Calibration with Multiple Monitors? Do I need a specific solution?

I'm interesting in entering the world of color management and I'd like to

calibrate the monitors on my home computer, but it's not clear whether or not

the less expensive color calibration devices will adjust more than one monitor.

 

I'm currently using an iMac Core2Duo with the display spanned to an additional

2007wfp (Dell monitor). Will I need to buy a special color calibrator to adjust

both the built-in monitor and the external monitor? I'm specifically interested

in the Huey because of its low price.

 

Thanks!

Actually it's more IF your graphics card ALLOWS you to calibrate monitors seperately...a fair amount don't. Then the calibration tool you choose would be the next consideration.

Yes, the Monitors pref pane allows me to set calibration on the two monitors independently.

Some solutions explicitely support two monitors (eye-one display2, spyder2 pro, coloreyes, basiccolor). With cheaper packages you'd need to calibrate one monitor at a time and manually rename and reassign profiles. I'm not sure how it would work on external laptop display, but I suppose you could "mirror" the screen for this purpose.

 

Keith Cooper mentions the trick in Spyder2Express and Eye-One LT reviews:

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews.html

 

However, since you probably want not only to profile but also to make two monitors reasonably "similar" to each other it is recommended to get a calibration solution with sufficiantly advanced options.

<p><i>Will I need to buy a special color calibrator to adjust both

the built-in monitor and the external monitor?</i></p>

<p>No, it's seamless with the Mac.</p>

 

<p><i>I'm specifically interested in the Huey.</i></p>

 

<p>Ouch, Huey is not up to par. It's very crippled. Get a real

colorimeter.</p>

"No, it's seamless with the Mac."

 

It's not seamless if the software gives the profiles the same names. With low-end software you have to use workarounds.

 

If I was on a budget I'd look into Spyder2Express rather than Huey. It's the same colorimeter as Spyder2 Pro and works with high end software like Coloreyes, Basiccolor (both of which have free trials) and Spyder2 Pro. In case you ever need it.