Introducing the Datacolor
Video Calibration System
Originally exhibited
during CES2005, the Datacolor SpyderTV colorimeter and software promises to
deliver an easy-to-use TV calibration solution.
And
at approximately $200, it brings TV calibration to the
home user at the fraction of the cost of an ISF calibration package.
At
this price bracket, Datacolor has come up with a product that fills the
enormous gap between a full-blown professional video calibration
solution costing a few thousand dollars, and home theater set-up DVDs
selling at under $40.
This should not be
interpreted that calibration DVDs such as the
AVIA or
DVE - reviewed on our site, do not provide you with
the necessary tools to help you optimize your system.
These set-up discs come
with a comprehensive set of video test patterns and audio test tones that
can lead to an excellent system calibration when the set-up process is
done correctly. But these calibration discs do so in a passive way in that
when it comes to some of the video calibration test patterns, you have to rely
solely on your eyes.
Instead, SpyderTV makes
use of a sensor (colorimeter) that is placed in front of your television
screen to get accurate measurements for contrast, brightness, color, tint, and color
temperature.
The sensor analyzes the test patterns as appearing on the TV
screen. Based on
the information it sees, the software running on your computer instructs you
how to adjust your settings accurately without any guesswork. In other words, the Datacolor solution provides the user with a
scientific means to make the necessary video adjustments in an accurate and
repeatable fashion. But...
This should not be taken to imply that the
Datacolor Colorvision SpyderTV solution is a direct replacement to a
professional set-up DVD.
First and foremost, the set of video test patterns supplied with SpyderTV -
though sufficient for the scope of the calibration process, and will
therefore serve the system purpose nicely, yet cannot be considered 'comprehensive'.
In this respect, both the AVIA Guide and
Digital
Video Essentials set-up DVDs come with a more complete
range of 'key' test patterns that would surely prove useful in the hands of
knowledgeable users.
Secondly, the 'Spyder' is a video calibration system only while AVIA and DVE provide you
with both a comprehensive range of reference video test patterns and audio
test tones.
In other words, if you are after calibrating
both your
home theater audio and video equipment, then the SpyderTV solution alone is not sufficient.
Rather, the Spyder solution - should in our opinion, be supplemented by one
of these set-up discs for a more comprehensive home theater calibration.
Datacolor SpyderTV -
Video Calibration Solution
The SpyderTV kit comes with a software CD, a Quick Start guide, a DVD (NTSC
for US and PAL for Europe), the SpyderTV sensor, and a suction-cup complete
with a tripod holder latch. All is housed nicely in a neat bag.
The Spyder sensor is used
to measure the red, green, and blue levels emanating from direct-view
displays and rear-projection television screens.
The DVD contains a complete tutorial/walk-through as
well as the test patterns which work on both 4:3 and 16:9 TV screens. The
test patterns on the SpyderTV are accompanied by easy-to-use calibration wizard software that guides the
user through the entire optimization process with its intuitive interface.
Comprehensive help screens guide you through each step to achieve the desired
optimal settings for your video display device.
To use the SpyderTV to
calibrate your TV screen, you need a DVD player, and a PC close to your TV,
or laptop, running Windows XP or 2000. The
'Spyder' sensor connects to your computer using the USB port.
The SpyderTV software
supports direct view and rear projection TV systems. It differentiates
between plasma, LCD, and CRT, and adjusts the calibration process
accordingly.
While there is no reason
why the supplied sensor
should not work also with a front projection set-up, yet the
software delivered with Spyder does not support guided calibration
for front projection systems. For this, Datacolor have a different product -
Spyder 3 Elite - which is presently selling on-line for around $250.
The 'Spyder' sensor is
shaped like a three-legged spider; it includes three tiny suction cups that
serve to attach the sensor to the TV screen. The sensor's cable comes with a
sliding counterweight. This is designed to help ensure that the sensor's weight
does not dislodge it from the screen. In our case, the sensor under
review did at times fail to remain firmly attached to the screen surface of the TV
we were using for the calibration process.
