question about display color calibration

[DoYouEvenModBro]

I have two questions:

1. Do I only run Windows Color Calibration Tool with the AMD CCC Desktop Color settings (or Nvidia equivalent)? Or do I run it with my monitor's settings first? I think the STEP guide used to recommend doing it first with your Monitor and THEN with your GPU driver color settings. 

2. For the Gamma settings part of the Windows Color Calibration tool (when using your GPU color settings), do I use the Gamma slider in the Windows Color Calibration Tool? Or do I use the Gamma slider in AMD CCC Desktop Management (or Nvidia equivalent)?

Thanks

Edited May 9, 2014 by DoYouEvenModBro

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Bump?  :-(

[Aiyen]

Depends on what you need it for. 

 

If you just need it for skyrim, then calibrate in driver on the profile you use for skyrim. 

 

if you want a general calibration for ALL applications then do it on your monitor using one of the many tests around the net. 

If you want to do it really properly you would need a color meter and calibrate using that... but that might be going over the top. 

 

 

In general it all comes down to how you like it... some people prefer a profile with lower brightness for viewing websites for example. 

[Mangaclub]

1. make sure no direct lights hits your monitor, even better you dimm the lights in your room or do this during night time.

As a Gaphicsdesigner i did all the calibration stuff with a Spyder4Elite :D

But thats maybe a bit overkill just for skyrim, though keep in mind if you "calibrate" your monitor then you first start with setting up the monitor settings itself.

Most monitors got a switch for the color temperature. Do not choose that too high. 9500K for example drains every color out of your pictures.

I would go for around 7500K-7900K  for normal PC use. Game developers usually calibrate their monitors around 6500K but thats even too yellowish for my taste ;)

After you set the color Temerature go for contrast and brightnes Settings.

A good example is this picture:

https://static-3.nexusmods.com/15/mods/110/images/36067-1-1398200666.jpg

You should see atleast all of his face. After all that then you go for colors and the Calibration utilities. At the very end you can setup own color profiles in your graphicscard driver is you experience a game being too dark or too bright.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

I don't think AMD CCC can set up color profiles specific for each game. I think it only sets a general color profile. 

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Depends on what you need it for. 

 

If you just need it for skyrim, then calibrate in driver on the profile you use for skyrim. 

 

if you want a general calibration for ALL applications then do it on your monitor using one of the many tests around the net. 

If you want to do it really properly you would need a color meter and calibrate using that... but that might be going over the top. 

 

 

In general it all comes down to how you like it... some people prefer a profile with lower brightness for viewing websites for example. 

Is windows color calibration tool good enough to do this? And do I use the gamma slider in the tool or in the GPU menu? 

1. make sure no direct lights hits your monitor, even better you dimm the lights in your room or do this during night time.

As a Gaphicsdesigner i did all the calibration stuff with a Spyder4Elite :D

But thats maybe a bit overkill just for skyrim, though keep in mind if you "calibrate" your monitor then you first start with setting up the monitor settings itself.

Most monitors got a switch for the color temperature. Do not choose that too high. 9500K for example drains every color out of your pictures.

I would go for around 7500K-7900K  for normal PC use. Game developers usually calibrate their monitors around 6500K but thats even too yellowish for my taste ;)

After you set the color Temerature go for contrast and brightnes Settings.

A good example is this picture:

https://static-3.nexusmods.com/15/mods/110/images/36067-1-1398200666.jpg

You should see atleast all of his face. After all that then you go for colors and the Calibration utilities. At the very end you can setup own color profiles in your graphicscard driver is you experience a game being too dark or too bright.

My monitor color temperatures only say "cold, warm, rgb, or normal"

[z929669]

Basically, as Manga alludes, there are three places to configure color saturation, temp, brightness, contrast, gamma, etc:

• your monitor's built-in config
• Windows color management
• your driver config utility

The settings of one affect the settings of the other, and depending on the quality of your monitor, #1 could be very good or just so-so. The #2 and #3 settings should be standard though, since they are made to work across various monitors. It just makes sense that your #1 is set to "the middle ground" with respect to all settings. Having extreme settings in your monitor's config could potentially constrain the driver config. For some, wetting all #1 to mid levels will be best, but for others the 'autoconfig' will be best (this may not set all #1 to mid settings). They you have other autoconfig options that may be based on various presets. Whatever seems most "middle of the road" is probably best for #1.

