DVE - Setting contrast on a plasma??

[Shady Deal]

Hi,

Got a Pan42 plasma and i just can't get it to look as I want it. I have used the DVE disk and I understand everything (I think) apart from setting the contrast!!

With the contrast screen up, altering the contrast does not seem to make much difference to the boxes on screen. I can see it when I set the contrast too low (Again I think!) but turning it right up does not seem to make it bloom like it says on the DVE instructions??

All that happens is the top box on the left hand side just gets brighter than the rest, but the brightness does not bleed into the black by the side of it? and all the onscreen boxes are all various levels of white?

Can anyone explain how to set this on a plasma screen??

Thanks

[pwood]

DVE is not ideal for setting contrast on a plasma. I have a Panny Pv500 and had the same problem. I found the colour setting on DVE to be the only useful function. The only real way is to get it ISF calibrated.

[sniffer66]

I have exactly the same issues with my PX60 and PW4, neverr could work out how to do it. Got Gordon arriving on Monday to ISF the plasma, pj and configure the Lumagen. Cant wait

[Mr.D]

set it as high as you can without losing detail above 235 and without introducing colour swings.

Use the gray ramps patterns ( personally I prefer getgrey) the dotted lines mark 16 ( ref black) and 235 ( ref white) . Brightness and contrast will interact with each other so you may well have to readjust brightness after tweaking contrast and vice versa until both are correct with no more adjusting.

The plasmas have pretty good contrast so err on the side of too low rather than too high.

[Shady Deal]

Mr D,
Thanks but that is a bit above my head!! I have only got as far as basic setup and the contrast/brightness basic patterns. Are you talking about different parts of the DVE disk?

Thanks
Mark

[neilmcl]

Originally Posted by Shady Deal

Mr D,
Thanks but that is a bit above my head!! I have only got as far as basic setup and the contrast/brightness basic patterns. Are you talking about different parts of the DVE disk?

Thanks
Mark

The basic contrast setup pattern is meant for CRT only and will not work for LCDs/Plasma screens. You have to use the Ramp pattern. This may help: Basic Projector Calibration - see post #3.

[Epoman]

The other thing to consider is a ColorVision Spyder calibration tool. See http://www.colorvision.ch/products/prod_spydertv.php.

These are an absolute doddle to use and will get your screen close to the ideal setting (I tweaked mine a little by sight afterwards).

I struggled with DVE and other setup discs and just could not get the settings right but 30 mins with the SpyderTV and my Pioneer was looking better than it had done in the previous 3 years of constant fiddling with settings. £100 odd well spent in my view.

I'm sure ISF calibration will give an even better result but obviously at a cost.