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Hi
I’m new here and I’ve searched the forums for this but either missed it or it hasn’t been covered before…
I have done calibration on my two monitors, and am very happy with the colour and tone now (two completely different screens showing, finally, very similar colours). However, on both screens but on in particular, the colours really lack punch. The screen feels very washed out.
Did I miss a step? To set up the calibration, all I did was reset my screens to default, plug in the Spyder 4 and ran the calibrator. I suspect I missed something important?
Hi, this sounds like a video / PC levels mismatch (16..235 vs 0..255). How are the displays connected to the computer and which OS are you using? Please also attach your profile (in DisplayCAL, there’s a small “Create compressed archive…” button next to “Settings” that lets you easily package up the profile and related files for attaching).
Hi Florian, thanks for the reply.
okay, the screens are attached via HDMI and DisplayPort. I am running Windows 10. I have attached the profile for the screen that is the worst offender!
The profile looks fine. Maybe you’re just used to an overly contrasty uncalibrated/unprofiled look? Although you may want to make sure that any “dynamic contrast / dynamic backlight” setting on the monitor itself is disabled, and check your graphics driver settings. For HDMI, 16..235 is usually the right choice, while DisplayPort should be 0..255.
Yes that’s possible I guess – I tend to go for sharper contrast – however, my colleages also think my screen looks washed out.
Okay so, what’s that next bit you mention – 16..235 and 0..255 – WTH is that!? 🙂
(I use NVidia)
Thanks for your help, by the way, I appreciate it.
Okay so, what’s that next bit you mention – 16..235 and 0..255 – WTH is that!?
If you open up your nVidia control panel and go to “Desktop color settings”, you should see at the bottom “Digital Color Format” with choice “RGB” or “YCbCr”, and “Dynamic range” with choices “Full (0-255)” or “Limited (16-235)”.
The easiest way to figure out the correct setting for dynamic range is to open up MS paint, maximise the window, click “Change size” and enter your screen resolution in pixels (probably 1920×1080), then fill the canvas with black (RGB 0 0 0). Go back to the nVidia control panel (move it so you can see as much as possible from the black canvas you created) and change the dynamic range setting (don’t forget to click “Apply”). If the black gets darker, this means the dynamic range was set incorrectly previously and is now correct (you have to re-do the calibration/profile in that case).
Ah okay, thanks!
So I tried that, and honestly I can’t tell if there’s a difference – the screen goes *turned right off* black for about 3 or 4 seconds before changing the setting between Full and Limited, so it’s almost impossible to say! Perhaps I should simply apply the opposite of what I’ve been using and see if that’s better?
(incidentally FYI, on my Nvidia CP it’s actually a setting under ‘Change Resolution’, and not ‘Adjust Desktop Colour Settings’ for anyone else following this thread)
EDIT: Typos.
Perhaps I should simply apply the opposite of what I’ve been using and see if that’s better?
Another possibility is measuring the contrast ratio (in DisplayCAL menu “Tools”, “Report on uncalibrated display…”).
The following link may also be of help (contains instructions for nVidia, AMD and Intel driver settings as well as work-arounds if those don’t work for some reason): https://pcmonitors.info/articles/correcting-hdmi-colour-on-nvidia-and-amd-gpus/
Is there also a setting on DisplayCal to use full range or video range? Some programs like Calman have that option.
Is there also a setting on DisplayCal to use full range or video range? Some programs like Calman have that option.
Such an option is generally not needed for computer graphics cards, as they will (should) always send correct levels to the display. In case the graphics driver gets it wrong, there’s usually a driver control panel where you can set the correct levels.
Then I understand by this that the software is always using full range no matter what? and is the GPU who takes care of scale it to 16-235 if needed? Indeed is very rare to find a device that works 16-235 that is a PC or Mac monitor… a TV…. thats possible.
Then I understand by this that the software is always using full range no matter what? and is the GPU who takes care of scale it to 16-235 if needed?
Yes, although there is support for some pattern generators which allow to choose between 16..235 or 0..255 (madTPG has its own setting to select this, and the other one is the Q.Inc/Murideo Prisma which allows selecting the desired levels in the connection dialog).