 

Then you need to calibrate using #3  (or you can use #2 utility, but this is also redundant with the driver settings, so I would run #2 and ensure all settings are also "middle of the road". Then I would fine tune all using my #3 using a reference image like this and in a room with no direct lighting that could affect what my monitor shows (you want a not-too-bright, diffuse-lighted room ... ala "middle of the road" ... see where this is going?). The main config should be left to #3 once they are given a mid baseline 'canvas' to work from.

 

I will update the calibration instructions (again) in the guide for 2.2.9.

 

EDIT: I just updated the guide :P

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Thanks z. I sent you a private message concerning my monitor so hopefully that will clear up #1 for me. I want to make sure that I got that right. Also, can I just run the Windows Calibration Color Tool BUT use the settings from my GPU config instead of in the actual windows tool? I guess that's kind of like a hybrid #2/3. So basically I'm configuring #2 with #3 settings. Is that the best approach for now?

Edited May 9, 2014 by DoYouEvenModBro

[z929669]

I seem to remember having issue with the Windows calibration tool and my driver config. I think that every time I would make an adjustment via the Windows config, it would turn off my driver preset. I think they are mutually exclusive (at least for me). I recommend following the guide and using the image I linked. That page describes exactly what you should be doing.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Ok figured it out. When you open the windows calibration tool, it turns off your GPU driver settings and puts it back to default. If you want to use the Calibration Tool from Windows (which I kinda like actually), you need to adjust your driver GPU settings WITH the calibration tool open. Then you save your profile and as long as you don't touch the windows tool again, it'll boot up with your GPU config. Like my PC boots up and I see my desktop, then two seconds later, I see the color change as the GPU Config is activated automatically. I have AMD so I can't speak for Nvidia but these are my AMD findings. It helped me. I hope it helps you guys too. 

Edited May 9, 2014 by DoYouEvenModBro

[phazer11]

IF you have a Blu-Ray drive in your PC I can recommend Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark, great for calibration. I haven't been able to use it for a bit though since I no longer have access to a BD drive in my desktop. Take into mind, I'm using an HDTV as my monitor and I also use my PC as a Home Theater, but I thought I'd mention it in addition to the stuff in the guide.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

IF you have a Blu-Ray drive in your PC I can recommend Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark, great for calibration. I haven't been able to use it for a bit though since I no longer have access to a BD drive in my desktop. Take into mind, I'm using an HDTV as my monitor and I also use my PC as a Home Theater, but I thought I'd mention it in addition to the stuff in the guide.

Can I download the benchmark somewhere on the Internet?

 

EDIT: Stupid question, I'm sure i can. 

Edited May 10, 2014 by DoYouEvenModBro

[Garfink]

He he...  :)

 

I use a an Eizo Coloredge CG277 monitor which calibrates itself with a build-in pop-up colorimeter even when the computer is off.  Its overkill for Skyrim, I use it for photo-editing, it costs twice as much as most enthusiast computers!  Displays 99% of the Adobe RGB color space!  Makes for a really nice looking Skyrim! 

 

On a more practical note, I highly recommend those Spyder Colorimeters, even the cheapo one will do the job fine for gaming.  Without a Colorimeter, any changes made to "calibrate" would be grossly incorrect.  There is no "software only" color calibration that is adequate!  

 

For gaming get a Spyder4Express, not only your gaming experience will improve, but also any image, moving or still, you care to look at on your monitor!  I use a Spyder4Pro to calibrate my overhead projector for movie watching.  If you are spending a ton on a good and expensive graphics card, like I see many of you guys have a 780, then the extra cost is definitely a no brainer.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Garfink