How to calibrate a plasma TV

[senile]

I need some help to calibrate a Samsung series 4 Plasma TV, the colour and black light and contrast etc. to get the best picture. Do I need to buy software or can I download something? I have no idea how to start.

edit: I remember coming across a website which had a database of TV's with the best calibrated settings for each TV. If you know what the website is please remind me. I'm senile

[lancelot]

When all else fails; read the manual.

[senile]

When all else fails; read the manual.

Yes. But the manual has one to believe that cranking up all the settings will give the best picture.

[ryanrich]

In my experience LCD and Plasma's are way too bright with the standard settings, so pause it at a scene of a DVD or something and adjust it down to your preference...

[thEnaileDonE]

I don't know plasma's but my Samsung LCD seems picture perfect from the get-go...

[naughty]

preference actually wont give the most natural settings

yes there are websites that give you calibrated settings but those are also preferences mainly - i used to keep a list of these but i seem to have lost this

you can get discs ie dvd's or blu-rays that will help you calibrate and most of those come with the red,green and blue filters to help sort out color saturation accurately one such which i have a copy off is DVE essentials

another method which is quick and easy is to use the THX calibration tools you get in some THX certified dvd's (normally at the beginning of the disc) - but then again Samsungs movie profile settings (as opposed to normal and dynamic) are very close to those THX settings - so if you dont like the movie settings then you definitely wont like the THX settings either AND the other problem is that this isnt a full calibration by any means

heres one site that could help you

http://www.tweaktv.com/

if you register and log in they have a database of different tweaked TV models - maybe yours is there too

[hamin_aus]

I don't know plasma's but my Samsung LCD seems picture perfect from the get-go...

+10 for helpfulness there

[thEnaileDonE]

I don't know plasma's but my Samsung LCD seems picture perfect from the get-go...

+10 for helpfulness there

Right back at ya...

[IcePick88]

In my experience LCD and Plasma's are way too bright with the standard settings, so pause it at a scene of a DVD or something and adjust it down to your preference...

Yeah what I would say as well.

I remember there was a similar discussion a while ago.
The optimal settings might not always be the best in all kind of environments. Ambient light ect ect.

The way I see it, if the picture looks good to me, then why would I need to change it? I setup my tv with the settings that looks good to me. Dunno about plasma, I have a Sony Bravia.

[StarBound]

My LED screen was nice off the bat. But my LED HDTV has issues and still trying to sort it.

http://forums.pcformat.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=38967

My thread and links on the last post. I did it however at the end of the day my settings changed completely.

Backlight = 3, contrast = 75, brightness = 60, sharpness = 60, colour = 50, gamma = +1, shadow = 0. But read the top thread. And I also have 4-5 movies to check my calibrations. Got Evangelion 2.22 the scene in the tunnel where the angle blows a hole in the roof to check if I can see dark images. Got the Wrath of the Lich King opening movie to see if the snow isnt too bright and if it doesnt loose detail. Got the Diablo 3 Demon hunter trailer to see if the red isnt too over powering. And then Starcraft 2 Ghost of the past trailer to ensure everything comes together nicely.

[senile]

After some searching I realized what it's all about. Play a calibration DVD and change the settings according to the DVDs instructions.

Apparently this is the latest and greatest in calibration software: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Disneys-W ... ray/16216/

Made by Disney nogal.