FAQs
FAQs
Often asked, always answered.
Video calibration is and always has been required during the creation of every movie, television show, and video game on professional studio monitors. Although corrective video calibration to your home video display device (TV or projector) may be a new concept to you, here are some FAQs posed by Mike’s home video clients. Mike is more than happy to further educate you during your calibration session!
The simplest answer: for consistency from the filmmaker’s ultimate reference “Hero” studio monitor to your home video display. There is only one 1080p HDTV video standard and only one 4K Ultra High Definition video standard that all video displays need to follow. All home televisions and projectors do not display the correct image from factory but can be correctively calibrated using specialized equipment. If you want the incredible visual and artistic impact of the of all that you watch – from films to live sporting events – then corrective calibration is 100% necessary.
Yes. All reputable video review website and print magazines review a product after it has been calibrated. It is the only way to evaluate the true performance of the television/projector and compare it to that of others.
The short answer is: Accuracy Doesn’t Sell. If all TVs adhered to standards and were calibrated perfectly from factory, then there would be no image quality difference between a Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL, etc. They would all look identical! So why pay more for a Sony vs. an LG? Since TVs are sold in brightly-lit stores where all brand names are on display next to each other, each brand name has given their TV a skewed but intentional “look” they believe will sell over the next brand. They are unnaturally intense, uncomfortable to the eyes after prolonged viewing, and have jacked up colours beyond reality. A comparison to your television’s fluorescent green football fields to a quick look at a lawn out your window reveals how ridiculous this can get. These brands have only a brief amount of time to win your heart and earn your sale as you walk by the TV display shelf; the competition between brand names to look more exaggerated than the next is in full-force! Calibration not only corrects this absurdity and false image on all televisions, but it also closes the performance gap between many manufacturers and models offering far more value to the model you’ve chosen.
Yes, if we’re comparing apples-to-apples in technology. For example, an entry-level LCD TV with limited High Dynamic Range capability and no “local dimming” feature will look superior once calibrated and compared to a more expensive entry-level TV with the same feature set. The same can be said of a correctively calibrated high-end TV; it will always look superior to one that is not. It would be unreasonable to expect an entry-level TV to exceed the performance of a television designed with high-intensity LEDs and multiple local dimming zones for greater brightness and black level capability.
No. All TV shows, movies, and sports use the same HDTV BT.709 video standard and UHD BT.2020 video standard.
Yes. All my calibrations include one for HDTV, Ultra High Definition TV, and Dolby Vision (where applicable). The TV/projector will automatically select the correct mode for you ensuring you are viewing the most optimal image.
Yes. Have you ever seen burned-out LCD displays in restaurants with dark blotches all over the picture? This is called burn-out and LCD televisions running at full intensity risk this problem. OLED televisions risk burn-in where television station logos or video game scores remain on the screen for the life of the TV (also known as image retention). TVs also begin looking brown as the blue sub-pixel is in overdrive and burns out the quickest. Corrective video calibration can lengthen the time of enjoying an accurate and pleasing image without these disastrous results.
Old CRT (picture tube) televisions were unstable and so it was recommended to wait about 150 hours before calibration. Modern day panels are solid-state devices that do not have the same instability. My primary concerns before calibration are that you 1) are happy with the screen size you’ve chosen for your room and 2) ensure the TV is in good working order (not a lemon) before I arrive. Since I typically book a few weeks in advance, the time in between will be enough for these two decisive factors.
No, not if it’s calibrated correctly to the environment it’s being placed in. I do not agree with dark settings unless the TV’s use is for post-production colour-correcting in a fully black studio environment. In the home, I prefer an accurate high-contrast calibration that is enjoyable to watch, remains true to artistic intent, and one that extends the life of the television.
No. I use my professional judgement to calibrate your image for all times of the day. My clients do not want to be fiddling with the remote control changing picture modes depending on the height of the sun. If you would like me to calibrate for additional picture modes at your request, please review my additional services list.
Like anything that gets used, panels also wear a little over time. How much wear depends on your daily usage and the number of years you enjoy the television. Since the work of my post-production clients relies on perfection, I regularly touch up their displays since even the slightest drift/error needs to be realigned to spec. I also offer a “touch up” calibration service to my home video clients for a nominal fee. Projector lamps wear faster, and I recommend a touch-up every 600 hours of lamp use. Most projector lamps should be replaced after 1200-1400 hours of use with original lamps from the manufacturer and not from a generic replacement lamp website. I then continue with the touch-up process.
Absolutely. Many TVs have a Game Mode/HDR Game Mode that can be correctively calibrated for the greatest accuracy and the lowest input lag. See my Additional Services List for details.
Depending on the service chosen, a full calibration session can range from two to six hours.
We can absolutely make it a “lunch and learn” at the time of my appointment with you!
I understand that our beautiful country of Canada is massive in size with many remote communities. I do our very best to accommodate as many communities as I can by booking “trips” along similar routes. Trips are booked months in advance to ensure there are enough clients to service along the route. If faster service is required, I can arrange to fly to the destination or book a solo road trip for an additional fee.
No, but one of my trusted professional video calibrators routinely services the Western Provinces. Please contact Michael Chen at michael@tlvexp.com with your calibration inquiry and to arrange a travel date.
