What tools do I need?
You're going to need a few items to set greyscale properly on your projector/TV:
A Meter
A meter is needed to measure light and colour levels. See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me? for a comparison of the various popular models. The Eye-One Display 2/LT, Eye-One Pro, and Spyder 2 will work with our guide. Most home user will likely be happy with the Eye-One Display sensor which is available in the Eye-One Display 2 or Eye-One Display LT (Lite) packages. Both packages use the same sensor. The more expensive Display 2 package comes with useful software for digital photographers but we won't use that software here however. Those looking for a professional grade solution should consider the more accurate Eye-One Pro instead. It's the meter that most pro's use*. We've teamed with one of their hardware OEM suppliers to bring you the Eye-One Pro at prices lower than anywhere else. The Spyder 2 is also available for the budget conscious user though make sure to read our Eye-One vs. Spyder2 comparison first.
Canadians and other non-US citizens: Amazon.com does not ship electronics outside of the US so I bought our Eye-One Display LT from B&H Photo Video. They are a well respected company that ships worldwide. No duties or other charges if you use the least expensive (UPS Expedited) shipping!
*While most pros use the Eye-One Pro meter, they do not use the free ColorHCFR software that is featured in our guide. It's not that it's bad software, it's just that it's missing features that pros look for such as reporting, profiling, tips/guides, advanced meter support, and so on. The ColorHCFR software used in this guide simply takes measurements from your meter and plots them out on a graph. It doesn't explain what's going on, what you should do, or what the results mean. It's up to you to figure all that out (with help from this guide of course).
Instead, professionals typically opt for the more advanced CalMAN Video Calibration Software. Think of CalMAN as an interactive version of our guide taken much farther. Everything is tailored to your exact setup, experience level, and needs as you step through the CalMAN calibration wizards. You just push the buttons the interactive wizard tells you to push and guides like this one are no longer needed! CalMAN also supports all of the popular meters listed above and then some. We've been using CalMAN for some time now and like it a lot - so much in fact that I contacted the authors arrange a deal to feature CalMAN and various high end meters here at special CurtPalme.com discounted prices - lower than anywhere else on the internet! More info »
A Test Disc with greyscale patterns
You'll need a test disc with 0 to 100 IRE window patterns. I recommend the Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics disc (in either Blu-ray or HD DVD) as it's the most up to date and the least expensive. Our guide will show you exactly where to find the patterns needed using either of these discs. Both DVE (standard DVD version) and Avia II will work too, but the disc menus are different so you'll have to look at our pictures and find the patterns yourself. I do not recommend using the original Avia DVD as the greyscale patterns are incorrect! (The authors have admitted to this).
Canadians and other non-US citizens: Amazon.com ships worldwide and it's usually cheaper than buying locally. No duties/taxes for Canadians either!
A Tripod
You'll need a tripod for holding the sensor in front of the screen for projector/screen based setups. Not needed for direct-view TVs or rear projection TVs. Make sure the tripod extends to at least the middle of your screen. A "free" Spyder2 tripod mount is also available ($15 shipping fee) but not needed as tape works fine.
A Windows PC* for running the software
A laptop preferred for portability but just about any computer will do as the speed and storage capacity are not important.
*A Mac will work too. Mac users will be happy to learn that at least one user has reported having successfully used the Windows ColorHCFR software from this guide together with the Eye One sensor on a Mac G3 (iBook) running Mac OS 10.2.8 under Virtual PC 6.1.2.
