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Which Meter Is Right for Me?
Updated: June 24, 2010 - Many general updates/clarifications, addition of ChomaPure PRO meters

Many meters are available for greyscale and colour calibration. What follows below is a short list of popular meters recommended by CurtPalme.com. Some of these meters are supported by our free Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide. All of these meters are supported by the more advanced ChromaPure calibration software. (Our free guide was written based on the workflow process used in ChromaPure).

Colorimeters, Spectroradiometers, Spectrophotometers: What's the difference and why do I care?

A tristimulus colorimeter measures the colour of a display by using three separate sensors to measure red, green, and blue. Each of the sensors sits behind a filter that isolates a particular colour. Using a tristimulus colorimeter is conceptually equivalent to using a normal white light meter and putting different filters on it for measuring different colours.

In an attempt to accurately model human colour vision using three filters, in the year 1931 the CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, or International Commission on Illumination) defined the Standard Observer characterized by three colour matching functions:



The filters in a tristimulus colorimeter are modeled after this colour matching function to mimic the human eye's response to red, blue and green. How well a colorimeter works is based on how well the manufacturer is able to match these curves to mimic this response to various display types. A filter-based colorimeter doesn't always get it exactly right however. Why? Accurately matching these complex curves and remaining affordable is always trade-off.

A spectroradiometer (also called a spectrophotometer) on the other hand reads light completely differently. It does not rely on filters as a way of mimicking human colour vision, but rather measures the spectra of a display directly in small bands and uses an industry standard formula to calculate the red, blue and green response. What you see is what you get! Its accuracy depends only on the bandwidth, sensitivity, and resolution of the device. This is why (generally speaking) spectroradiometers don't care what sort of display you're measuring.

The Spyder 1/2/3, EyeOne Display 2, DTP-94, Chroma 5, and Hubble are colorimeters. The EyeOne Pro is a spectroradiometer.

Most of the very bad meters that clutter the world, delivering unreliable and wildly inaccurate results, are colorimeters. That is because colorimeters can be manufactured very cheaply. But just because bad meters are mostly colorimeters does not mean all colorimeters are bad meters. Designed and manufactured correctly, either technology can provide excellent results. The underlying technology employed is not the way to judge a meter.

Each technology has its advantages, and each has its drawbacks. We'll list these below.

We've also published a series of Colour Science articles that deal with calibration in general. The following articles are definite must-reads for anyone looking at purchasing a meter:

Colour Science: About Meter Accuracy
Colour Science: Video Calibration Myths

For the complete list of articles, see here. Note that some of these articles are quite technical so don't worry if they don't make much sense to you. You don't need to understand the intricacies of what goes on in a calibration meter to perform an actual calibration!

So what's the best meter?

People want lists so here's one! Generally speaking, from worst to best we have:

1. Spyder 1/2/3 (not recommended)
2. EyeOne Display 2
3. EyeOne Display 2 PRO
4. X-Rite DTP-94
5. X-Rite DTP-94 PRO
6. X-Rite Chroma 5
7. X-Rite Chroma 5 PRO
8. X-Rite EyeOne Pro
9. X-Rite Hubble

This list assumes new colorimeters that have not drifted. Colorimeters can (and should) be periodically recalibrated to ensure they retain their initial accuracy. This eliminates the problems associated with exposure to the elements over time that affect all colorimeters. We recommend doing this yearly. All of the colorimeters listed above may be recalibrated (more information below).

Other budget/homemade meters exist but they're fairly rare and some present questionable results. They're not worth mentioning here given the low price that even reasonable meters can be purchased for. Higher-end reference meters are also available (many well over $10,000 USD) but anyone in the market for such a meter probably knows exactly what they want and won't be reading a simplified guide like this.

An important thing to keep in mind is that using any meter is better than trying to calibrate by eye or by using only test DVDs or Blu-ray discs. Our eyes are horrible at differentiating colours. Just because you can't afford the best meter doesn't mean you won't reap great rewards by calibrating your display with even a less expensive meter. If you're at all serious about Home Theater please calibrate your display. Proper greyscale and colour calibration is regarded as one of (if not the) most important actions that should be performed on all TVs or projectors for optimal picture quality. You will be astounded by the resulting difference in picture quality.

Why buy two meters?

Sometimes kits are listed that feature two meters. Why? As is usually the case, there's usually a trade-off so you'll often see kits with two different meters. Typically one will be a colorimeter and the other will be a spectroradiometer. For example: The Display 2 colorimeter and the EyeOne Pro spectroradiometer kit.

Even an inexpensive colorimeter like the Display 2 read extremely fast and but drifts over time as it uses a filter that slowly degrades. A spectroradiometer like the EyeOne Pro on the other hand reads very slowly and remains more accurate over time since there's no filter to degrade. The EyeOne Pro also does not read low light levels very well so it's not the perfect choice for gamma and contrast measurements that will generally require readings below the EyeOne Pro's effective operating range.

So what do do? Simple! Pro's and enthusiasts use software such as ChromaPure to create a meter offset make the Display 2 read like the more accurate EyeOne Pro. This gives the Display 2 the accuracy of the EyeOne Pro and also gives you the low light sensitivity required to read down to near black. The best of both worlds! You do your readings with the colorimeter (called your "field" meter) and your spectroradiometer remains your "reference" meter used to keep the Display 2 accurate as it drifts over time.


Budget Meters:

Budget meters are typically what users on a budget will consider for calibration use. Some of the cheaper ones are not even individually calibrated to begin with at the factory (more on this below). They are filter based meters so they will drift over time and should be replaced or recalibrated about once a year to ensure accuracy. Keep them in a cool/dark/dry place to minimize drifting. Many users use a sealed ziplock plastic bag or case of some sort with silica gel packets to absorb moisture from the air.

Spyder 1/2/3 meters




Spyder meters typically deliver results that are unpredictable. This is true for the Spyder 1, 2, and 3. In tests and discussions with pro calibrators we've found that approximately one third of Spyder units seem to be very accurate, the next third are slightly off, and the last third are considerably more inaccurate. Unfortunately there's no way to know how your Spyder unit rates unless you have a known accurate meter to compare it against. The reason for this disparity in accuracy is that Spyder units are not calibrated at the factory as they come off the assembly line. Therefore most calibration experts do not recommend that Spyder meters be used as you simply don't know what sort of results to expect.

