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Monitor Calibration using hardware

Tom Chase

Tom Chase

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Hello all,

I am looking at purchasing the Xrite I1 tool for monitor calibration. Right now I am really poor (lol) so I am using a Mac Pro with a 27" Cinema Display and a ASUS PA249Q attached to a BlackMagic Decklink Monitor card. I know its not a Grading or Broadcast Monitor, if I could afford one I'd be all over it. My question is has anyone used any of the hardware based Montior Calibration tools like Xrite to calibrate monitors (mainly I'd like my Cinema Display to have a similar calibration to my ASUS - which claims to come pre calibrated to Adobe RGB, sRGB, and 90% NTSC).

Thanks

Tom
 
It can be done, but not with stock Xrite software. There is 3 option to accomplished it.

1 Lightspace CMS (best option)
2 CalMAN Studio
3 Arghyll CMS + Dispcal GUI (free)

Asus PA249 is a wide gamut display, so most likely you would get pretty fine results.
Lightillusion site has plenty of info on that topic, and I suggest you to read it carefully.
http://www.lightillusion.com/tech_info.html
 
If you're planning to purchase i1Display3 Pro make sure, that you buy the OEM version. Otherwise, the standard non OEM version is useless with all software mentioned, except Arghil. BTW, for what you need, Lightspace is WAY overpriced and Calman just ran a special, where you could buy Calman 5 Resolve edition for just $99. Unfortunately, that deal is gone now, but the last time I checked, with a special coupon it still can be bought for $199.
 
CalMAN works with both OEM and Retail versions of i1 Display Pro.

Amazon sells retail version, which is not compatible with Lightspace.

OEM version can be bought from Lightillusion, ChromaPure or other vendors. I read that EIZO calibration kit also OEM version of i1 Display Pro.
 
Calman does NOT work with non OEM version. That is the reason why Spectracal sells the OEM version to be used with Calman.
You can't tell the difference between OEM and non OEM by just looking at it. There is though a different serial number for OEM version. BTW Spectracal is the best place to buy an OEM version. Their price is the same as B&H price for the standard I1Display3.
 
I haven't tried it and it's not advertised but I think calman actually does work with retail i1D3.
I also think all available calibration software is "currently" windows only (except for things like the xrite computer monitor stuff), but you can run it on Mac with VMware fusion, or second Mac under bootcamp.
But wait a week for NAB and talk to Spectracal then. They'll hook you up fo sho'.
 
Paul Provost said:
I also think all available calibration software is "currently" windows only (except for things like the xrite computer monitor stuff), but you can run it on Mac with VMware fusion, or second Mac under bootcamp.
Click to expand...

Arghil works under Mac OSX with standard non OEM i1Display3 Pro and it is also free.
 
jake blackstone said:
Calman does NOT work with non OEM version. That is the reason why Spectracal sells the OEM version to be used with Calman.
You can't tell the difference between OEM and non OEM by just looking at it. There is though a different serial number for OEM version. BTW Spectracal is the best place to buy an OEM version. Their price is the same as B&H price for the standard I1Display3.
Click to expand...

Jake, CalMAN works with Retail version of i1 Display Pro since v5 i think. It`s officially supported. You can check it yourself with free CalMAN colorchecker, or by mailing to them. I don`t know why there is no word about it on their site.

Tom Chase said:
I noticed Resolove 10 has a function under color - monitor calibration and it gives you the Lightscape & CALMAN option. Has anyone used this and is it to calibrate the GUI monitor or the reference monitor

Tom
Click to expand...

That`s how it works - you connect you Resolve workstation with PC (real or virtual) that runs CalMAN or Lightspace. You Resolve becomes patch generator controlled by Lightspace or CalMAN.

Arghyll workflow is different - you need to generate patch sequence and play it from Resolve
more complete discription is here
http://sourceforge.net/p/dispcalgui/wiki/3D LUT creation workflow for Resolve/
 
Valentine Andreev said:
Jake, CalMAN works with Retail version of i1 Display Pro since v5 i think. It`s officially supported. You can check it yourself with free CalMAN colorchecker, or by mailing to them. I don`t know why there is no word about it on their site.
Click to expand...
Well, if they don't clearly state, that non OEM i1 is supported it on their site, then that would come under the definition of "no official support" and I have no idea why you insist otherwise.
 
It was deep in press release section but I find official words about it


SpectraCal Supports Retail X-Rite i1Display Colorimeter

CalMAN 4.4 first independent software to support X-rite’s colorimeter

(Seattle, WA) – October 12, 2011 – When X-rite introduced the ground-breaking i1 Display Pro in June, SpectraCal, Inc. was the first independent software vendor to announce support for custom OEM versions of the new colorimeter. Today SpectraCal deepened that support by also delivering support for X-rite’s own retail version of the i1 Display Pro.

CalMAN Version 4.4 DIY Edition, announced by SpectraCal today

The X-rite retail version of the i1 Display Pro had previously not been usable with any software other than X-rite’s.

“The retail i1 Display Pro provides the most powerful and least expensive entry level package we’ve ever been able to offer,” says Alex Nguyen, Marketing Manager at SpectraCal. “If you’ve been waiting for a great performing display calibration package within your budget for your media room or home theater, this is the kit for you!”

In the month of October, SpectraCal is selling the X-rite retail version of the i1 Display Pro, bundled with both X-rite’s software and CalMAN DIY Edition, for an introductory price of $379.

But Quain points out that you do not have to buy the X-rite meter from SpectraCal in order to use CalMAN.

