Why Video Calibration?

What exactly is “Video Calibration?” Video calibration is the process of using a display’s controls to calibrate the on screen image so that it matches the original source content, as its creator designed it. This allows the calibrated display to accurately reproduce the video signals from any source device, be it a digital signage player, cable or satellite box, or Blu-Ray player.

Why do we need to optimize our displays? Aren’t they already calibrated to look their best? In reality, they most definitely are not. Manufacturers do not ship displays calibrated from the factory. The display’s viewing environment has an impact on what is seen on screen that cannot be accounted for before the display is installed. Also, not all displays are the same; one size does not fit all! We need to calibrate for screen optimization to address a number of concerns.

When it comes to purchasing a new display, we must consider why it is not already calibrated. Display manufacturers advertise incredible image quality straight out of the box, just by selecting one of the preset image settings. However, this is actually not the case. Display manufacturers build their displays to get noticed in a lineup of other displays in a big box store. This may sound like a good thing. After all, we are interested in the most eye catching display, right? Again, this is not exactly ideal. The manufacturer attempts to make the display more noticeable by oversaturating colors, by shifting color balance to make a bluer display, and by crushing the blacks and pushing the whites, to make the image as eye catching as possible. This is completely unnatural and inaccurate. We have to calibrate for an optimized image after the display is installed.

A major reason that a display cannot be calibrated before it is installed is the effect of the environment on the image. Every different location where a display is to be installed has its own unique environment, consisting of the following elements:

•      Wall, ceiling, and floor color

•      Amount of ambient light

•      Color temperature of ambient light

Since the display relies on getting light to our eyes to be seen, and each of these elements changes what, and how, we see that light, the display cannot be truly optimized until it is calibrated in the location where it will be viewed.

Also, we have variances with different displays inside a single environment. Every display is unique, even compared to other displays of the same model. Just like differences in color between batches of paint, there are definite variances between batches of color filters, phosphors, or even backlight bulbs and lamps. Different display technologies, such as LCD versus plasma, have different color performance. No two lamps, whether dealing with flat panel backlights, or projection bulbs, have the exact same brightness output. As display devices age, these variances become even more pronounced.

Now we understand what screen optimization is, and why we must do it, but of course, we have to understand what benefits we may see from calibration. What do we gain from a properly calibrated display device? A fully calibrated display provides several benefits compared to an uncalibrated display, straight from the box:

•      Improved Experience

•      Color Accuracy

•      Display Matching

The first major benefit of screen optimization is a completely calibrated color output, corrected to show the content displayed with the utmost accuracy. A calibrated display will always show content completely accurate to the creator’s original material and intent. A calibrated display always shows source material exactly as designed.

Calibration improves the ability to have a more enjoyable experience. Displays that provide a proper amount of brightness to deal with ambient light and glare are easy to read, and proper, “natural” colors make the displays more pleasant to watch. Displays also change color as they age, but proper periodic calibration keeps them looking as good as the day they came out of the box.

Since all displays are not equal, we can frequently be faced with an installation project where there may be more than one model, or more than one manufacturer of display present. Each manufacturer will have their own formulation for color filters, phosphors, and different backlight bulbs or projection lamps. This causes each display to have it’s own color “fingerprint” that will cause it to look noticeably different when showing the same content as it’s neighbors. The solution to this, is screen optimization through calibration. A properly calibrated screen is configured to a separate color standard, that will allow various displays, regardless of manufacturer, to match each other either perfectly, or closely enough to not be noticed.

Calibration will offer a clear set of benefits to the customer.  Calibration should be performed periodically for best image quality to ensure the best experience, that same experience the director had when shooting the film or tv show.