The 'Spyder' DVD -
Test Patterns, Guided Set-up, and Tutorial
In addition to the set of
video test patterns used by the 'Spyder' during the calibration process, the
SpyderTV DVD also provides the user with a detailed tutorial on how to use
the system.
The DVD is divided into 6
chapters. It starts with an overview of the SpyderTV system, and
goes on from verifying that you have everything you need to get started, to
explaining the reasons behind TV calibration.
The tutorial is complete
and informative. It guides the user through the process required to use
SpyderTV, including locating the video controls on your TV or monitor and
understanding how to designate the methods your TV uses to make picture and
color adjustments. It then goes over set-up and launching of the software as
well as how to attach the Spyder colorimeter to the television set.
There is a whole section that explains how to use the 7 test patterns
supplied with the DVD. Additional test patterns are also available to users
who wish to check sharpness and the like, but the software does not directly
interface with these controls except to let you know what these are.
The 'Spyder' DVD also explains how the
'Before and After' feature will allow you to see the difference
in video performance brought about by the SpyderTV calibration process.
The tutorial part ends up with a walk-through of a typical calibration session.
SpyderTV Video
Calibration Process
Datacolor SpyderTV system
focuses on the five major video calibration points: Brightness (black level),
Contrast (white level),
Color (saturation),
Tint (hue), and Color Temperature.
The whole video calibration process would not take more than 30 minutes to
complete. On launching the process,
the system first asks the user to select the display type and then fill out the
model and current display settings for each of these five key video
calibration points. It also asks the user to enter the maximum and minimum
values that each of these video parameters can take.
At this point, you can
also edit the color temperature choices - high (cool), medium, low (warm) -
to reflect the actual settings on your TV. If a particular setting is not
available on your display, simply leave it out and the SpyderTV software
will ignore it in the calibration process.
To go through the test and
calibration process, select the test pattern on the DVD and then tell
the application to take a reading; do this for all the settings and
follow the instructions on the PC.
Throughout the testing
process, SpyderTV attempts to understand the minimum and maximum values and
settings before making adjustments. This is achieved by going back and forth
- in various steps - over the respective parameter values to arrive at what
it feels is the best setting.
System Reporting
At the end of the video
calibration process,
the system issues a summary report that gives details of what has changed,
together with a number of other charts. The latter give you the adjustment
potential for the respective system parameter setting as against the slider
value for that video parameter. All reports can be printed or save for later
reference.
Conclusion:
We did not encounter any
specific problems with the Spyder TV system when in use; what's more, results
were quite accurate, and repeatable.
Using the SpyderTV
interface is extremely easy. Reporting is interesting though a
bit short of numbers, but then it is obvious that this is designed with the
novice in mind.
The 'Before-and-After'
viewing feature offers an interesting way to help the user understands the
actual changes that have taken place during the calibration process by
comparing the before and after states of the TV screen.
On a negative note, feature
set is minimal; there are no R/G/B comparison charts or gamma
calibration, but then such systems would cost substantially more.
While it is
true that the SpyderTV calibration kit do not cater for 100% of the
calibration functionality one may dream of, yet considering its relatively
inexpensive price tag, it surely delivers on what it promises in an
exceptional way. It provides the user with all the key video
calibration parameters necessary to get the very best out of any TV -
irrespective of whether this is an old CRT TV or one of the latest LCD or plasma
HDTVs. It has the potential to serve home users - from experienced
videophiles to the novice - in getting a rock-solid basic
video setup that can make any TV really stand out.
Finally, though
the SpyderTV solution is not a direct replacement for calibration
discs like the AVIA or DVE set-up DVDs when it comes to TV calibration, yet
the Spyder is much faster and easier to
handle than any set-up disc. It is a major step in the right direction. It represents a clear
shift from the more user-demanding set-up disc based calibration, to a semi-automated
software-driven set-up solution.
Datacolor Colorvision
SpyderTV and the Spyder 3 Elite calibration kits are both available at
amazon
at reduced prices; for more information on the latest price offers from
amazon, please check the following links:
Colorvision SpyderTV Colorimeter
DataColor Spyder 3 Elite
