10th November 2010

Phil Hinton

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Home Cinema Podcast : 10th November 2010

In this edition of the Home Cinema podcast Phil and Steve...
  • Discuss the THX Video Calibration course held in Atlanta and compare it to the ISF course
  • Look back to IFA and discuss the products that stood out
  • Discuss the new projector line-ups for 2010 launched at CEDIA Expo in Atlanta, including Phil's thoughts on the JVC X7 seen at an exclusive morning at JVC House, plus
  • We look at the LG PX990 and Samsung C7000 plasmas which Steve reviewed recently, plus we chat about a whole variety of things in-between.

Time: 0:48:22 Size: 66.33 mb. Direct Link

Please reply to this thread with your feedback. :D

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Just to add to the THX calibration course details, they had the following displays for use by the attendees...

6 front projectors in the room (with 2 anamorphic lens setups)
12 flat panels, including 3D.
Total of 18 displays.
 
hi Phil. thanks for the plug.

I wrote the following information last week when a couple of people asked me the differences between ISF and THX. I thought that I would post it here also.

Cheers.

Gregg Loewen
Lead THX Video Systems Instructor



The THX Video Systems Training Program was initiated 3 years ago. It was created to fill a market need for a quality education program where the participants are actually qualified to do a calibration after completion. The THX program is also unique relating to the focus of "doing good work first" and preaching the need to constantly exceed your clients expectations.

In addition, THX wants you to be successful with your business and will do everything we can to assist you. We ensure your competancy by requiring you to pass an exam and then submit 10 calibrations for approval prior to issuing the student the "THX Certified Video Professional" status. After completion of the program we stay with the student and interact with them on a private website and support forum to answer questions, solve problems, and provide service code support information. THX also requires that each calibration be submitted to THX for approval prior to offering the customer a "THX Certified Video Calibration". This is a level of quality assurance that we are proud of.

Please note that the ISF2 level 2 class was started less than 1 year ago. When the new ISF Class outline was introduced it was taken word for word from the THX Video Systems Class outline (as listed on the Sencore website).

The current price of the THX Level 1 and Level 2 classes combined is $1995. I think that this price is quite reasonable considering that we have 5000 pounds of gear, equating to about $300K investment, including 18 displays with 2 anamorphic screen setups. The THX classroom is open from 7 am until 11 pm daily for additional hands on time. The class is taught by 2 very experienced video calibrators not Sencore / SpectraCal sales staff. In addition, the THX Video Systems Program is not sponsored / subsidized by Sencore / SpectraCal which is another reason that there may be a pricing difference.

THX adheres to the standards put for by SMPTE for post production. THX then takes these standards and applies them to the home environment.
 
Let's try to be fair to both organizations and the vendors who have supported them. Having been heavily exposed to both courses I will tell all of you that there are differences and both are great courses.

I'll not step out to say that one is better than another. that would be too simplistic and not serving anyone honestly. They are different-with a different focus. One is certainly more available and better supported than another but both have been supported by both Sencore and Spectracal. I would not have been in either if not for those organizations.

Nobody should be outwardly bashing another organization out of competitiveness or any other reason. That tends to cheapen the offering and make the poster look bad. Why go there? Who are we helping?

Each person should make their own determination based upon their own desired outcome. Ask questions and expect to be asked to answer questions before registering for any expensive seminar.

You have a great class and it should stand on it's own without the negative rhetoric. After reading the post above my choice would be fairly easy.

Here to help and to be fair
 
Let's try to be fair to both organizations and the vendors who have supported them. Having been heavily exposed to both courses I will tell all of you that there are differences and both are great courses.

I'll not step out to say that one is better than another. that would be too simplistic and not serving anyone honestly. They are different-with a different focus. One is certainly more available and better supported than another but both have been supported by both Sencore and Spectracal. I would not have been in either if not for those organizations.

Nobody should be outwardly bashing another organization out of competitiveness or any other reason. That tends to cheapen the offering and make the poster look bad. Why go there? Who are we helping?

Each person should make their own determination based upon their own desired outcome. Ask questions and expect to be asked to answer questions before registering for any expensive seminar.

You have a great class and it should stand on it's own without the negative rhetoric. After reading the post above my choice would be fairly easy.

Here to help and to be fair

I totally agree that any comparison between the two courses should be balanced and fair. They both offer very good educational experiences. Our podcast report was meant to reflect that the two courses are different having sat and qualified in both. We wanted to let users know what to expect based on our unbiased opinions. We (AVForums) will support all organisations who strive to improve the quality of video calibration and the education of the industry in 'best practice'. We will certainly not take sides as that is the wrong way to promote the educational message we strive to pass on to our listeners, readers and viewers of AVForums.
 
I was speaking more to a couple of Mr Loewens comments. Phil- the Podcast was very good.
 
hi Phil

Please note that my comments were a "cut and paste" from another conversation where I was asked to discuss specific questions. This was off of an ISF Group Forum on Linkedin (if anybody is interested).
 

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