If you’re going to watch TV, you might as well shoot for getting the most immersive viewing experience possible. In the age of 4K (and even 8K) TVs, this is becoming easier, but some sets still need a bit of fine-tuning.
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Understandably, most people never give a second thought to calibrating their TVs. This process — whether you do it yourself or pay for the service — can ensure that your TV displays colors accurately, provides optimal brightness and contrast, and enhances overall picture clarity. I’ve put together a guide on two approaches for calibrating your TV to get the best possible picture quality.
Calibration or setup?
There are two terms you should know when it comes to tweaking the colors of your TV: Calibration and setup. Calibration is the more advanced of the two, involving consulting professionals and incurring some expense. I’ll go over that in the second section of this article. An initial DIY version of calibration is really more akin to “setup,” which is free and can be done at your own comfort. Here’s how.
Method 1: DIY calibration (aka setup and testing)
1. Choose the right picture mode
Before testing, start by selecting the most appropriate picture mode on your TV. Ideally, you should use the “Movie,” “Cinema,” or “Filmmaker” modes. These settings typically provide the most accurate colors and temperatures out of the box. Avoid modes like “Dynamic” or “Vivid” since they tend to oversaturate colors and create a radioactive look.
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3. Fine-tune color and tint
Now, find an online image with color bars like the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers’ (SMPTE) color bar pattern and adjust the color setting until the bars match the reference color. For the tint, use a skin-tone test pattern and tweak the settings until skin tones appear natural and accurate. Nothing should be overly dark, unnaturally bright, or warmer than usual.
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers’ (SMPTE) color bar pattern is useful for home testing and calibration.
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
4. Adjust brightness and contrast
You’ll also want to balance your brightness and contrast levels to avoid eye strain. With your remote, you can use the same SMPTE image by reducing the color saturation to zero. Looking at this new range of black-to-white and gray bars, tweak the brightness and contrast settings until you can see all the bars distinctly without losing detail in the dark or bright areas.
5. Set the correct sharpness
Excessive sharpness can create artificial edges and cause artifacts in the image. Find a test pattern with thin lines or text and adjust the sharpness level until you achieve a balance between softness and visible details. Set your sharpness to zero or a very low value to avoid artificial edge enhancement.
6. Configure advanced settings
Most TVs have advanced settings like gamma, color management (temperature), and backlighting control. If yours does, adjust the gamma setting to enhance shadow detail; for most environments, a setting of 2.2 is generally best. Set your color temperature to “Warm” for the most accurate color reproduction. Adjust the backlight to a comfortable level based on your room’s lighting. Lower settings are better for dark rooms, while higher settings work well for bright rooms.
After navigating through each of these steps, remember to save your settings. Many TVs allow you to save different profiles for varying inputs or viewing conditions.
Method 2: Advanced calibration
If you’ve already configured your TV using the user menu and test patterns, you’ve done most of what a professional calibration process can do. According to expert reviewer Geoffrey Morrison of CNET, this endeavor alone might improve your picture quality by 10% to 20%.
But if you’re shooting for the highest possible level of picture accuracy, you’ll need to call in heavier guns. You could pick up a professional calibration tool like the Calibrite ColorChecker Display Pro, which goes for about $275. A colorimeter like the Calibrite works in conjunction with a laptop. You position the device to hang in the center of your TV screen to perform a battery of color, contrast, and lighting tests, retrieve the data, and make adjustments accordingly. Note that there is definitely a learning curve in using a colorimeter and its attendant software.
Also, keep in mind that no calibration tool can alter the inherent quality and limitations of your TV’s display technology. A budget-friendly LCD will never reach the same level of performance as an OLED. But with a professional calibration tool, your TV can deliver the best possible picture quality within its capabilities.
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Another option is to hire a professional calibrator, but how do you find one?
Two main companies train specialists to calibrate TVs: the Imaging Science Foundation and THX. These links can lead you to a local calibrator. Best Buy also offers calibration, so you can call its Geek Squad at (800) 433-5778 to inquire about options and pricing. You can expect to pay between $250 and $400 for this service, which will vary depending on your needs (like if you also desire HDR calibration or calibration in multiple picture modes).
If you want to view your favorite movies, shows, and games the way they were meant to be seen, calibration is an effective measure that can deliver. While it may seem like a daunting task, it’s worth the effort to DIY your settings for optimal results. Remember that the perfect calibration settings can vary depending on your TV model and personal preferences, so don’t hesitate to experiment for the best outcomes. For a perfect and true viewing experience, professional calibration tools and trained agents are an option — depending on your budget.
