Color calibration for dummies?

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eddieck

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I just got an NEC EA231WMi and am very impressed with it. I actually like it better than the display on the 24" iMac which is H-IPS (this is e-IPS), probably because the NEC is matte.

I'm using Windows 7 (for games) and Ubuntu (for day-to-day use) on this. I am not a photographer or anything, but I do value accurate colors. Basically, while I don't need accuracy, I want to get the most I can out of my monitor.

The monitor has a menu that lets me choose from native color, sRGB, or define my own RGB profiles. Should I choose sRGB and just leave it at that? I've looked at color calibration units and for my needs I think that's overkill (just want to see decently accurate colors).

Also, I'm going to be connecting this with DVI or possibly DisplayPort if the Fermi cards support them.

Thanks in advance!
 
Color accuracy is irrelevant for gaming. Games tend to set their own color spaces at their own whim, usually with no way for the player to alter it.

For color-accurate work, the best solution is to buy a hardware calibrator, which can be expensive. To at least get it somewhere in the ballpark manually, see this thread:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=140215
 
eddieck said:
The monitor has a menu that lets me choose from native color, sRGB, or define my own RGB profiles. Should I choose sRGB and just leave it at that? I've looked at color calibration units and for my needs I think that's overkill (just want to see decently accurate colors).
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According to TFTCentral's review the colors are good out of the box: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/content/nec_ea231wmi.htm#colour

TFTCentral has also shared their calibrated ICC color profiles here, for both Native and sRGB (brightness & contrast at 50). Also check the EA231WMi thread here. Just above your post HowzThat shared his ICC profile. Results with these profiles of course varies from unit to unit.

I'll take the advantage and ask what is the correct way of applying these ICC profiles in Windows? You just select it from the Color Management (in Vista/XP) tab, set one of them as default and that's it? Will this profile only affect color managed programs?
 
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Should I choose sRGB and just leave it at that?
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For the simplest. cheapest, most hassle free option - Yes.

sRGB for me also (TFTcentral's was accurate - mine was even more so out of the box) is v accurate with brightness turned down to around 30%. Your mileage may vary as no monitor is identical. Try it and see how it looks to your eyes.

You can save yourself a lot of money with this monitor. No need to buy a calibration device to achieve accurate colours, NEC factory has done all the work for you! Plus you don't have to fiddle around with the settings too much.

I'll take the advantage and ask what is the correct way of applying these ICC profiles in Windows? You just select it from the Color Management (in Vista/XP) tab, set one of them as default and that's it? Will this profile only affect color managed programs?
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Check out this discussion: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=25185&pid=220433&mode=threaded&start=

It should provide the solution to your dilemma.

Affect colour managed programs only? AFAIK programs that are ICC aware should be affected by the colour managed profile.
 
icc profiles include a 3d LUT. this provides the info necessary for both gamma correction and gamut transform. graphics cards only have a 1d LUT though, so you can fix gamma curves that way (ie system wide)..but not gamut. that's what color managed apps have over non-color managed.

still, the difference is barely noticeable on most monitors since 99% of what's out there is nearly sRGB anyway.
 
Had another question.

How does sRGB mode work? If I understand this properly, the panel itself has its own native color space (the native option). And if I choose sRGB mode, it uses some kind of LUT to 'convert' sRGB colors to the panel's native option.

If this is correct which it probably isn't, then wouldn't this introduce a few extra milliseconds of input lag on the display side? Basically, my question is - by using the sRGB mode, am I adding input lag?

Thanks!
 
eddieck said:
I just got an NEC EA231WMi and am very impressed with it. I actually like it better than the display on the 24" iMac which is H-IPS (this is e-IPS), probably because the NEC is matte.

I'm using Windows 7 (for games) and Ubuntu (for day-to-day use) on this. I am not a photographer or anything, but I do value accurate colors. Basically, while I don't need accuracy, I want to get the most I can out of my monitor.

The monitor has a menu that lets me choose from native color, sRGB, or define my own RGB profiles. Should I choose sRGB and just leave it at that? I've looked at color calibration units and for my needs I think that's overkill (just want to see decently accurate colors).

Also, I'm going to be connecting this with DVI or possibly DisplayPort if the Fermi cards support them.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

This one works for me

http://www.photoscientia.co.uk/Gamma.htm#menu
 
eddieck said:
Had another question.

How does sRGB mode work? If I understand this properly, the panel itself has its own native color space (the native option). And if I choose sRGB mode, it uses some kind of LUT to 'convert' sRGB colors to the panel's native option.

If this is correct which it probably isn't, then wouldn't this introduce a few extra milliseconds of input lag on the display side? Basically, my question is - by using the sRGB mode, am I adding input lag?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
it definitely makes the signal go through more circuitry, but if it adds any meaningful amount of latency.. not sure :confused:
 
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