An operation often neglected by most users is adjusting or calibrating their television or video projector.  This is necessary to take full advantage of your product’s capabilities and requires only a few minutes and no technical know-how.

How does it work?

Calibration actually consists of adjusting a screen in order that it can reproduce its source (TV, DVD, game console, HD player, satellite, or cable) with the best color fidelity possible.  You might think this requires adjustment for each type of source; however this isn’t possible and we have to be happy with one source’s test patterns.  Some of you are already saying, "Uh oh, test patterns? It’s becoming complicated".  Don’t worry, it’s very easy and within everyone’s reach.  Moreover, you will see below that you probably already have some on your DVDs.

Coming back to the different sources, they are pretty much all calibrated in the same way and proper adjustment with one will only mean a few minor changes at most with the others.

Below, we show you how to carry out the calibration of our TV or video projector via a DVD that allows us to adjust for the best brightness and contrast.  However first of all these are two notions that should be defined to better understand how they change your display.

•    Contrast: increasing contrast allows obtaining a more distinct image by increasing the brightness of lighter shades.  However, this should be done in the right amount because going too far can mean lighter shades which turn white and therefore disappear.  There is a resulting loss of detail and the image becomes very ‘’hard’’ and does not blend together (like the left half of the above photo).

•    Brightness: this setting obviously influences the overall brightness intensity of the image but it especially modifies, contrary to what we might think, darker shades.  The more it is increased, the more darker shades are revealed.  You might then think great; I’ll just increase brightness to see more details in darker movies... Alien will just have to adapt to our settings!''; however, you will be disappointed for two reasons.  First of all, increasing brightness turns black into gray and the image will look washed out.  Next, movies are shot in order that some areas remain purposefully dark creating a certain desired ambiance by the director.

And this is the whole point of calibration: to adjust your TV or video projector in order that it can be reproduced in your living room as the director wanted it to be.

In practice

Of course, these few explanations should be enough to significantly modify the parameters of your TV or projector.  There is however a simpler and more precise way to carry out this operation.  For this you will need a THX certified movie (the logo is visible on the cover).  Such a movie offers test patterns that will allow you to best adjust brightness and contrast.  And actually, the most difficult will be to find the menu which leads to their access.

In our example, we use a DVD from the Star Wars saga. All offer these test patterns in the languages and subtitles menu.  By moving the curser with the cross button on your remote, a THX Optimizer logo will become apparent. Click on the OK button to validate.  A starting menu will appear and you want to select the video tests.  A new screen explains how to adjust the contrast on the test pattern that will subsequently appear.  Click to carry out display of the test pattern.  You will then obtain this screen:



Increase the contrast until the last two squares (the lightest) blend together.  Then progressively reduce until the two squares are entirely distinct.  You’ve done it!

Press the next chapter button and the screen explaining adjustment of brightness will appear. Press on to carry out the test and access the following test pattern:


The best way to adjust here is to look at the gray squares on the top and bottom of the screen.  Lower the brightness until you best see only the 6 lightest squares and then increase until you can barely see the 7th.

Come back to the test pattern for setting the contrast by pressing the previous chapter button several times on the remote.   Now adjust the contrast again and then brightness.  You can also take a look at the other test patterns or go back to the main menu and now watch your movie in the best conditions!
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Note 1: The adjustment you have just made is adapted to the ambient lighting in the room.  Carry out this operation in the same conditions in which you plan on watching movies.

Note 2: Before adjusting turn on the TV or projector and look at it for about 15 minutes.  This will allow two things:

•    To warm up the backlights, lamp, or tubes which are never at their brightest just after startup.

•    Get your eyes used to lighting conditions.  In darker rooms, you will need almost 15 minutes in order for the eye’s retina to adapt allowing better night vision.  This is why adjustments made in the dark always seem too dark when we watch a movie in a lighted room.  Also, keep this in mind when viewing during the day after having changed settings in more somber conditions.

Note 3: We noticed that the THX test pattern had a tendency to push brightness a little too far.  You can always lower it a little until you only see the 6th square in the pattern.  It’s also a question of taste.