The obvious advantage of the Spyder is cost: A low end Spyder can be had for under $100. In our humble opinion you're better off spending just a little more to get something that has some sort of guaranteed level of accuracy. While we're all interested in saving money, buying a meter only to question the results and *then* having to purchase a second (better) meter isn't much of a savings!

Spyder meters are not temperature compensated. This means that readings will change as temperature changes. If you wish to use a Spyder on displays such as plasmas (which tend to run hot), leave the meter on the display for at least 30 minutes (with the display on) before starting a calibration. This will help to offset the errors a bit.

If you do have a known good reference meter and Spyder, you can use the offset feature of ChromaPure to measure exactly how far off the Spyder is and create an offset table. ChromaPure can will return reasonably accurate results from the Spyder using this offset tables. The only catch of course here is that the offset table only works with ChromaPure and not our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide or any other software. We don't really see this as much of an issue as anyone using ChromaPure will have no interest in our free guide of course since ChromaPure is faster, easier to use, and more powerful (it's not free however).

For those that are curious we performed a really simple Spyder2 vs Display 2/LT Sensor Comparison using two brand new meters. While this sample size obviously isn't a good judge of what to expect in all situations it still is truthful information about what sort of accuracy you may be getting when buying a new Spyder and new Display 2/LT. Our comparison includes information and example graphs of readings done with both meter types. It's in Appendix A of our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide. Again, it's only one Spyder sample of course, but interesting nonetheless.

The Spyder meters cannot be recalibrated. The Spyder meters are supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide and will soon be supported by ChromaPure too.


EyeOne Display 2 / Display 2 PRO



The EyeOne Display meter actually comes in two versions: The EyeOne Display 2 and the EyeOne Display LT. These are in fact the same meter. The Display 2 version comes with extra photography software from the manufacturer that is typically of no use to home theater users. Both versions come with software to automatically calibrate PC/Mac displays by creating a custom display response curve used by your video card. For the rest of this article we'll simply refer to this meter as the 'Display 2'.

The Display 2 is a nearly ideal meter for the person who is new to video calibration. It is inexpensive, fast, has excellent low-light capabilities, and is the most accurate of the budget meters. For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier. In a pinch, painters tape also works to hold the meter to a tripod, but the tripod mount is easier/more flexible.

If you're the type of person that only will only be calibrating your own TV or projector rarely, is on a budget, and doesn't need absolute perfection, this is the meter for you. The results will be better than anything you could achieve using only your eyes and a calibration DVD/Blu-ray.

Unlike the (only slightly) lower priced Spyder meters, the X-Rite Eye One Display 2 is calibrated at the factory as they come off the assembly line. As such, our experience has been that they are all reasonably accurate consistent from unit to unit. This factory calibration most certainly has a lot to do with it.

Colorimeters like the Display 2 do drift faster than spectroradiometers so it's best to always get one that's as fresh as possible. Always purchase one from a place that has high turn around, or get the unit calibrated at the time of purchase. You do not want a unit that's been sitting around at hot/humid warehouse for quite some time before being sold to you.

The Display 2 is temperature compensated but this compensation is not as accurate as (say) a Chroma 5 however. If you wish to use a Display 2 on plasmas (which tend to run hot), leave the meter on the display for at least 30 minutes (with the display on) before starting a calibration. This will help with errors.

Care must also be taken to avoid having stray light hit the Display 2 meter from the side. For this reason this meter will be more reliable in some situations as a contact meter (where the meter is placed against the display) instead of as a non-contact meter (for calibrating projectors). If you wish to use the Display 2 to calibrate a front projector, care must be taken to avoid any stray light hitting the meter. This means closing all blinds or curtains, turning off all lights, and even making sure to keep the laptop running the calibration software closed while readings are being taken. It's also not uncommon for the bright blue lights of home theater equipment to completely throw readings off at the lower end of the spectrum!

The Display 2 meter reads very fast (much faster than the Spyder) and also reads fairly low (ie: darker patterns) such that you're likely to get reasonable accurate readings all the way down to 20 IRE on most displays as long as you're careful with stray light. If you require very accurate readings right down to very close to essentially black (0 IRE), consider the Hubble (see below). It is considerably more expensive however!

Note that some LCD displays can pose challenges for the Display 2 and colorimeters in general. Colorimeters can give erroneous results when calculating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong". The problem is with LCDs in general and is not directly related to the difference between CCFL backlit and LED backlit displays.

A special version of the Display 2 called the Display 2 PRO is available that increases accuracy for use with not only LCD displays, but other displays as well. It uses special offset tables for various display types when used with ChromaPure. The EyeOne Pro is also good choice if you wish to remain somewhat future proof and ensure accuracy when calibrating just about any display. The EyeOne Pro does not need to compensated as it reads light completely differently as it is a spectroradiometer.

The PRO units are all individually tested against a reference spectroradiometer on multiple display types. Offset tables are then created for use in ChromaPure to ensure that you get as accurate results as possible. This also compensates for any drift that may have occurred over time, essentially recalibrating your meter. We always recommend recalibration instead of buying a new meter, not only because it costs less, but because it also keeps more stuff out of landfills!

The Display 2 and Display2 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. Only the regular Display 2 is supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the Display 2 / Display 2 PRO »


X-Rite DTP-94 / DTP-94 PRO



Those of you that have been doing calibrations for some time will recognize the DTP-94. It's the pre-cursor to the Chroma 5 that was unfortunately pulled off the market a few years ago. It is still available for sale and used by home theater enthusiasts.

Performance wise the DTP-94 sits squarely between the Display 2 and the Chroma 5. It is a fast reading meter that reads well down to fairly low light levels. It reads lower, more accurately, and more consistently than the Display 2 but not quite as well as the Chroma 5.

The DTP-94 is more similar to the Chroma 5 as the Chroma 5 was actually designed from the DTP-94 (the specifications are very similar). Think of the DTP-94 as a budget version of the Chroma 5. It reads nearly as fast but isn't quite as accurate. The easiest way to compare the two meters is to think of the Chroma 5 as the lowest priced professional meter while the DTP-94 is the best performing consumer class colorimeter you can get.

