CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

jamsys · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 152

What is the favorite DVD for setting up the contrast, gamma etc of your projector?

I know there are alot out there, but curious what everyone is using (I dont need audio setup etc)

Thx!

Scott

Brian Hampton · Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 1173

I recommend Digital Video Essentials on Blu Ray.

And,.. there is a free calibration disc in the calibration forum of another popular site (avs) called 709 or something that is also very good. I would say the free disc is actually better in some ways but I have it on DVD which reads like a blu ray but it's 1080i only which would result in a different memory block on my pj so the DVE disc is better. Plus the DVE disc is a "real" blu ray so it plays back through the whole signal chain (all the decoders and such) which also makes it a bit more handy.

-Brian

**kal** · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:25 pm Post subject:

I've been using this one:

Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics (DVD International) - ON SALE! After numerous delays the Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics calibration disc is finally out! This disc gives you an understanding of the concepts that are vital to getting the most out of your home theater. Also available on HD DVD.

It does audio too but it's so cheap ($18.95) who cares. There's also a good 2+ hours of "How HD video and calibration works and how all manufacturers are making screwed up TV and CRT is the best". Makes you good to own a CRT! Smile

Kal

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4899 Location: Flower Mound, TX

On blu ray, you don't have much choice--DVE. For calibrating DVD playback, I prefer Avia. For calibrating your cable, record the HDNet test patterns. For calibrating D-VHS playback of the content captured from cable, record the HDNet test patterns to D-VHS. For calibrating D-Theater playback, get the 1080i DVE D-VHS. For calibrated HTPC playback--you're on your own, I don't use one of those! Smile

ecrabb · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject:

Yep - what Dave said. Avia for DVD or DVE for BD. No reason to mess around with any of the others.

SC

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

For SD grayscale calibration I prefer the GetGray disk over DVE or Avia. Don't know if they've produced an HD version yet. Gray is gray so in theory you could use either to set your projector, except ideally you want the whole signal chain involved in the calibration.

jamsys · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 152

Since I have a SD Player and the Ps/3 am I better calibrating with the same disk? Just using SD DVE?

Thx for the replies

Scott

Brian Hampton · Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 1173

since you have the ps3 you are better off using DVE on Blu Ray.

By the way Avia's Grey Scale patterns are confirmed in-accurate by Avia. (they are only off by a hundred degrees or so but just sayin. Shocked

) I just gave my old Avia disc to my step dad since it was too scratched to trade in (played back fine though) and I will keep DVE on DVD because Newbury wouldn't accept that one either for some reason.

But DVE on Blu Ray is likely all I will use going forward.

=Brian

p.s. DVE on DVD is pretty cheap too. You could use DVE on DVD for your DVD player and DVE on Blu Ray for the PS3. But you could also just use the PS3 to play your DVDs too.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:02 am Post subject:

It's not so much the disc but the player - make sure to use the player and the whole signal chain that you intend to use.

Kal

P.S. Yes, the original Avia (not Avia II) is off but you can get around that if your player lets you turn off saturation completely (like an HTPC). Most people can't however.

docrings · Joined: 31 Aug 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Okinawa, JP

On my HTPC I play back the GetGray disc through Zoomplayer or PowerDVD, (whatever you have).

You have to decide which software filters, gamma changers to use (or not), and whether to use the color/tint/contrast/brightness controls on the HTPC DVD playback software... gets rather complicated if you let it!

I haven't used the AVS HD 709 discs yet, but those should play back through my PowerDVD "Ultra" Blu-Ray player on my computer.

Cheers,
Doc

Bronco70 · Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 4:18 am Post subject:

The AVS HD disc uses REC. 709 and is easy to navigate as opposed to Mr. Kane's also worthy candidate. It also has better patterns for initial black/white level adjustment IMO. In addition it has the 10% steps for greyscale measure avoiding the double taps with HD DVE if using the EyeOne.

Also if your player "twists" to REC. 709 properly, then the GetGray disc also works for HD.

Joe

nathansyngrem1 · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 2 Location: California