinguishable from even the best plasmas. Samsung has taken a strong position with their latest line of displays including the 550, 650 and 750 models. The 650 includes a 120hz refresh rate and correct handling of 24p sources with 5:5 cadence. There are 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component inputs and an attractive bezel with a hint of red tint around the edges.<br /><br />I calibrated only the digital inputs on this TV so I used the side-mounted HDMI port to plug in the signal generator. Initial measurements in Movie mode showed perfect color primaries and nearly perfect secondaries. I engaged the extremely handy blue-only mode in order to set the color and tint controls. This is far more accurate than using a blue filter. I wish all TVs had this feature. I displayed a color bar pattern and adjusted color until all bars showed a uniform blue. I didn’t have to adjust the tint control. Verifying the results with my color meter showed a perfectly aligned decoder. This took me all of 2 minutes, amazing! Levels at the default settings weren’t too far off but the gamma curve was a bit high at 2.34 yet I had downward room in brightness. Fortunately, there is a usable gamma control along with the backlight adjustment available on most LCDs. I lowered both brightness and backlight and raised gamma. I wound up at a gamma of 2.2. I was able to max contrast without a color shift or any crushing. Grayscale was also no problem with the included gain and cut controls. As always, if you want to adjust this yourself, use a color meter. The Warm2 color temp was pretty close. I was able to improve on the default settings resulting in Delta C readings under 1.0 from 20 to 100 IRE. Color accuracy and grayscale tracking on this TV is simply superb. It’s so refreshing to finally see TV manufacturers providing an accurate picture mode and the adjustments necessary to maintain it. Bravo Samsung!<br /><br />After color and level calibration, I was anxious to test the various motion processing options. Samsung calls theirs Auto Motion. There are three levels in addition to the off setting. Off means there is simply 5:5 pulldown applied to incoming 60hz signals. From what I could tell watching actual content, this held true. Standard DVD looked suitably film-like. Even with correct motion processing, some titles will still show a little judder. The better the transfer, the less judder you will see. I viewed the THX-certified Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope. The opening scene with the Imperial star destroyer chasing Princess Leia’s blockade runner showed smooth motion and no artifacting. Turning on Auto Motion enabled the frame interpolation feature. While things became even smoother, it was no longer film-like. On the high setting, it was positively un-natural. It’s ultimately up to personal preference. I encourage clients to experiment with the different degrees of motion processing to decide which they like best. I prefer to retain the frame rates of the original film. With more interpolation, there is some artifacting. This shows up as occasional breakup of fast-moving objects, almost like a flash of macro-blocking. It’s not huge but it does catch the attention of a video geek like myself. Some however do prefer the interpolation. My only advice: try the different settings for a few days at a time. As with any aspect of calibration, it takes time to become accustomed to a change.<br /><br />Since there are now only a few major companies selling plasma panels, LCD is pretty much taking over the market by default. This latest series of Samsung LCDs is the best competition for plasma I’ve seen yet. Plasma still holds the edge in black levels and viewing angle but LCDs can put out more light, are easier to mount on a wall and consume less energy. The latest panels also boast excellent color accuracy and grayscale tracking. The advanced motion processing features make them a perfect compliment to a shiny new blu-ray player. Even prices have come down to the point where it’s either a small or no price difference to choose LCD. For the typical living room with medium to high levels of ambient light, LCD is a better choice due to its high output and less-reflective screen. If you’re shopping for a new LCD, this Samsung is a great choice.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-52879049442131808262008-06-11T09:21:00.000-07:002008-06-11T09:23:12.888-07:00Samsung LN32A550 LCD CalibrationI continue to be impressed with Samsung’s line of LCD TVs. Ranging in size from 22 to 52 inches, there is a panel to fit any imaginable viewing situation. The LN32A550 is one of a very few 32 inch panels that have a 1080p native resolution. It also includes a myriad of calibration controls normally only found in flagship displays. There is a color management system, grayscale, gamma control and the usual host of defeatable enhancements.<br /><br />I used the Movie picture mode for all inputs. This turns off all enhancements by default and sets a correct Rec 709 color space for HD signals. I recommend using all hi-def sources with this TV as the components will likely do a better job of scaling. A quality upconverting DVD like the Oppo line and a hi-def cable or satellite box set to 1080i are the best devices to use. De-interlacing of 1080i is good. I could see no difference in zone plate patterns when an Oppo 980 did the deinterlacing versus the TV doing it.