The DTP-94 is temperature compensated.

The DTP-94 was primarily designed for flat panel and CRT displays but it works well with projectors. Heed the same warnings mentioned above in the Display 2 section however about eliminating stray or ambient light.

For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier. In a pinch, painters tape also works to hold the meter to a tripod, but the tripod mount is easier/more flexible.

Note that some LCD displays can pose challenges for the DTP-94 and colorimeters in general. Colorimeters can give erroneous results when calculating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong". The problem is with LCDs in general and is not directly related to the difference between CCFL backlit and LED backlit displays.

A special version of the DTP-94 called the DTP-94 PRO is available that increases accuracy for use with not only LCD displays, but other display types as well. It uses special offset tables for various displays when used with ChromaPure. The EyeOne Pro is also good choice if you wish to remain somewhat future proof and ensure accuracy when calibrating just about any display. The EyeOne Pro does not need to compensated as it reads light completely differently as it is a spectroradiometer.

The PRO units are all individually tested against a reference spectroradiometer on multiple display types. Offset tables are then created for use in ChromaPure to ensure that you get as accurate results as possible. This also compensates for any drift that may have occurred over time, essentially recalibrating your meter. We always recommend recalibration instead of buying a new meter, not only because it costs less, but because it also keeps more stuff out of landfills!

The DTP-94 and DTP-94 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. They are not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the DTP-94 /DTP-94 PRO »


High End (Pro) Meters:

These are some of the higher-end meters that are typically used for video display calibration by enthusiasts and professionals looking for quality pro-grade equipment: The Chroma 5, the EyeOne Pro (which you will sometimes see referred to as simply the "i1 Pro"), and the Hubble. All are excellent meters and provide great accuracy and are manufactured to X-Rite's high standards, so any of them will be robust and reliable. All pair extremely well with ChromaPure calibration software.


The Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO



The Chroma 5 is the big brother to the DTP-94 and Display2. The main advantage of the Chroma 5 is that it reads more accurately, consistently, and lower (closer to black) than the lower end meters. It also employs better temperature compensation so the Chroma 5 stays more accurate with changing ambient temperatures (such as found on plasma displays which tend to run hot). It can also can be calibrated to tighter standards.

The Chroma 5 is also one of the easiest devices to use because it requires no dark reading calibration. Some meters require that they be covered up and a reading taken either when they're first connected or every 10-20 minutes as you calibrate. It only takes a second but it annoys a lot of people! For comparison sake, the Display 2, EyeOne Pro, and Hubble requires a dark reading when the meter is initially connected. The EyeOne Pro and the Hubble then also require periodic dark readings throughout the calibration session.

The Chroma 5 was primarily designed for flat panel and CRT displays but it works well with projectors. Heed the same warnings mentioned above in the Display 2 section however about eliminating stray or ambient light.

For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier. In a pinch, painters tape also works to hold the meter to a tripod, but the tripod mount is easier/more flexible.

The Chroma 5 is one of the few meters that can be locked or modified to only work with one software product. If you think you may want to use your Chroma 5 with other software in the future, make sure to ask the seller if their unit is locked or modified in any way. Already own a Chroma 5? Contact us at kal@curtpalme.com and we'll send you a tester application to see if yours is locked or modified in any way that may render your meter unusable with other software. If the tester application works then you're free to use your Chroma 5 with any software that works with unlocked/unmodified meters. If it does not work then you're likely limited to only using the software it was sold with.

Note that some LCD displays can pose challenges for the Chroma 5 and colorimeters in general. Colorimeters can give erroneous results when calculating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong". The problem is with LCDs in general and is not directly related to the difference between CCFL backlit and LED backlit displays.

A special version of the Chroma 5 called the Chroma 5 PRO is available that increases accuracy for use with not only LCD displays, but other display types as well. It uses special offset tables for various displays when used with ChromaPure. The EyeOne Pro is also good choice if you wish to remain somewhat future proof and ensure accuracy when calibrating just about any display. The EyeOne Pro does not need to compensated as it reads light completely differently as it is a spectroradiometer.

The PRO units are all individually tested against a reference spectroradiometer on multiple display types. Offset tables are then created for use in ChromaPure to ensure that you get as accurate results as possible. This also compensates for any drift that may have occurred over time, essentially recalibrating your meter. We always recommend recalibration instead of buying a new meter, not that anyone would likely buy a new Chroma 5 every time it drifts a bit!

When someone needs to choose one single sub-$1000 meter for video calibrations, the Chroma 5 PRO is typically the device that we suggest. The Chroma 5 PRO is a colorimeter that offers professional grade performance at a price affordable to the amateur hobbyist or enthusiast.

Why would I buy a Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO instead of an EyeOne Pro?

The Chroma 5 less expensive than the EyeOne Pro and may meet your needs, particularly if you are not a professional calibrator and only want to purchase one meter. The Chroma 5 is nearly as accurate as an EyeOne Pro. The Chroma 5, however, is particularly susceptible to ambient light. The Chroma 5 has a wide field of view, so light off to the side, from other sources than your display, may contaminate the reading. You can calibrate a projector with a Chroma 5, but the EyeOne Pro may be a better choice if you have a lot of stray ambient light as it has a narrower field of view. The Chroma 5 will work very well when calibrating front projectors (either CRT or digital) you just need to take more care to make sure you have no ambient light due to the large field of view. If you do have a small amount of ambient light then only calibrate with the Chroma5 at night or use an EyeOne Pro instead. If you have lots of ambient light that can't be controlled then the Hubble is the best choice as it has the absolute narrowest field of view.

Why would I buy a Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO in addition to an EyeOne Pro?

If you are a professional calibrator, or even a hobbyist who spends a lot of time calibrating, you will find that the EyeOne Pro (being a spectrophotometer) is quite slow. This is particularly true at low light levels. If you're a pro you don't want to spend most of your time waiting for your meter. The Chroma 5 provides almost instantaneous results so you can perform the same readings over and over while adjusting the display's settings, narrowing in on an optimal state and then finishing off with the EyeOne Pro for the most accurate results.