“Wherever you buy your i1 Display Pro retail version, CalMAN will support it,” says Nguyen, explaining that this can make a huge difference in convenience to users in other parts of the world.

“Instead of having to import an i1 Display from the United States, sometimes at quite a cost, European users can now purchase a retail i1 Display locally at a great savings,” Nguyen says.

The DIY Edition of CalMAN which supports the retail version of the i1 Display Pro is available for download from the SpectraCal web site for $199.

For more information, please go to www.spectracal.com or contact sales@spectracal.com.

About SpectraCal

SpectraCal provides everything needed for calibrating video displays: the award-winning software CalMAN, a wide range of colorimeters and spectrophotometers for accurate color measurement, the best available test pattern sources, and a comprehensive education program. CalMAN DIY is the most popular color calibration software used video enthusiasts worldwide. SpectraCal is the number one supplier of technical training on calibration in the world. Please visit www.spectracal.com for more information.

About X-Rite

(NASDAQ: XRIT - News) X-Rite is the global leader in color science and technology. The company, which now includes color industry leader Pantone LLC, develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rite’s expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com.
 
And how dois this old announcement relates to the version 5 support?
Let me make my point one more time. Because this support is "unofficial" it can disappear as easily as it appeared with no recourse at the moment's notice. If you're willing to risk it, then good luck to you. Buying an OEM version from Spectracal at the same price, while knowing that there will never be "support surprise", IMHO is a much better way to go. But hey, it's just me...
 
If only I can order OEM version with ease...

I don`t think it will disappear, it seams that they already pay lic fee to x-rite.
 
Valentine Andreev said:
If only I can order OEM version with ease...

I don`t think it will disappear, it seams that they already pay lic fee to x-rite.
Click to expand...

Yes, I can understand this.
You don't know, if they pay or not. Not sure, where you get your information.
Argyll claims the support for non OEM i1 upfront. They designed their open source software to work with non OEM i1 from the ground up and that is their "official" stance. If x-Rite decides to change their locking mechanism, Argyll will have to spend time designing their software to work around it. They may or they may not. For software to work with non OEM x-Rite hardware requires a licensing fee payment or the development costs. Basically, it cost money and that is why the majority of software manufacturers do not support it or that support may disappear at any time without a warning. That's why there is no "official support" by Calman.
The bottom line, if you want to make sure, that your i1 will always work with the calibrating software, get the OEM version.
 
RETAIL version of i1D3 has been supported in Calman for a long time, and won't "disappear"... too many retail i1D3 users and Spectracal already paid licensing fees... not sure if X-Rite's own sw has more (internal) features for the Retail version, but that sw is almost useless so it wouldn't matter ;-)

so I personally would highly advise to get the OEM version, which u can get off Light Illusions website or Spectracal's website, as that version is required for Lightspace and is also supported in other apps - be aware that the OEM version is NOT supported in some other apps, for example (IIRC) basICColor only supports the Retail version - not that I would recommend that as a final display calibration solution.

but it needs to be mentioned here that the i1D3 (no matter if RETAIL or OEM version) on it's own is not very color accurate, even when u buy a brand new unit. i1D3 is a colorimeter that works with internal offset tables, that naturally are not (very) accurate to your specific display source (LCD | OLED | Plasma | PJ | CRT | etc) on top of that the meter itself will drift over time.

So in addition to ur i1D3 OEM you would buy a reference spectrometer that will be used to create display source specific color offsets for your i1D3 colorimeter every time u run a profiling / calibration session.

If u wonder why 2 meter types: spectro is more color accurate (will be ur reference meter), colorimeter is faster and better in low light (will be ur active meter)

doing the above will result in having best of both worlds and is NEEDED in calibrating displays used for color critical applications.

the i1D3 is the best budget colorimeter, the i1Pro rev D (get used off eBay) is the best budget spectro (make sure to get rev D version)


Since you did not mention any LUT boxes in your signal path and both screens you mentioned do not have internal LUT memories, I assume you want to use a 3D LUT within Resolve to color correct the image that you're viewing on screen ?


Regarding calibration solutions:

I've tested all of the solutions mentioned here extensively (LS | CM | Argyll), and Lightspace is the best and the most color accurate solution. If u can afford, buy LS which also has a specific Resolve version.

When validating your calibration results it is very important to run a larger, well spread (within the gamut) validation patch set to better analyze the final performance of the screen. Most people fool themselves by running small validation patch sets that not only do not provide enough relevant information but more importantly validate the same points that were profiled. You want to validate the screen performance across the board, and that includes points / areas that were not profiled, so these are colors that will be interpolated when the LUT is being processed... as u know, ur real world footage will contain all kinds of colors, not just specific ones ;-)


once u do that with LUTs produced by different solutions, then u can really compare final color accuracy... check out http://DisplayCalibrationTools.com which has calibration guides that outline the profiling / calibration process and also demonstrate the Lightspace workflow in detail...

naturally all screens need to be calibrated, but when they advertise the Asus on Amazon with "Professional-grade color fidelity, pre-calibrated to dE < 5 for industry-leading color accuracy" then u know u're in trouble.... ;-)))) hahahahaha... maybe industry-leading BS.... ;-)

u want none of your validation points to be over dE of 2 (I set 1.5 as my limit on ref screens) and your average dE (across all validation points) to be way below dE 1 (all dE 2000 formula)... but again, u need to run a larger validation patch set in order to get relevant stats (all explained in the calibration guides on DCT)

Hope this helps.

- Mike
 
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