Smart Home Lifestyle

January 2, 2007

Your new plasma TV won't be picture-perfect without some adjustments

Plasmas don’t come picture perfect straight from the package- there’s some tweaking to be done. And it’s not just plasmas. Pretty much any TV or front projector you buy, needs some adjustment to get the best possible picture display.

“The first thing you should do when you take a TV out of the box is adjust the brightness and contrast,” said Adam Eberhardt, Comtec System Designer. “Manufacturers crank these up before they ship them. That has a negative impact on picture quality and the lifespan of the TV. It’s like a light bulb. If you run one at 50%, it will last a whole lot longer than one run at full 100% strength.”

Calibration

So, how do you do it? It’s best left to a professional, or at the very least a professional piece of equipment. One option is the SpyderTV sensor, a gadget that looks like a three-legged mouse and measures contrast, brightness, color, tint and color temperature. The SpyderTV sensor attaches to the front of your TV screen and then connects by a USB cable to your laptop or desktop computer.

“Datacolor SpyderTV helps installers and end-users alike improve the display on virtually any monitor, from high-end video screens to basic 36” TVs, without any invasive or time-consuming diagnostics,” states Datacolor Technical Director of Home Theater Products Mark Hunter. “An off color can dim the glow of the highest end LCD display. Consumers will see a dramatic difference in their display, which will ensure overall satisfaction with their purchase. This is good news for the expanding home theater market.”

Remember, when you buy a TV, the manufacturer usually sets it up to look good in a retail store, a completely different environment than your home theater. Plus, the cables you use impact the quality as well.

SpyderTV works with plasma, RPTV, DLP, LCD and CRT TV’s, and runs just under $230. Or, check with your local audio/video company to calibrate your set. A service call should run well under the price of a SpyderTV and have more of a “personal touch.”

Programming

So, you’ve got the newest high definition DVD player and you’ve got a TV that goes up to a 1080p resolution, but now what do you do? Standard cable and DVD’s aren’t going to give you that “like you were there” picture.

First thing first, call up your cable or satellite company and make sure you’ve got best high definition package. Then check out your movie collection. It’s time to start trading in those dusty old low-res DVD’s for shiny new blu-ray or HD DVD options.

More and more HD DVD’s are being released these days, but with better quality, comes a higher price tag. HD DVD’s usually range between $20 and $40. And for simple shopping, www.amazon.com has hundreds of blu-ray and HD DVD titles, with great prices.

To get the most up-to-date reviews, including release dates, check out www.widescreenreview.com. And in the meantime, here are my top picks. For the fashionist, “Devil Wears Prada.” The action/adventure freak, “Mission Impossible”- the three DVD collection. The young at heart, “Ice Age- The Meltdown.” And for a really good horror/thriller flick, make sure and look for “Alien vs. Predator,” due out on January 23.

Author: Diana Kostigen, Marketing/Public Relations Director, Comtec