No, but I have trusted associates across Canada and the U.S.A. that do quality work and give a great educational experience for their clients. For Canadian snowbirds residing in Florida, please contact Jason Dustal at isfjasond65@gmail.com for a high-performance calibration. For Eastern states in the U.S.A., please contact Gregg Loewen at gregg@lionav.com.
Video calibration is and always has been required during the creation of every movie, television show, and video game on professional studio monitors. Although corrective video calibration to your home video display device (TV or projector) may be a new concept you, I have provided some brief answers to some excellent commonly asked questions by my home video clients. I’ll be more than happy to further educate you during our calibration session!
The simplest answer: for consistency from the filmmaker’s ultimate reference “Hero” studio monitor to your home video display. There is only one 1080p HDTV video standard and only one 4K Ultra High Definition video standard that all video displays need to follow. All home televisions and projectors do not display the correct image from factory but can be correctively calibrated using specialized equipment. If you want the incredible visual and artistic impact of the of all that you watch – from films to live sporting events – then corrective calibration is 100% necessary.
Yes. All reputable video review website and print magazines review a product after it has been calibrated. It is the only way to evaluate the true performance of the television/projector and compare it to that of others.
The short answer is: Accuracy Doesn’t Sell. If all TVs adhered to standards and were calibrated perfectly from factory, then there would be no image quality difference between a Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL, etc. They would all look identical! So why pay more for a Sony vs. an LG? Since TVs are sold in brightly-lit stores where all brand names are on display next to each other, each brand name has given their TV a skewed but intentional “look” they believe will sell over the next brand. They are unnaturally intense, uncomfortable to the eyes after prolonged viewing, and have jacked up colours beyond reality. A comparison to your television’s fluorescent green football fields to a quick look at a lawn out your window reveals how ridiculous this can get. These brands have only a brief amount of time to win your heart and earn your sale as you walk by the TV display shelf; the competition between brand names to look more exaggerated than the next is in full-force! Calibration not only corrects this absurdity and false image on all televisions, but it also closes the performance gap between many manufacturers and models offering far more value to the model you’ve chosen.
Yes, if we’re comparing apples-to-apples in technology. For example, an entry-level LCD TV with limited High Dynamic Range capability and no “local dimming” feature will look superior once calibrated and compared to a more expensive entry-level TV with the same feature set. The same can be said of a correctively calibrated high-end TV; it will always look superior to one that is not. It would be unreasonable to expect an entry-level TV to exceed the performance of a television designed with high-intensity LEDs and multiple local dimming zones for greater brightness and black level capability.
No. All TV shows, movies, and sports use the same HDTV BT.709 video standard and UHD BT.2020 video standard.
Yes. All my calibrations include one for HDTV, Ultra High Definition TV, and Dolby Vision (where applicable). The TV/projector will automatically select the correct mode for you ensuring you are viewing the most optimal image.
Old CRT (picture tube) televisions were unstable and so it was recommended to wait about 150 hours before calibration. Modern day panels are solid-state devices that do not have the same instability. My primary concerns before calibration are that you 1) are happy with the screen size you’ve chosen for your room and 2) ensure the TV is in good working order (not a lemon) before I arrive. Since I typically book a few weeks in advance, the time in between will be enough for these two decisive factors.
No, not if it’s calibrated correctly to the environment it’s being placed in. I do not agree with dark settings unless the TV’s use is for post-production colour-correcting in a fully black studio environment. In the home, I prefer an accurate high-contrast calibration that is enjoyable to watch, remains true to artistic intent, and one that extends the life of the television.
No. I use my professional judgement to calibrate your image for all times of the day. My clients do not want to be fiddling with the remote control changing picture modes depending on the height of the sun. If you would like me to calibrate for additional picture modes at your request, please review my additional services list.
Like anything that gets used, panels also wear a little over time. How much wear depends on your daily usage and the number of years you enjoy the television. Since the work of my post-production clients relies on perfection, I regularly touch up their displays since even the slightest drift/error needs to be realigned to spec. I also offer a “touch up” calibration service to my home video clients for a nominal fee. Projector lamps wear faster, and I recommend a touch-up every 600 hours of lamp use. Most projector lamps should be replaced after 1200-1400 hours of use with original lamps from the manufacturer and not from a generic replacement lamp website. I then continue with the touch-up process.
Absolutely. Many TVs have a Game Mode/HDR Game Mode that can be correctively calibrated for the greatest accuracy and the lowest input lag. See my Additional Services List for details.
Depending on the service chosen, a full calibration session can range from two to six hours.
We can absolutely make it a “lunch and learn” at the time of my appointment with you!
I understand that our beautiful country of Canada is massive in size with many remote communities. I do our very best to accommodate as many communities as I can by booking “trips” along similar routes. Trips are booked months in advance to ensure there are enough clients to service along the route. If faster service is required, I can arrange to fly to the destination or book a solo road trip for an additional fee.
No, but one of my trusted professional video calibrators routinely services the Western Provinces. Please contact Michael Chen at michael@tlvexp.com with your calibration inquiry and to arrange a travel date.
No, but I have trusted associates across Canada and the U.S.A. that do quality work and give a great educational experience for their clients. For Canadian snowbirds residing in Florida, please contact Jason Dustal at isfjasond65@gmail.com for a high-performance calibration. For Eastern states in the U.S.A., please contact Gregg Loewen at gregg@lionav.com.
