Do I Want To Have My TV Professionally Calibrated?

• New Samsung PN64D7000, HD, 3D, Plasma, 64 inches
  
• Room is 14'w x 24' l, ceiling is 10' high. TV is at the end of the room.
  
• 4 windows, 2 on the right wall as you face the TV, 1 almost directly parallel to it, but the blinds are always closed
  
• I don't watch sports or game. It's just TV and movies.
  
• I don't own movies, so I don't have a DVD player. Between Netflix, Hulu, and Pay Per View, I'm good.

So professional calibration seems to be running $150 and up.

• Are there any do-it-yourself options, e.g., someplace where I can find generic specs that I can use?
  
• If I did it myself would the quality of the picture it be significantly less than if I pay a pro?
  
• Again, I don't have a DVD player so a disk with color bars, etc. isn't going to do me any good.

Thanks in advance.

Calibrated like playing with the settings and stuff? In my opinion you aren't even watching high quality movies, so it would be a waste of money. If you were really into quality then maybe, but then you would probably be able to do it yourself.

No.

Look on AVS Forum, there might be calibration guides for that model. I calibrated my Panasonic myself using information from that site. It basically involves changing a few settings in a secret menu. If you can follow instructions, you can do it. IT VOIDS YOU WARRANTY.

It is recommended that you run a few color screens for 100 hours before calibrating in order to make the colors settle in. Does your TV come with a USB port? you can download the files on to a USB and play it. With a 64 inch tv, you should really invest in a DVD player or blue ray or something

Originally Posted by changy

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Look on AVS Forum, there might be calibration guides for that model. I calibrated my Panasonic myself using information from that site. It basically involves changing a few settings in a secret menu. If you can follow instructions, you can do it. IT VOIDS YOU WARRANTY.

It is recommended that you run a few color screens for 100 hours before calibrating in order to make the colors settle in. Does your TV come with a USB port? you can download the files on to a USB and play it. With a 64 inch tv, you should really invest in a DVD player or blue ray or something

+1 on AVS Forum. Pretty extensive thread explains each model of televisions.

Here is one for your Samsung Plasma

Samsung PNxxDxxxx

Originally Posted by BrianVarick

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Calibrated like playing with the settings and stuff? In my opinion you aren't even watching high quality movies, so it would be a waste of money. If you were really into quality then maybe, but then you would probably be able to do it yourself.

With a 64 inch tv, you should really invest in a DVD player or blue ray or something

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Why are you guys saying this - the majority of my satellite provider's movie channels are in HD and they even have some PPV stuff in 3D. Is Blu-ray that much better quality? And can you even rent DVD's anymore? The Blockbusters in my area closed months ago.

Let me know your thoughts - I'm going to wall mount the TV soon and fish all the wires through the wall. It's going to be difficult, if not impossible, to retrofit a DVD player if I decide to get one after the fact.

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by Imhoff

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+1 on AVS Forum. Pretty extensive thread explains each model of televisions.

Here is one for your Samsung Plasma

Samsung PNxxDxxxx

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Originally Posted by Lone Wolf

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Why are you guys saying this - the majority of my satellite provider's movie channels are in HD and they even have some PPV stuff in 3D. Is Blu-ray that much better quality?

If you are asking this, then no...you do not need it professionally calibrated.

Originally Posted by Lone Wolf

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Why are you guys saying this - the majority of my satellite provider's movie channels are in HD and they even have some PPV stuff in 3D. Is Blu-ray that much better quality?
Short answer? Yes. Even the best broadcast HD is compressed more than Blu Ray, it has to be to be able to be transmitted efficiently to your home. What this means is when it's uncompressed at your house - it loses quality. Some Blu Ray is better than others, but generally speaking, it's higher quality than anything broadcast, and/or streamed. Not all HD is equal. Just because an image has the same number of pixels does not mean it's the same picture quality. If that makes sense. This is true even among Blu Rays. Older stuff is sometimes mastered poorly. A degraded image in HD is still degraded. But when they get it "right" - you will notice. (this is a basic explaination for a layman, I don't want to argue about specifics)

And can you even rent DVD's anymore? The Blockbusters in my area closed months ago.

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It depends where you live. But the grocery store here rents dvds. And there is Redbox/etc. Though it's somewhat inconvenient. Also, the world's best video store is in Seattle, and I can still rent some VHS and possibly Laserdisks from them if I want, as well as DVD/BR - but that probably doesn't help you much. Though you probably have a neighborhood rental joint or two left. Unless you are in a really small town...

Let me know your thoughts - I'm going to wall mount the TV soon and fish all the wires through the wall. It's going to be difficult, if not impossible, to retrofit a DVD player if I decide to get one after the fact. Thanks in advance.

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It probably won't matter much to you, the ROI isn't great to pay someone to do it for you unless you are an uber picture nerd - which it seems you are not. Take the advice and look at AVS for reccommended settings. And you can always fish one more hdmi cable in the future. It's not that hard/impossible.

At least, for God's sake - turn off any smooth motion crap that comes built into your tv. Only useful for making everything look like a damn soap opera.

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

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At least, for God's sake - turn off any smooth motion crap that comes built into your tv. Only useful for making everything look like a damn soap opera.

This.

I was laughing at my factory settings when I got my new tv. 240hz + interpolative smooth motion + "image enhancer" = lulz.

Originally Posted by Lone Wolf

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Why are you guys saying this - the majority of my satellite provider's movie channels are in HD and they even have some PPV stuff in 3D. Is Blu-ray that much better quality? And can you even rent DVD's anymore? The Blockbusters in my area closed months ago.

Let me know your thoughts - I'm going to wall mount the TV soon and fish all the wires through the wall. It's going to be difficult, if not impossible, to retrofit a DVD player if I decide to get one after the fact.

Thanks in advance.

Neither Cable, Satellite, nor Over The Air Broadcasting operates at 1080P. At 64 inches it might be worth the upgrade - a decent Blu-ray can be had for around $150 and the Blu-ray discs is only a couple dollars more a month from Netflix.

I paid it and couldnt see any difference....so....just take off the motion stuff and save the money for the blu-ray player.


D

Originally Posted by changy

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Look on AVS Forum, there might be calibration guides for that model. I calibrated my Panasonic myself using information from that site. It basically involves changing a few settings in a secret menu. If you can follow instructions, you can do it. IT VOIDS YOU WARRANTY.

It is recommended that you run a few color screens for 100 hours before calibrating in order to make the colors settle in. Does your TV come with a USB port? you can download the files on to a USB and play it. With a 64 inch tv, you should really invest in a DVD player or blue ray or something

How is the warranty voided?
Aren't you just adjusting things in the menu that they out there for this purpose?