Calibration error with 1 of 2 graphic adapters?

[jaynyc]

Hi.  Thinkpad T520 running Windows 10 Pro.
Using brand new i1Display Pro, DisplayCal with ArgyllCms (Paypal supporter of both projects)

In system bios, I can set this laptop to use either:

• native graphics adapter Intel HD3000, or
• discrete adapter Nvidia 4200M

If I select Nvidia in bios, then run a calibration to 2.2 with DisplayCal, then go to this site
http://glennmessersmith.com/images/adjust.htm
and look at this gamma image <attached>

it looks near perfect, pretty much all gray, which leads me to believe the calibration is correct/accurate

However, if I go into bios, set for HD3000 and run another calibration to 2.2 with DiplayCal, that same image has color banding.  Which leads me to believe the calibration is incorrect.

For avoidance of doubt, Windows color management is using the appropriate ICM file as created by DisplayCal (I rename the files so I know which is for which adapter and reboot as needed).

To recap, In this scenario:

• display
• OS
• meter
• calibration software
• target settings
  are all the same, as only the graphics adapter is different,

What is the cause of this– why can’t I achieve seemingly accurate calibration with the Intel HD3000 graphics adapter?

Thanks for any guidance.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by jaynyc.
• This topic was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by jaynyc.

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[Florian Höch]

Hi,

However, if I go into bios, set for HD3000 and run another calibration to 2.2 with DiplayCal, that same image has color banding. Which leads me to believe the calibration is incorrect.

It likely means the Intel graphics operate at a lower bit depth (8 bit, no dithering?) than the discrete nVidia graphics (>= 10bit, or 8 bit + dithering?), although this is just a guess.

[Alex Potemkin]

I have the similar situation.
Dell Alienware 17R4 with twiGPU: Intel HD Graphic and NVIDIA 1070.
The problem is: the system switching cards dinamically; so, when I starting calibration, it going under Intel HD; but for Photoshop or DaVinchi, the card will be NVIDIA.

How to resolve this collision properly?
I can see teoretical solution like made two calibration, one for Intel and another for NVIDIA but the loader will probably ignore cards switching, and anyway I’m not sure if it is possible to write LUT in to the Intel HD card.

Or, probably, I can start DaVinci, which is my default soft there, and calibrate the system using DAVINCI as display, in hope that all calibration will be done for NVIDIA and LUTs will be written into the proper card… But what about another apps in this case?

[Florian Höch]

These dual GPU systems are several abstraction levels below the APIs that are used for calibration, and typically not even exposed. So, the only real solution is to avoid these dual GPU systems, or (if possible) disable one of the GPUs (in the motherboard BIOS/EFI firmware).

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