Calibrate dual LCDs same brand and type. Need help.

[michaelv]

Hi,

I have 2 Dell LCD 2007WPF and video card supports dual monitor (one DVI , one

VGA). I know that hardware calibration is the best, but i am saving money now

to get the good one. In the meantime, i need to use Adobe Gama to calibrate my

monitor, but it couldn't get to the point i want after struggling hours and

hours.

 

So, i hope that someone can help me with process, steps in order to calibrate

the monitor. I also have Windows XP color control applet installed . I read

about color management, but hard to understand them all.

 

Do i need to creat two seperate profiles if i have 2 LCD exactly the same?

 

How come i see only default profile which i created last on Windows control

panel setting , while i have two different profiles : one assigned to each

monitor in Color Control Applet?

 

 

thanks.

[isaul_vargas]

With LCDs, you really can't do visual calibration. Especially an LCD that is not really sold as a color accurate model.

 

The best thing to do is see if you can set the color temperature to 6500 Kelvin or sRGB. This will give you a white point that is not too blue or green.

 

Adobe Gamma is not suitable for LCDs and it's worth is questionable for CRTs.

 

I would save up for a X-Rite/Gretagmacbeth Eye-One Display 2 since the Monaco OptixXR will be discontinued. Also the Display 2 has an ambient light sensor, as well as better software that is constantly updated. It even works in Windows XP64.

 

When you do get a colorimeter, to match both LCDs, you should use the same settings for both, like the same white point, luminance, and black point.

 

EyeMatch supports dual displays, and to set the profiles for both displays may depend on your video card. Both ATi and nVidia card support different profiles, but ATi does a better job of it. Nevertheless you can use the Color Applet of XP to assign the different profiles.

[patricklavoie]

2 LCD = 2 profile.

[michaelv]

Do you have any preference where i can get Gretagmacbeth Eye-One Display 2?

 

I read somewhere in the forum that Windows XP only manage the primary profile when it boots up. Let say i have profile LCD1 and LCD2 , both are similar and LCD1 is a primary profile from 1st monitor. Do i have to run Color Applet every i boot the computer to assign correct profile to correct monitor?

 

thanks.

[isaul_vargas]

To get an Eye One Display 2, check out www.ebay.com or www.colorhq.com or www.colormall.com

 

You can probably pick one up for about 220 dollars, less on Ebay if you bid well. X-Rite has a nationwide, 20 city color seminar, for 350 dollars you will get both an Eye One and a lesson in Color management. Go to http://www.graphintel.com/cwl/ and see the details.

 

Windows XP only loads a profile for color management, however it doesn't change the Look Up Tables of the video card. That's where the Eye One software comes one, it uses a LUT loader to change the video card colors to match the calibration. The Color applet can also load profiles to adjust the LUT, but don't bother, EyeOne already does it. Also make sure you remove Adobe Gamma from the StartUp menu. You only need one LUT loader.

 

The Color Control Panel applet lets you set the profiles for both monitors, so this shouldn't be an issue.

 

However, if you think it's not loading, try editing a monitor profile and make it look really bad. This way you can mess around with the color management settings and see if you can make it stick properly.

[michaelv]

Thanks.

 

I tried Adobe Gamma last night to see the different when using Color Applet. Basically, i created two profiles. When i viewed picture, i dragged the picture from LCD 1 to LCD2 and vice versa, and i could see the color changing.

 

I guess if i don't modify the loader in startup menu, i will have to run color applet once the XP boots up.

 

I'll get calibration tool when i have enough fun. For now, i will use Adobe Gamma (try my best) to do calibration.

 

Questions:

1> how do you remove Adobe Gamma from Startup menu ?

 

2> For room lightning, I would like to get correct light (ambient light) in the room and it must be constant before i do calibration. Do you have any suggestion for desk lamp to get ? or any desk lamp will be fine?

 

 

thanks.

[isaul_vargas]

>>>I tried Adobe Gamma last night to see the different when using Color Applet. Basically, i created two profiles. When i viewed picture, i dragged the picture from LCD 1 to LCD2 and vice versa, and i could see the color changing.

 

Once again, Adobe Gamma is not that good with LCDs. But if it does make a difference, create a grayscale gradient in Photoshop in sRGB and soft proof it to Monitor RGB. The gradient should be all gray without any weird color casts.

 

Some LCDs are pretty color accurate without calibration, but some show dark colors brightly. LCDs tend to be poor with gray scale images though and images with very light gray. For example, if I had to scan a white document on my cheap scanner, I may not be able to see the light gray that my scanner introduces. I can use Levels to bring the white document to a pure white, but if I am doing it by eye, I may stop at a light gray.

 

>>>I guess if i don't modify the loader in startup menu, i will have to run color applet once the XP boots up.

 

If you're using Adobe Gamma, leave it as it is. Once you get an EyeOne, to delete Adobe Gamma from start up ( I would move the file somewhere) is to right click the start tab and go to Explore or Properties. This would let you navigate the Programs menu.

 

>>I'll get calibration tool when i have enough fun. For now, i will use Adobe Gamma (try my best) to do calibration.

 

To reiterate, Adobe Gamma works best on monitors. It doesn't work too well for LCDs, since LCDs don't have the same level of adjustments as CRTs. You usually calibrate to the native white point of LCD (which is in effect not using Adobe Gamma).

 

2> For room lightning, I would like to get correct light (ambient light) in the room and it must be constant before i do calibration. Do you have any suggestion for desk lamp to get ? or any desk lamp will be fine?

 

Most of the literature recommends, a Solux light bulb which has a Correlated Color Temperature of 4700 Kelvin, which is pretty close to the 5000 kelvin recommended for viewing photos and art to match the screen.

 

I would recommend buying a copy of Andrew Rodney's book, or Real World Color Management.

 

I like Andrew's book because it has a tutorial section explaining a lot of the concepts. RWC is also a good book to since it goes into a lot of depth into the color theory. I really like how they explain the concept of metamerism correctly. It also has a lot of guides on verifying your profile.

[michaelv]

Thanks, Isaul.

 

For the calibration tool, i think Spyder2PRO is on sale right now with $60 rebate. The final price is the same as Eye Oned Display 2. Which one of the two do you recommend as a beginner. I just want something not too complicated but not too basic to work with. Sorry i am new to this..:)

 

thanks again.

[isaul_vargas]

The Spyder is good enough for the casual user, the Eye One Display 2 has better software is THE colorimeter for now. Some people feel that the Spyder is a bit weak in the reds or overall saturation. Nevertheless, it's better than an uncalibrated monitor. You can't go wrong either way.

 

I would recommend the Optix as another alternative, but it's being discontinued which is bad news for Optix owners (which includes me).

[michaelv]

Thanks, i'll look into it.