<br /><br />Calibration was a breeze as all controls are available in the user menu. Drilling down from the front page, there are many options in the Detailed Settings and Picture Options menus. My favorite feature is the Blue Only mode. This shuts off the Red and Green primaries allowing you to set color and tint accurately with a color bar pattern. It took me all of a minute to achieve almost perfect decoding on all HDMI inputs. Component inputs were not tested. Brightness and Contrast were set with ease. This is where it’s important to turn off enhancements like Dynamic Contrast and Black Adjust. These controls change levels as the picture changes and can produce many unwanted effects like floating blacks and color shifts in brighter scenes. Edge Enhancement should also be turned off. Surprisingly though, the Digital Noise Reduction feature works very well on the Auto setting. I used images from the HQV test disc to verify that noise was indeed reduced without softening the picture. Sharpness was set to 0 as well. Grayscale tracking was typical for an LCD but I was able to dial it to within 150k of D65. Gamma was 2.5 at the default setting. Lowering it one click brought it to 2.2. Interestingly, the gamma setting flattened the grayscale a bit, smoothing a dip at 60 IRE.<br /><br />I was very happy with the final result. The image was punchy and color was spot-on. I couldn’t achieve a plasma-class black level but my minimum reading of .04fl was quite good. Perceived contrast was quite high as the 100 IRE field and window patterns measured over 80fl! I was able to max the Contrast control without crushing or causing a color shift. As this TV was in a mid to high light level room, these settings were appropriate. In a darker setting, one could turn down the Backlight to achieve better blacks. Real world on/off contrast was 2000:1 and ANSI was about 1600:1 - all in all, an excellent display and an attractive one too. The base and bezel are finished in a high-gloss piano black, very sexy! I highly recommend this TV. LCDs are appropriate in a room where lighting conditions are less controlled and there are hotspot reflections. The anti-glare properties of the screen are superior to plasma as is the overall light output. Given the image quality and large list of calibration controls, I’d rate Samsung LCD TVs as among the best in class.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-32642914399950891432008-05-30T04:11:00.000-07:002008-05-30T04:14:31.438-07:00Pioneer Elite PRO-950HD Plasma CalibrationPioneer Elite PRO-950HD Plasma Calibration<br />I have calibrated several Pioneer Elite plasmas of late but I wanted to write about this one because it’s the first 720p model I’ve worked with. Besides resolution, the spec sheet reads identical to the 1080p models, the PRO-110 and 150. It employs the same screen filter and coating which contribute to its outstanding black-level performance. It also includes the same menu structure and high-quality video processing of its higher-resolution brethren. At 42 inches, this TV is perfect for smaller rooms. It has plenty of light output so it can be enjoyed in a wide variety of lighting conditions.<br /><br />The calibration procedure was identical to the PRO-150FD <a href="http://precision-video.blogspot.com/2008/04/pioneer-elite-pro-150fd-plasma.html">(click here for my article)</a> so I won’t reiterate it here. My main purpose with this article is to talk about the superb performance numbers I achieved. While other calibrators have stated they couldn’t measure black levels on these panels, I had not encountered this phenomenon. I could always measure at least .001 fl. This panel however would not register a black level reading. Even after raising brightness from the default (Pluge patterns did not show below-black until this was done), I could not measure the black level on any pattern. I check these numbers with a full-field 0 IRE and an ANSI contrast checkerboard. No part of the screen registered a reading. My instruments therefore returned an infinite on/off and ANSI contrast ratio! Gamma was still a solid 2.2. I viewed the Pluge patterns in low to mid-level room light. Patterns were generated by an Accupel HDG-3000.<br /><br />Performance in other areas was identical to the 1080p models. Color primaries were slightly oversaturated and decoding was error-free. Edge enhancement was easily defeated by reducing the sharpness control. I did encounter one interesting thing that I had not dealt with before. My client occasionally connects a computer to one of the TVs HDMI inputs to view photos. When connecting this way, there is no control over pixel clock or phase. The result is the TV displays a different portion of the computer’s desktop. To view the slideshow, my client has to drag the pictures off the top of the computer’s screen so they are visible on the TV. I can only speculate that this is a product of HDCP. The only workaround is to use the VGA port on the TV. This allows adjustment so you can sync the computer and the TV. It depends on what outputs are available on your computer.<br /><br />In summary, I was most impressed with this TV. At a 42-inch screen size, 720p was a more than sufficient resolution for high-quality imaging. DVDs and high-def cable looked excellent as did the photos from a computer. At an MSRP of $2700, I consider this an excellent value in plasma TVs. Given that the cheapest 1080p model (the 50-inch PRO-110FD) has an MSRP of $6000, you’re only giving up a little screen size for a huge savings.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34172259.post-73645838846725430292008-05-04T08:44:00.000-07:002008-05-04T08:48:10.581-07:00Onkyo TX-SR805 Surround Receiver ReviewThe AV receiver has become a critical component in any home theater. It is the hub through which your various source devices are able to feed their goodness to your display and loudspeaker system. With the proliferation of HDMI and new high resolution audio codecs, an advanced receiver or processor is a must to make the most of the latest sources like Blu-ray, hi-def TV and game consoles. Despite the poor design and planning behind HDMI, it looks like we’re stuck with the interface for the foreseeable future. At least when it does work it works well. The THX-certified SR805 sports three HDMI inputs and one output, all version 1.3a compatible. This means all advanced audio codecs are supported via bitstream input. If you have the appropriate Blu-ray player (like the Panasonic BD30 or one of the expensive new Denons) you can enjoy Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (gads what a mouthful) decoded in the receiver. Though some may think it insignificant, it’s nice to know exactly what’s going on when your receiver’s front panel display says “Dolby TrueHD.”