HDTV Calibration

The recent technological advances in consumer electronics have brought us several improvements when it comes to televisions and displays in general. The current dominance of LCD and Plasma displays and the quality that one can expect is better than ever with the massive popularity increase of HD sources such as cable, satellite and even BluRay and High Definition Gaming Consoles such as Sony’s PS3. But is it all that simple? Can you just buy a spiffy TV, bring it home and plug it in? Or has the increase in technology also complicated things? We will look into set up and calibration.

Generally, when you bring home a TV, it is pre-set to automated factory settings. However, most retailers today offer professional calibration and setup services that can cost several hundreds of dollars. Is it worth it to pay the extra money? It all depends.

First, you must consider what use will the unit have. If it is your primary or only TV and you wish to benefit from optimal image and sound. If that is the case you may either hire a professional and benefit from the tools and expertise they have, or as a less expensive alternative, you may purchase a calibration DVD that will guide you through a step by step calibration process. In order to best benefit from this media use a DVD player that is up converting or even better a BluRay player. This media can be bought at retailers for roughly 50 dollars or less.