Tutorials

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Video Calibration

Why is the grass so blue?

You just spent your hard-earned money on a new home theater projector. So, why is the grass blue? Don't panic, there is an easy solution. Projectors, just like televisions and monitors, may need a little tweaking to make them look their best. Each source (DVD player, DTV box or VHS player) you connect to your projector will have a slightly different output. Your video settings will all be affected. Therefore, the picture issue should be resolved by calibrating your projector or television with your source.*

It used to be that you had to have an expert come to your home to calibrate a home theater setup. For that service you would pay anywhere from $100-500 for a modest theater. But now, if you have the motivation, you can buy software that will allow you to technically calibrate your machines. This new software is relatively inexpensive (about $50), and will do a much better job than eyeing it up on your own. However, if you'd rather save the money, you can try doing it by sight, using a DVD you already own. The next few pages will tell you how.

Five Elements of Video:

This is the recommended order for setting calibrations

* You should calibrate your projector for each and every source you use. Some projectors have a memory for more than one setting, so after you calibrate your machine you can save the setting and get back to it with just the touch of a button. This is a feature you may want to consider if you plan to use your projector for multiple uses.

**Color and tint may be disabled when using a component input.

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