<br /><br />Since the main function of your receiver is to output the best possible sound, let’s take a look at that first. The 805 is endowed with the same neutral and accurate audio reproduction available in all current-generation Japanese receivers. The source material is represented accurately and faithfully with no modification. I feel this is very important. As with video, I’d rather have an accurate starting point with the ability to adjust the image (in this case the audio image) to accepted standards. In the case of the 805, Audyssey room correction is the means to this end. Plugging in the included microphone starts the procedure. You can measure up to eight positions and the receiver will calculate speaker sizes, crossovers, delays and levels. It also applies an equalization curve. It’s important not to second-guess the system. When I had finished the approximately 30-minute routine, my mains and center had been set to large and my surrounds had been set to small with a 70Hz crossover. This surprised me as the center I have (Axiom VP150) is only rated down to 100Hz. I had to remind myself however that Audyssey measures room response in making its calculations. I can tell my room is bass-heavy just by speaking in it. I have acoustical treatments but they really only absorb the higher frequencies. Controlling bass requires mass and I don’t have the space or the budget for bass traps. Audyssey did a superb job of equalizing the bass to a nice and tight level. Even though I have a large sub (Axiom EP350v3), bass and LFE is never bloated or harsh. Loud bass is not necessarily good bass. If it isn’t controlled it becomes fatiguing. This is why the sound in most movie theaters is so poor. As with so many other aspects of home theater, balance is key.<br /><br />The HDMI support on this receiver makes hookup very convenient. I have three transports in my rack, a Denon 2930, a Panasonic BD30 and an Oppo 980. They are all connected via HDMI and a single cable goes out to my projector. The only other cables I have plugged in are the speakers, IR and power. I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to create such a large and heavy cable with such a weak connector. I had to route everything very carefully to avoid straining the inputs on both the receiver and the sources. The ports are fairly solid on the Onkyo and the Denon player but the Oppo and Panasonic players seem a bit flimsy to me. I am using Belden cables from Bluejeans for everything. The shorter runs are the more flexible stranded conductor type and the run to the projector (25 feet) is a 24AWG solid conductor cable. I have had zero problems so far. Though I have not used them, I have read many good things about Monoprice cables. There really is no need to buy expensive boutique HDMI cables. This all-HDMI connection arrangement allows me to use un-processed bitstreams for all formats from all transports. The Oppo 980 even supports DSD from SACD. I prefer this arrangement because I can use the receiver’s excellent audio processing to best advantage. The Audyssey correction is always in play and I have all the different DSP and surround modes available to me no matter what the source material.<br /><br />The only other thing I had to do for initial setup is set the main speakers for bi-amp operation, and assign and rename the inputs. All digital inputs (HDMI, coax, optical) are assignable and can be renamed to anything you wish. You just have to remember what the original input name was if you use the included remote. A word about video: the SR805 will transcode all analog video to HDMI. It will also transcode composite and S-video to component. The nice thing is there is no video processing applied to incoming signals. That means the tasty 1080p/24 signal from your Blu-ray player will get to your display unmolested. You do need to be careful when shopping for receivers these days because many of them won’t allow a simple passthrough of the video signal. You will usually want the receiver first in the signal chain from after the source so you can get the soundtrack information. If you’re using an outboard video processor, it will have to go after the receiver unless it’s able to pass the audio streams properly. Do your homework before committing yourself.<br /><br />The Onkyo TX-SR805 represents the state of the art in mid-priced receivers. There are comparable models from Marantz, Denon and Yamaha but they are all more expensive. At $1099 MSRP, this is by far the most bang-for-the-buck you can get. The competition is priced anywhere from $1399 to $1599. I just wish it had been available when I paid $1299 for a Denon 3806! For my small theater, I can’t imagine having a better hub for the system. It’s handling of all the latest audio formats is exemplary and as a video switch, it works perfectly. Just make sure you have about ten inches of shelf height available because it runs a bit hot. I haven’t had any signs of strain at high volume levels but good ventilation is always important. You might need a friend to help you get it in your rack as it weighs in at 65 pounds! Onkyo has really hit a homerun with this receiver. If they were to put the same level of features and value into a Blu-ray player, they could dominate the mid-price AV market. At this point in my AV journey, I’d have to spend far more money on high-end separates to see any improvement in quality. If you’re looking for a new receiver, you should audition the Onkyo. I bet you’ll end up buying it!<br /><br />Thanks for reading and enjoy the view!Ruth Welterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822466687503082708noreply@blogger.com2