CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

ashfleeburgooben · Joined: 14 Mar 2010 Posts: 2

I have been lurking the boards for a while and have gone over virtually every post in the HTPC and this calibration section and have a few questions. I have no problems with the hardware setup and have a reasonable amount of knowledge of what software there is, but I'd like to figure out a step by step process for getting a PC calibrated just like the For Dummies post.

I'll start with what I have equipment wise.

HTPC with Nvidia 8500 running Windows 7. Calibrating with I1Display2 and HCFR using the Calibration for Dummies Post (Thanks so much!). Television is a Panasonic PZ750U.

I have actually successfully got several decent calibrations completed and been quite happy with the results until I go to watch something once I have completed the setting changes. It seems (and is probably the case) that each program doesn't follow the same rules. I use the television controls exclusively to adjust the brightness, contrast, and red and blue levels to make the greyscale and then use the Nvidia control panel settings to boost the gamma. I understand that I have to tell the nvidia drivers to take control of the video settings in order to change these things and it seems to work until I switch to a different program.

Optimally I would love to use Media Center as I have a server sharing everything and it is convenient for the significant other and Arcsoft TMT for bluray playback as it is also integrated with the media center.

The For Dummies article is great on this site but it is MUCH harder it seems to find information on the HTPC aspects. I am here to learn though and would actually like to possibly create a document describing these issues for other people trying to learn the same things.

So basically, where do I start? Do you have to somehow calibrate each program separately? Is there a way to set a base level that covers the entire gamut of possible software available? Do I have to run programs in conjunction with Media Center and TMT? Do I have to just run different software entirely?

Between everyone here we should be able to collect all the HTPC knowledge there is regarding calibration and really make this as simple as possible for people starting out with this complicated task!

ashfleeburgooben · Joined: 14 Mar 2010 Posts: 2

Just going to try a bump on this topic. I really would like to get this going but maybe I have to find a different place to start. Can anyone recommend a place for me to start looking for this information? I would love a simple guide like the one on this site but I am willing to go through searching around to find the info and begin collecting it.

I guess the one thing I'm having difficulty understanding off the bat is why the settings I make on my HTPC don't seem to stay consistent. It seems like every program uses different settings and often the settings I make work for a while and then seem to change or reset with no adjustments from me. Can anyone explain this issue to me at least? If I could figure this part out I imagine it would help me understand things in general a little better.

Hoping someone has some ideas! I'd really love to be able to make something to help a lot of people out.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 1:29 am Post subject:

That sounds just like the Nvidia 8500 I scraped in my HTPC. It would change resolutions at will, wouldn't hold resolution after a reboot and just generally was a PITA. I replaced it with an ATi card.