The ChromaPure meter offset feature allows Chroma 5 users to achieve even higher accuracy by creating an offset of your Chroma 5 using a spectroradiometer (such as the EyeOne Pro). ChromaPure compares the differences in readings and then allows you to automatically adjust what the Chroma 5 records as if it were the Eye One Pro. The end result is fast calibration with the accuracy of the EyeOne Pro.

The Chroma 5 and Chroma 5 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. They are not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO »


The EyeOne Pro



The EyeOne Pro (or i1Pro) is a true spectroradiometer (spectrophotometer), and thus offers the most accurate readings for the widest range of displays at an affordable price.

The EyeOne Pro's only drawback is relatively limited low-light sensitivity. It simpl does not read as low (close to black) as most colorimeters - even the inexpensive ones! The EyeOne Pro alone is therefore not the perfect choice for gamma and contrast measurements that will generally require readings below the EyeOne Pro's effective operating range.

It is however a nearly ideal choice for use together with the Display 2 or Chroma 5 colorimeter, both of which can work well in very low light settings. Simply create an offset in ChromaPure using the EyeOne Pro as a reference and then use that offset to correct the response of the Display 2 or Chroma 5.

Although the color performance of inexpensive meters (such as the Display 2) is not as good as the EyeOne Pro, their luminance performance is remarkably accurate down to surprisingly low levels. Furthermore, once color corrected by a known reference, they maintain their accuracy down to very low levels as well.

The combination of the EyeOne Pro together with either of these colorimeters offers excellent accuracy, speed, and low-light sensitivity and is suitable for professional calibrations.

In addition to its superb accuracy it is the most versatile meter available anywhere due to the spectroradiometer technology used. It is able to read just about any kind of display accurately including CRT, plasma, LCD, the newest LED, front projector, rear projector, etc. If you own more than one meter, one of them should most certainly be an EyeOne Pro.

Spectroradiometer technology is slow however: It takes longer for each read to come back and update the software that you happen to be using. Especially at the dark end of the grayscale. A reading that will take the Chroma 5 a couple of seconds might take the EyeOne pro 30 or 60 seconds. This means that performing a calibration can take longer as you spend more time waiting for the readings to update. Whether the extra time is worth it or not is a call each person has to make for themselves. While most home users may not care, the professional who spends many hours a day doing calibration for a living would be pulling their hair out. (Which is why pro's will typically use a faster colorimeter with an offset created against the EyeOne Pro to get the best of both worlds: Accuracy and speed).

For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier.

The Chroma 5 and Chroma 5 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. They are not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

The EyeOne Pro is supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide as well as the more advanced ChromaPure calibration software.

Why would I buy a Chroma 5 in addition to an EyeOne Pro?

If you are a professional calibrator, or even a hobbyist who spends a lot of time calibrating, you will find that the EyeOne Pro (being a spectrophotometer) is quite slow. This is particularly true at low light levels. If you're a pro you don't want to spend most of your time waiting for your meter. The Chroma 5 provides almost instantaneous results so you can perform the same readings over and over while adjusting the display's settings, narrowing in on an optimal state and then finishing off with the EyeOne Pro for the most accurate results.

The ChromaPure meter offset feature allows Chroma 5 users to achieve even higher accuracy by creating an offset of your Chroma 5 using a spectroradiometer (such as the EyeOne Pro). ChromaPure compares the differences in readings and then allows you to automatically adjust what the Chroma 5 records as if it were the Eye One Pro. The end result is fast calibration with the accuracy of the EyeOne Pro.

Why use an EyeOne Pro instead of a less expensive pod colorimeter?

A pod device such as the Spyder1/2/3, Eye-One Display 2/LT, DTP-94, or Chroma 5 measures light through filters and estimates the color based on a relatively small number of sensors, usually three and sometimes a few more. The EyeOne Pro uses a holographic diffraction grating with a diode array (no filters to degrade) similar to what is found in laboratory grade instruments. The EyeOne Pro samples with 100 sensors instead of three and uses the internationally recognized scientific standard method from CIE to calculate the x and y coordinates from those samples. The end result is increased accuracy that remains accurate over time. There's no filter to degrade.

Does the EyeOne Pro work with all displays

Yes. The EyeOne Pro, being a spectrophotometer rather than a filter-based tristimulus colorimeter doe not have issues with certain display technologies.

More information on the EyeOne Pro »


The Hubble



The Hubble is a laser guided non-contact meter for calibrating light-controlled front projected displays. It’s the most widely used non-contact colorimeter: Sencore has sold scores of them to professional calibrators as the rebadged OTC1000 (it's the exact same meter).

It is a surprisingly affordable high-end color analyzer for professionals, pro-sumers, and dedicated amateurs and offers the following advantages over other colorimeters:

• The size of the Hubble allows it to use relatively large photo sensitive diodes. Coupled with this are the custom optics that span the entire diameter of the chassis. The lens focuses all of the collected light onto the diodes. The result is extremely effective low-light sensitivity. The Hubble will read down to 0.001 fL. This is ten-times the sensitivity of the Chroma 5 and sixty-times the sensitivity of the EyeOne Pro!
  
• Because the filters are installed in a sealed environment, they are not subject to the same type of degradation in performance over time that is typical of less expensive contact meters. This means that the hubble needs to be recalibrated far less often than a typical colorimeter.
  
• The speed at which the Hubble reads light and color is astonishing. Readings, even at low light levels, are nearly instantaneous.
  
• The non-contact design means that the readings will not be affected by the heat a display might emit (plasmas are especially prone to this as previously mentioned), nor is there any danger of damaging the delicate surface of a flat panel. Also, because of the laser aiming device built-in to the unit, you can precisely aim the Hubble and even take readings off the screen of a front projector from very near the normal viewing distance.

The Hubble is supported by ChromaPure calibration software. It is not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the Hubble »


Still confused as to what's the right choice for you? We will help you choose! Email us at Kal@CurtPalme.com

-----------------

Kal

[kal]

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Which Meter Is Right for Me?
Updated: June 24, 2010 - Many general updates/clarifications, addition of ChomaPure PRO meters

Many meters are available for greyscale and colour calibration. What follows below is a short list of popular meters recommended by CurtPalme.com. Some of these meters are supported by our free Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide. All of these meters are supported by the more advanced ChromaPure calibration software. (Our free guide was written based on the workflow process used in ChromaPure).

