monitor calibration software
- Thread starter ~>Dg<~
- Start date
LaCie Blue Eye Pro or GretagMacbeth are two that come to mind. The LaCie Blue Eye Pro would be the better of the two and is often used by reviewers, however, both need to be used with the hardware calibrator.
Rgds
Binty
Color Eyes Display Pro is in my opinion the best software package for all features concerned. BasICColor is arguably the best package for accuracy (I seem to recall it was the only software package approved by the Swiss Centre of Competence for Media and Printing Technology - UGRA). It also forms the basis for NEC Spectraview and Quato bundled programs for their hardware LUT monitor ranges. It is however, a pain in the ass. So I stick with Color Eyes for non-hardware LUT monitors. If it is a hardware LUT monitor it's best to just use the software that company provides (Eizo ColorNavigator, NEC Spectraview, Quato iColor Display, etc).
Am I right in seeing it as £250+?
The GretagMacbeth can be bought at auction for approximately half that price and that includes the hardware calibrator and the software.
Rgds
Binty
If you are using Windows 7 there is some monitor calibration software included with the OS. However, I am not sure if it is included in all versions of Windows 7.
Rgds
Binty
Just remember the best software is useless without a good colorimeter (puck/device). No point paring it with a Spyder 2 as the device inconsistency will ruin any improvement software side. You want to be looking at an i1 display 2 or DTP94, ColorMunki or better. Depends how serious you are about calibration really!
The i1 Display 2 also goes under the name of X-Rite and it is also the same hardware as the LaCie Blue Eye Pro. These are in fact all the same device but simply different names. I got one of these from auction for £130 then paired it with the software of my choice.
Rgds
Binty
It is indeed, but if you want the best deal buy the i1 Display LT (the cheapest package with the i1 puck) and pair that with CEDP or BasICColor. If you have a wide gamut monitor however it is reccommended to buy a device specifically filtered for use with wide gamut displays. Standard i1 and DTP devices can struggle. The i1 NEC bundle with their SpectraView package is modified to work accurately with their wide gamut displays, same with the Quato silver haze (DTP94). The latter you can definitely buy seperately, not sure about the former.
Adrian,
Interesting point, I had not thought about the i1 struggling with a wide gamut monitor such as the U2410, and the need for a dedicated calibrator. Out of interest, do you know how good a calibration can be achieved with a standard i1 and a wide gamut monitor?
Rgds
Binty
It really depends how wide the gamut is and which software you're using. Wide gamut is pretty much anything upward of sRGB (Though the first figure we usually hit is 96% Adobe RGB), with some of the RGBLED backlit monitors capable of 120%+ Adobe RGB or equally daft figures (Useless if the panel is still 8bit btw). The whole point of calibration is to give you an accurate trustworthy adjustment of the colour your monitor displays, which without a device capable of reading the whole monitor gamut (I mentioned the specifically designed i1 and DTP units earlier but also any Spectrophotometer should be ok - though there aren't exactly many choices, especially at the lower end), and without a suitable reference point, you're back to guesswork.
Adrian,
Thx for the info. The reason I asked, was that several web sites are providing reviews and opinions on monitors such as the Dell U2410 where they are using the LacIe Blue Eye Pro hardware calibrator in conjunction with the LaCie software.
In reality, the calibrator is unable to accurately measure the colour space of the monitor and the review could be considered worthless. There are a lot of people buying monitors such as the Dell U2410 on the back of these reviews and unless they realise the limitation of the equipment versus the monitor they are making a purchase based on flawed information.
Rgds
Binty
Thx for the info. The reason I asked, was that several web sites are providing reviews and opinions on monitors such as the Dell U2410 where they are using the LacIe Blue Eye Pro hardware calibrator in conjunction with the LaCie software.
In reality, the calibrator is unable to accurately measure the colour space of the monitor and the review could be considered worthless. There are a lot of people buying monitors such as the Dell U2410 on the back of these reviews and unless they realise the limitation of the equipment versus the monitor they are making a purchase based on flawed information.
Rgds
Binty
I'm in the boat where I want to calibrate by u2410 but now have no idea of how to do that because it seems the calibration devices I was considering are not suitable 
I tried downloading some ICC files from a web site but they made my display look terrible.
Really not sure what to do at this point
I tried downloading some ICC files from a web site but they made my display look terrible.Really not sure what to do at this point
I'm in the boat where I want to calibrate by u2410 but now have no idea of how to do that because it seems the calibration devices I was considering are not suitable
Really not sure what to do at this point
dubcat,
I notice from your forum profile that you are in the South East, UK, same as me. I have a Lacie Blue Eye Pro hardware calibrator and LaCie software. If you are relatively local to me I do not mind trying to sort it out for you for free. I hope to purchase a Dell U2410 myself and am only wobbling because of the tinting issues etc.
Rgds
Binty
The Lacie Blue Eye Pro package is wide gamut capable - Lacie make some of the widest gamut screens on the market, so if it isn't they're doing themselves a great disservice! Though to be honest if you're really serious about color reproduction you're not looking at Dell U2410's, or HP ZR24s, etc. The wide gamut specific colorimeter is really only a problem to be concerned with if you have a business related need of colour accuracy. For home use the information the reviews provide is more than adequate (And in some cases genuinely quite exhuastive).
Edit: I must confirm that every i1 device is not created equal. The i1 device NEC packages with it's Spectraview bundle (for example) is specifically custom modified to work with their wide gamut displays. Other manufacturers also do this to ensure the best possible results using their software packaged with their monitors. Obviously all the monitor makers can't just make their own colorimeters so they just mod everyone elses instead!
Last edited:
binty - pm on its way mate to see if we are close enough together to do this.
Cheers,
Dub
Adrian - so if i were to buy a calibrator for the u2410 would you recommend the lacie one? Are there any others that would work too that are less money for example?
Adrian,
Thx for the clarification. The actual setup I have is that I use the LaCie Blue EyePro software with the X-Rite version of the i1 Display 2. In the LaCie software there is an option to select this calibrator.
In your opinion, will this give a reasonable calibration for office and home use to a standard just below that required for accurate photographic work.
Rgds
Binty
Thx for the clarification. The actual setup I have is that I use the LaCie Blue EyePro software with the X-Rite version of the i1 Display 2. In the LaCie software there is an option to select this calibrator.
In your opinion, will this give a reasonable calibration for office and home use to a standard just below that required for accurate photographic work.
Rgds
Binty
Feeling thick here but can't see how to pm you
I cannot find it either. I am near Croydon in Surrey.
Rgds
Binty