| Why Calibrate your LCD or Plasma TV and Home | | | | Audio Calibration Steps |
| Audio System? | | | | Audio Calibration, like acoustics, is part art and part |
| Calibration is important for both the video display | | | | science. A skilled calibrator will use both listening tests |
| device and the audio portion of the system. Look for a | | | | and sophisticated test equipment to dial in a system. |
| certified ISF (Image Science Foundation) calibrators for | | | | On very high performance systems, this process can |
| video displays. Most ISF certified calibrators will have | | | | take up to two full days of a calibrators time, but the |
| invested about $15,000 in the proper tools to calibrate | | | | results are definitely worth it. |
| your flat panel display or front projection system. Using | | | | Speaker placement is the first step to calibration. If you |
| their test gear, they can dial in the output performance | | | | have flexibility in your speaker positioning, try moving |
| of your display to be exactly (or as close as it will | | | | them around until you feel like the sound is more |
| allow) to the standards set by SMPTE (Society of | | | | relaxed and less strained. This may sound strange at |
| Motion Picture and Television Engineers). | | | | first, but just play a track you know well, push your |
| This will make your picture much more film like. Most | | | | speaker all the way against the back wall, listen, pull the |
| video displays are preset at the factory to jump off | | | | speakers out about 3 feet from the wall and listen |
| the shelf when they are displayed at a mass | | | | again. About 99% of the people will hear a big |
| merchant store under fluorescent lights. This does not | | | | difference. Now, if you want to adjust more, you |
| lend itself for the best picture in a home environment. | | | | understand the concept. |
| Using the test gear and the service menu of the set, a | | | | If you are calibrating your media room, follow the |
| skilled calibrator is able to bring the settings back to | | | | recommended instructions in your manual for your |
| recommended levels for home viewing. Many | | | | receiver or processor. Many sets nowadays have an |
| customers of our company are astounded at the | | | | auto calibrate mode, but you should go back and |
| difference a proper video calibration makes in the | | | | check the settings and listen. Its best to play some |
| picture quality. Plus, without it being in "torch mode" (the | | | | material you are familiar with both before and after |
| industry term for how most tv sets come out of the | | | | calibration. Once the auto part is done, try playing |
| box), you'll actually reduce its operating costs by quite | | | | around with the levels on the center channel to make |
| a bit! | | | | sure you can clearly understand the dialog over the |
| Today's home theater systems all include many | | | | special effects. You never want someone enjoying a |
| different speakers. Your home theater receiver or | | | | movie with you to have to ask, "what did they say?" |
| processor has internal adjustments to allow a skilled | | | | For serious home theater calibration, many dealers |
| technician or do-it-yourselfer (DIYer) to adjust the | | | | have also invested in expensive audio test equipment. |
| signal going out to each speaker to achieve a proper | | | | This allows the dealer to actually measure where you |
| balance. There are typically adjustments for each | | | | have abnormalities in the room's response. If your |
| speaker for distance and sound pressure level. Most | | | | home theater processor has the right adjustment |
| systems give you the ability to adjust the crossover | | | | capabilities, by using the test equipment and making |
| point as well. This is the frequency where you cut off | | | | changes to the processor, most of these issues can |
| sounds going to that particular speaker. An example of | | | | be corrected. Many dealers may offer this as a |
| this would be a small speaker with a subwoofer, you | | | | service on their high performance home theaters. |
| would want to route the low bass sounds to the | | | | You can spend as much as you want on the gear, but |
| subwoofer since the small speaker could not handle | | | | if it is not properly calibrated, you have not come |
| this. When a system is properly calibrated, it can make | | | | anywhere close to getting what you paid for it! |
| a huge difference over the same one not calibrated. | | | | |