Colorimeters, Spectroradiometers, Spectrophotometers: What's the difference and why do I care?

A tristimulus colorimeter measures the colour of a display by using three separate sensors to measure red, green, and blue. Each of the sensors sits behind a filter that isolates a particular colour. Using a tristimulus colorimeter is conceptually equivalent to using a normal white light meter and putting different filters on it for measuring different colours.

In an attempt to accurately model human colour vision using three filters, in the year 1931 the CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, or International Commission on Illumination) defined the Standard Observer characterized by three colour matching functions:



The filters in a tristimulus colorimeter are modeled after this colour matching function to mimic the human eye's response to red, blue and green. How well a colorimeter works is based on how well the manufacturer is able to match these curves to mimic this response to various display types. A filter-based colorimeter doesn't always get it exactly right however. Why? Accurately matching these complex curves and remaining affordable is always trade-off.

A spectroradiometer (also called a spectrophotometer) on the other hand reads light completely differently. It does not rely on filters as a way of mimicking human colour vision, but rather measures the spectra of a display directly in small bands and uses an industry standard formula to calculate the red, blue and green response. What you see is what you get! Its accuracy depends only on the bandwidth, sensitivity, and resolution of the device. This is why (generally speaking) spectroradiometers don't care what sort of display you're measuring.

The Spyder 1/2/3, EyeOne Display 2, DTP-94, Chroma 5, and Hubble are colorimeters. The EyeOne Pro is a spectroradiometer.

Most of the very bad meters that clutter the world, delivering unreliable and wildly inaccurate results, are colorimeters. That is because colorimeters can be manufactured very cheaply. But just because bad meters are mostly colorimeters does not mean all colorimeters are bad meters. Designed and manufactured correctly, either technology can provide excellent results. The underlying technology employed is not the way to judge a meter.

Each technology has its advantages, and each has its drawbacks. We'll list these below.

We've also published a series of Colour Science articles that deal with calibration in general. The following articles are definite must-reads for anyone looking at purchasing a meter:

Colour Science: About Meter Accuracy
Colour Science: Video Calibration Myths

For the complete list of articles, see here. Note that some of these articles are quite technical so don't worry if they don't make much sense to you. You don't need to understand the intricacies of what goes on in a calibration meter to perform an actual calibration!

So what's the best meter?

People want lists so here's one! Generally speaking, from worst to best we have:

1. Spyder 1/2/3 (not recommended)
2. EyeOne Display 2
3. EyeOne Display 2 PRO
4. X-Rite DTP-94
5. X-Rite DTP-94 PRO
6. X-Rite Chroma 5
7. X-Rite Chroma 5 PRO
8. X-Rite EyeOne Pro
9. X-Rite Hubble

This list assumes new colorimeters that have not drifted. Colorimeters can (and should) be periodically recalibrated to ensure they retain their initial accuracy. This eliminates the problems associated with exposure to the elements over time that affect all colorimeters. We recommend doing this yearly. All of the colorimeters listed above may be recalibrated (more information below).

Other budget/homemade meters exist but they're fairly rare and some present questionable results. They're not worth mentioning here given the low price that even reasonable meters can be purchased for. Higher-end reference meters are also available (many well over $10,000 USD) but anyone in the market for such a meter probably knows exactly what they want and won't be reading a simplified guide like this.

An important thing to keep in mind is that using any meter is better than trying to calibrate by eye or by using only test DVDs or Blu-ray discs. Our eyes are horrible at differentiating colours. Just because you can't afford the best meter doesn't mean you won't reap great rewards by calibrating your display with even a less expensive meter. If you're at all serious about Home Theater please calibrate your display. Proper greyscale and colour calibration is regarded as one of (if not the) most important actions that should be performed on all TVs or projectors for optimal picture quality. You will be astounded by the resulting difference in picture quality.

Why buy two meters?

Sometimes kits are listed that feature two meters. Why? As is usually the case, there's usually a trade-off so you'll often see kits with two different meters. Typically one will be a colorimeter and the other will be a spectroradiometer. For example: The Display 2 colorimeter and the EyeOne Pro spectroradiometer kit.

Even an inexpensive colorimeter like the Display 2 read extremely fast and but drifts over time as it uses a filter that slowly degrades. A spectroradiometer like the EyeOne Pro on the other hand reads very slowly and remains more accurate over time since there's no filter to degrade. The EyeOne Pro also does not read low light levels very well so it's not the perfect choice for gamma and contrast measurements that will generally require readings below the EyeOne Pro's effective operating range.

So what do do? Simple! Pro's and enthusiasts use software such as ChromaPure to create a meter offset make the Display 2 read like the more accurate EyeOne Pro. This gives the Display 2 the accuracy of the EyeOne Pro and also gives you the low light sensitivity required to read down to near black. The best of both worlds! You do your readings with the colorimeter (called your "field" meter) and your spectroradiometer remains your "reference" meter used to keep the Display 2 accurate as it drifts over time.


Budget Meters:

Budget meters are typically what users on a budget will consider for calibration use. Some of the cheaper ones are not even individually calibrated to begin with at the factory (more on this below). They are filter based meters so they will drift over time and should be replaced or recalibrated about once a year to ensure accuracy. Keep them in a cool/dark/dry place to minimize drifting. Many users use a sealed ziplock plastic bag or case of some sort with silica gel packets to absorb moisture from the air.

Spyder 1/2/3 meters




Spyder meters typically deliver results that are unpredictable. This is true for the Spyder 1, 2, and 3. In tests and discussions with pro calibrators we've found that approximately one third of Spyder units seem to be very accurate, the next third are slightly off, and the last third are considerably more inaccurate. Unfortunately there's no way to know how your Spyder unit rates unless you have a known accurate meter to compare it against. The reason for this disparity in accuracy is that Spyder units are not calibrated at the factory as they come off the assembly line. Therefore most calibration experts do not recommend that Spyder meters be used as you simply don't know what sort of results to expect.

The obvious advantage of the Spyder is cost: A low end Spyder can be had for under $100. In our humble opinion you're better off spending just a little more to get something that has some sort of guaranteed level of accuracy. While we're all interested in saving money, buying a meter only to question the results and *then* having to purchase a second (better) meter isn't much of a savings!

