So you have this new HDTV or does your old HDTV seem to have lost some of its luster? Many experts agree that most TV’s sold at your local big box store are not calibrated correctly. Most have the contrast and brightness set way too high for the average user and in some cases, if never tuned properly, can shorten the life of your display.

So here are some HDTV calibration systems that can help you out. These range from nearly free to hundreds of dollars. This is a two part series to help you evaluate each type of calibration system and decide which is best for you. Let’s take a look.

ISF Calibration
First, if you are a person with deep pockets and you can pay for an ISF trained technician to come out with their professional equipment and calibrate your machine, do it. This is probably the best investment you can make (Henning wasn’t so lucky to have a great experience, but most reviews of ISF technicians have been positive). A trained technician is a tweakers dream. They not only calibrate your set, but in many instances they could enhance your set by taking it apart and adding sound baffling, darkening the interior so as to soak up light that could be bleeding and give you tips on how to get the best picture with the best color balance. The amount charged depends on many factors, one being the type and model set you have. I wouldn’t use this for my Runco CL-410 because it comes from the manufacturer ISF calibrated, but I have considered having my Sony Wega 42″ LCD RPTV calibrated just to see what they can do.

Hardware Calibration
Another type of calibration tool is one that actually sits on your HDTV (sorry not really meant for front projectors) and calibrates your set. These are nice if you are color blind or don’t like sitting in long sessions squinting through a blue filter feeling like your at the eye doctor (OK, 1 or 2….1…or….2 - know what I mean?). The only real drawback is the price. At $200 +, unless you are doing this for many TV’s, you may be better off paying for the ISF technician.

Another toy I saw that piqued my attention, but I haven’t seen in use is the Calibug. This is essentially a number of test patterns put into a USB flash drive. It does look intriguing, but I don’t know if I would spend over $100 on screenshots unless I was trying to be the ultimate geek.

Monday, I will get into some more cost effective (as low as $1) methods you can use to calibrate your HDTV.

Datacolor SpyderTV Television Calibration System Review
SpyderTV Review by PCMagazine
HDTVexpert — Tutorial — How to Calibrate a Professional Video Projector
Calibug