Spyder meters are not temperature compensated. This means that readings will change as temperature changes. If you wish to use a Spyder on displays such as plasmas (which tend to run hot), leave the meter on the display for at least 30 minutes (with the display on) before starting a calibration. This will help to offset the errors a bit.

If you do have a known good reference meter and Spyder, you can use the offset feature of ChromaPure to measure exactly how far off the Spyder is and create an offset table. ChromaPure can will return reasonably accurate results from the Spyder using this offset tables. The only catch of course here is that the offset table only works with ChromaPure and not our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide or any other software. We don't really see this as much of an issue as anyone using ChromaPure will have no interest in our free guide of course since ChromaPure is faster, easier to use, and more powerful (it's not free however).

For those that are curious we performed a really simple Spyder2 vs Display 2/LT Sensor Comparison using two brand new meters. While this sample size obviously isn't a good judge of what to expect in all situations it still is truthful information about what sort of accuracy you may be getting when buying a new Spyder and new Display 2/LT. Our comparison includes information and example graphs of readings done with both meter types. It's in Appendix A of our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide. Again, it's only one Spyder sample of course, but interesting nonetheless.

The Spyder meters cannot be recalibrated. The Spyder meters are supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide and will soon be supported by ChromaPure too.


EyeOne Display 2 / Display 2 PRO



The EyeOne Display meter actually comes in two versions: The EyeOne Display 2 and the EyeOne Display LT. These are in fact the same meter. The Display 2 version comes with extra photography software from the manufacturer that is typically of no use to home theater users. Both versions come with software to automatically calibrate PC/Mac displays by creating a custom display response curve used by your video card. For the rest of this article we'll simply refer to this meter as the 'Display 2'.

The Display 2 is a nearly ideal meter for the person who is new to video calibration. It is inexpensive, fast, has excellent low-light capabilities, and is the most accurate of the budget meters. For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier. In a pinch, painters tape also works to hold the meter to a tripod, but the tripod mount is easier/more flexible.

If you're the type of person that only will only be calibrating your own TV or projector rarely, is on a budget, and doesn't need absolute perfection, this is the meter for you. The results will be better than anything you could achieve using only your eyes and a calibration DVD/Blu-ray.

Unlike the (only slightly) lower priced Spyder meters, the X-Rite Eye One Display 2 is calibrated at the factory as they come off the assembly line. As such, our experience has been that they are all reasonably accurate consistent from unit to unit. This factory calibration most certainly has a lot to do with it.

Colorimeters like the Display 2 do drift faster than spectroradiometers so it's best to always get one that's as fresh as possible. Always purchase one from a place that has high turn around, or get the unit calibrated at the time of purchase. You do not want a unit that's been sitting around at hot/humid warehouse for quite some time before being sold to you.

The Display 2 is temperature compensated but this compensation is not as accurate as (say) a Chroma 5 however. If you wish to use a Display 2 on plasmas (which tend to run hot), leave the meter on the display for at least 30 minutes (with the display on) before starting a calibration. This will help with errors.

Care must also be taken to avoid having stray light hit the Display 2 meter from the side. For this reason this meter will be more reliable in some situations as a contact meter (where the meter is placed against the display) instead of as a non-contact meter (for calibrating projectors). If you wish to use the Display 2 to calibrate a front projector, care must be taken to avoid any stray light hitting the meter. This means closing all blinds or curtains, turning off all lights, and even making sure to keep the laptop running the calibration software closed while readings are being taken. It's also not uncommon for the bright blue lights of home theater equipment to completely throw readings off at the lower end of the spectrum!

The Display 2 meter reads very fast (much faster than the Spyder) and also reads fairly low (ie: darker patterns) such that you're likely to get reasonable accurate readings all the way down to 20 IRE on most displays as long as you're careful with stray light. If you require very accurate readings right down to very close to essentially black (0 IRE), consider the Hubble (see below). It is considerably more expensive however!

Note that some LCD displays can pose challenges for the Display 2 and colorimeters in general. Colorimeters can give erroneous results when calculating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong". The problem is with LCDs in general and is not directly related to the difference between CCFL backlit and LED backlit displays.

A special version of the Display 2 called the Display 2 PRO is available that increases accuracy for use with not only LCD displays, but other displays as well. It uses special offset tables for various display types when used with ChromaPure. The EyeOne Pro is also good choice if you wish to remain somewhat future proof and ensure accuracy when calibrating just about any display. The EyeOne Pro does not need to compensated as it reads light completely differently as it is a spectroradiometer.

The PRO units are all individually tested against a reference spectroradiometer on multiple display types. Offset tables are then created for use in ChromaPure to ensure that you get as accurate results as possible. This also compensates for any drift that may have occurred over time, essentially recalibrating your meter. We always recommend recalibration instead of buying a new meter, not only because it costs less, but because it also keeps more stuff out of landfills!

The Display 2 and Display2 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. Only the regular Display 2 is supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the Display 2 / Display 2 PRO »


X-Rite DTP-94 / DTP-94 PRO



Those of you that have been doing calibrations for some time will recognize the DTP-94. It's the pre-cursor to the Chroma 5 that was unfortunately pulled off the market a few years ago. It is still available for sale and used by home theater enthusiasts.

Performance wise the DTP-94 sits squarely between the Display 2 and the Chroma 5. It is a fast reading meter that reads well down to fairly low light levels. It reads lower, more accurately, and more consistently than the Display 2 but not quite as well as the Chroma 5.

The DTP-94 is more similar to the Chroma 5 as the Chroma 5 was actually designed from the DTP-94 (the specifications are very similar). Think of the DTP-94 as a budget version of the Chroma 5. It reads nearly as fast but isn't quite as accurate. The easiest way to compare the two meters is to think of the Chroma 5 as the lowest priced professional meter while the DTP-94 is the best performing consumer class colorimeter you can get.

The DTP-94 is temperature compensated.

The DTP-94 was primarily designed for flat panel and CRT displays but it works well with projectors. Heed the same warnings mentioned above in the Display 2 section however about eliminating stray or ambient light.

For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier. In a pinch, painters tape also works to hold the meter to a tripod, but the tripod mount is easier/more flexible.

Note that some LCD displays can pose challenges for the DTP-94 and colorimeters in general. Colorimeters can give erroneous results when calculating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong". The problem is with LCDs in general and is not directly related to the difference between CCFL backlit and LED backlit displays.

A special version of the DTP-94 called the DTP-94 PRO is available that increases accuracy for use with not only LCD displays, but other display types as well. It uses special offset tables for various displays when used with ChromaPure. The EyeOne Pro is also good choice if you wish to remain somewhat future proof and ensure accuracy when calibrating just about any display. The EyeOne Pro does not need to compensated as it reads light completely differently as it is a spectroradiometer.

The PRO units are all individually tested against a reference spectroradiometer on multiple display types. Offset tables are then created for use in ChromaPure to ensure that you get as accurate results as possible. This also compensates for any drift that may have occurred over time, essentially recalibrating your meter. We always recommend recalibration instead of buying a new meter, not only because it costs less, but because it also keeps more stuff out of landfills!

The DTP-94 and DTP-94 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. They are not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the DTP-94 /DTP-94 PRO »


High End (Pro) Meters:

These are some of the higher-end meters that are typically used for video display calibration by enthusiasts and professionals looking for quality pro-grade equipment: The Chroma 5, the EyeOne Pro (which you will sometimes see referred to as simply the "i1 Pro"), and the Hubble. All are excellent meters and provide great accuracy and are manufactured to X-Rite's high standards, so any of them will be robust and reliable. All pair extremely well with ChromaPure calibration software.


The Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO



The Chroma 5 is the big brother to the DTP-94 and Display2. The main advantage of the Chroma 5 is that it reads more accurately, consistently, and lower (closer to black) than the lower end meters. It also employs better temperature compensation so the Chroma 5 stays more accurate with changing ambient temperatures (such as found on plasma displays which tend to run hot). It can also can be calibrated to tighter standards.

The Chroma 5 is also one of the easiest devices to use because it requires no dark reading calibration. Some meters require that they be covered up and a reading taken either when they're first connected or every 10-20 minutes as you calibrate. It only takes a second but it annoys a lot of people! For comparison sake, the Display 2, EyeOne Pro, and Hubble requires a dark reading when the meter is initially connected. The EyeOne Pro and the Hubble then also require periodic dark readings throughout the calibration session.

The Chroma 5 was primarily designed for flat panel and CRT displays but it works well with projectors. Heed the same warnings mentioned above in the Display 2 section however about eliminating stray or ambient light.

For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier. In a pinch, painters tape also works to hold the meter to a tripod, but the tripod mount is easier/more flexible.

The Chroma 5 is one of the few meters that can be locked or modified to only work with one software product. If you think you may want to use your Chroma 5 with other software in the future, make sure to ask the seller if their unit is locked or modified in any way. Already own a Chroma 5? Contact us at kal@curtpalme.com and we'll send you a tester application to see if yours is locked or modified in any way that may render your meter unusable with other software. If the tester application works then you're free to use your Chroma 5 with any software that works with unlocked/unmodified meters. If it does not work then you're likely limited to only using the software it was sold with.

Note that some LCD displays can pose challenges for the Chroma 5 and colorimeters in general. Colorimeters can give erroneous results when calculating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong". The problem is with LCDs in general and is not directly related to the difference between CCFL backlit and LED backlit displays.

A special version of the Chroma 5 called the Chroma 5 PRO is available that increases accuracy for use with not only LCD displays, but other display types as well. It uses special offset tables for various displays when used with ChromaPure. The EyeOne Pro is also good choice if you wish to remain somewhat future proof and ensure accuracy when calibrating just about any display. The EyeOne Pro does not need to compensated as it reads light completely differently as it is a spectroradiometer.

The PRO units are all individually tested against a reference spectroradiometer on multiple display types. Offset tables are then created for use in ChromaPure to ensure that you get as accurate results as possible. This also compensates for any drift that may have occurred over time, essentially recalibrating your meter. We always recommend recalibration instead of buying a new meter, not that anyone would likely buy a new Chroma 5 every time it drifts a bit!

When someone needs to choose one single sub-$1000 meter for video calibrations, the Chroma 5 PRO is typically the device that we suggest. The Chroma 5 PRO is a colorimeter that offers professional grade performance at a price affordable to the amateur hobbyist or enthusiast.

Why would I buy a Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO instead of an EyeOne Pro?

The Chroma 5 less expensive than the EyeOne Pro and may meet your needs, particularly if you are not a professional calibrator and only want to purchase one meter. The Chroma 5 is nearly as accurate as an EyeOne Pro. The Chroma 5, however, is particularly susceptible to ambient light. The Chroma 5 has a wide field of view, so light off to the side, from other sources than your display, may contaminate the reading. You can calibrate a projector with a Chroma 5, but the EyeOne Pro may be a better choice if you have a lot of stray ambient light as it has a narrower field of view. The Chroma 5 will work very well when calibrating front projectors (either CRT or digital) you just need to take more care to make sure you have no ambient light due to the large field of view. If you do have a small amount of ambient light then only calibrate with the Chroma5 at night or use an EyeOne Pro instead. If you have lots of ambient light that can't be controlled then the Hubble is the best choice as it has the absolute narrowest field of view.

Why would I buy a Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO in addition to an EyeOne Pro?

If you are a professional calibrator, or even a hobbyist who spends a lot of time calibrating, you will find that the EyeOne Pro (being a spectrophotometer) is quite slow. This is particularly true at low light levels. If you're a pro you don't want to spend most of your time waiting for your meter. The Chroma 5 provides almost instantaneous results so you can perform the same readings over and over while adjusting the display's settings, narrowing in on an optimal state and then finishing off with the EyeOne Pro for the most accurate results.

The ChromaPure meter offset feature allows Chroma 5 users to achieve even higher accuracy by creating an offset of your Chroma 5 using a spectroradiometer (such as the EyeOne Pro). ChromaPure compares the differences in readings and then allows you to automatically adjust what the Chroma 5 records as if it were the Eye One Pro. The end result is fast calibration with the accuracy of the EyeOne Pro.

The Chroma 5 and Chroma 5 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. They are not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the Chroma 5 / Chroma 5 PRO »


The EyeOne Pro



The EyeOne Pro (or i1Pro) is a true spectroradiometer (spectrophotometer), and thus offers the most accurate readings for the widest range of displays at an affordable price.

The EyeOne Pro's only drawback is relatively limited low-light sensitivity. It simpl does not read as low (close to black) as most colorimeters - even the inexpensive ones! The EyeOne Pro alone is therefore not the perfect choice for gamma and contrast measurements that will generally require readings below the EyeOne Pro's effective operating range.

It is however a nearly ideal choice for use together with the Display 2 or Chroma 5 colorimeter, both of which can work well in very low light settings. Simply create an offset in ChromaPure using the EyeOne Pro as a reference and then use that offset to correct the response of the Display 2 or Chroma 5.

Although the color performance of inexpensive meters (such as the Display 2) is not as good as the EyeOne Pro, their luminance performance is remarkably accurate down to surprisingly low levels. Furthermore, once color corrected by a known reference, they maintain their accuracy down to very low levels as well.

The combination of the EyeOne Pro together with either of these colorimeters offers excellent accuracy, speed, and low-light sensitivity and is suitable for professional calibrations.

In addition to its superb accuracy it is the most versatile meter available anywhere due to the spectroradiometer technology used. It is able to read just about any kind of display accurately including CRT, plasma, LCD, the newest LED, front projector, rear projector, etc. If you own more than one meter, one of them should most certainly be an EyeOne Pro.

Spectroradiometer technology is slow however: It takes longer for each read to come back and update the software that you happen to be using. Especially at the dark end of the grayscale. A reading that will take the Chroma 5 a couple of seconds might take the EyeOne pro 30 or 60 seconds. This means that performing a calibration can take longer as you spend more time waiting for the readings to update. Whether the extra time is worth it or not is a call each person has to make for themselves. While most home users may not care, the professional who spends many hours a day doing calibration for a living would be pulling their hair out. (Which is why pro's will typically use a faster colorimeter with an offset created against the EyeOne Pro to get the best of both worlds: Accuracy and speed).

For front projector calibration we recommend using a universal tripod mount to make life easier.

The Chroma 5 and Chroma 5 PRO are supported by ChromaPure calibration software. They are not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

The EyeOne Pro is supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide as well as the more advanced ChromaPure calibration software.

Why would I buy a Chroma 5 in addition to an EyeOne Pro?

If you are a professional calibrator, or even a hobbyist who spends a lot of time calibrating, you will find that the EyeOne Pro (being a spectrophotometer) is quite slow. This is particularly true at low light levels. If you're a pro you don't want to spend most of your time waiting for your meter. The Chroma 5 provides almost instantaneous results so you can perform the same readings over and over while adjusting the display's settings, narrowing in on an optimal state and then finishing off with the EyeOne Pro for the most accurate results.

The ChromaPure meter offset feature allows Chroma 5 users to achieve even higher accuracy by creating an offset of your Chroma 5 using a spectroradiometer (such as the EyeOne Pro). ChromaPure compares the differences in readings and then allows you to automatically adjust what the Chroma 5 records as if it were the Eye One Pro. The end result is fast calibration with the accuracy of the EyeOne Pro.

Why use an EyeOne Pro instead of a less expensive pod colorimeter?

A pod device such as the Spyder1/2/3, Eye-One Display 2/LT, DTP-94, or Chroma 5 measures light through filters and estimates the color based on a relatively small number of sensors, usually three and sometimes a few more. The EyeOne Pro uses a holographic diffraction grating with a diode array (no filters to degrade) similar to what is found in laboratory grade instruments. The EyeOne Pro samples with 100 sensors instead of three and uses the internationally recognized scientific standard method from CIE to calculate the x and y coordinates from those samples. The end result is increased accuracy that remains accurate over time. There's no filter to degrade.

Does the EyeOne Pro work with all displays

Yes. The EyeOne Pro, being a spectrophotometer rather than a filter-based tristimulus colorimeter doe not have issues with certain display technologies.

More information on the EyeOne Pro »


The Hubble



The Hubble is a laser guided non-contact meter for calibrating light-controlled front projected displays. It’s the most widely used non-contact colorimeter: Sencore has sold scores of them to professional calibrators as the rebadged OTC1000 (it's the exact same meter).

It is a surprisingly affordable high-end color analyzer for professionals, pro-sumers, and dedicated amateurs and offers the following advantages over other colorimeters:

• The size of the Hubble allows it to use relatively large photo sensitive diodes. Coupled with this are the custom optics that span the entire diameter of the chassis. The lens focuses all of the collected light onto the diodes. The result is extremely effective low-light sensitivity. The Hubble will read down to 0.001 fL. This is ten-times the sensitivity of the Chroma 5 and sixty-times the sensitivity of the EyeOne Pro!
  
• Because the filters are installed in a sealed environment, they are not subject to the same type of degradation in performance over time that is typical of less expensive contact meters. This means that the hubble needs to be recalibrated far less often than a typical colorimeter.
  
• The speed at which the Hubble reads light and color is astonishing. Readings, even at low light levels, are nearly instantaneous.
  
• The non-contact design means that the readings will not be affected by the heat a display might emit (plasmas are especially prone to this as previously mentioned), nor is there any danger of damaging the delicate surface of a flat panel. Also, because of the laser aiming device built-in to the unit, you can precisely aim the Hubble and even take readings off the screen of a front projector from very near the normal viewing distance.

The Hubble is supported by ChromaPure calibration software. It is not supported by our Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

More information on the Hubble »


Still confused as to what's the right choice for you? We will help you choose! Email us at Kal@CurtPalme.com

-----------------

Kal

[kal]

Our FAQ's undergone a major overhaul. We've added the following new items:

EyeOne Display 2 PRO
X-Rite DTP-94 PRO
X-Rite Chroma 5 PRO

Also added are links to the new ChromaPure calibration software and links to the following two Colour Science articles:

Colour Science: About Meter Accuracy
Colour Science: Video Calibration Myths

Enjoy!

Kal

[kal]

Our FAQ's undergone a major overhaul. We've added the following new items:

EyeOne Display 2 PRO
X-Rite DTP-94 PRO
X-Rite Chroma 5 PRO

Also added are links to the new ChromaPure calibration software and links to the following two Colour Science articles:

Colour Science: About Meter Accuracy
Colour Science: Video Calibration Myths

Enjoy!

Kal