A laptop is a constant companion of a 21st century person at work, at home, and on the road. It is known that the time spent setting up software will pay off later when you do not have to waste it on unnecessary steps or waiting for a response operating system. It is equally important to correctly configure the color rendition of the laptop display - this is necessary both for designers, photographers, etc., and for ordinary users. It’s not that difficult to make your eyes less tired and your vision not to deteriorate.
To avoid color distortion, the laptop should be located in a place where it is not exposed to outside light. Designers, for example, use special curtains - then there is no threat of glare or light exposure. The simplest and quick way– display calibration using the built-in program (using Windows 7 as an example). To launch it, go to the “Control Panel” and select “Color Management”. In the “Details” tab, you need to click on the “Calibrate screen” button and then follow the instructions. There are others special programs that help adjust colors is Adobe Gamma, Corel Draw, Ati Catalyst Control Center. In order to use one of them, for example, Adobe Gamma, you will need a source color scheme that you can use as a reference when changing color parameters. The pattern consists of stripes with gradations of different colors. For correct settings, first set the color temperature. Next to calibrate the display home laptop look at the gray stripe - 32 rectangles should be clearly visible on it, including the ones on the far left and right. To evaluate the result, print the resulting image, always in the “Grayscale” mode. If necessary, adjust the adjustments further until the colors on the paper and display are identical, then save the result.
It often happens that on one monitor an image looks quite acceptable, but on another you can’t look at it without tears - a different color rendition or contrast makes the picture completely unsightly. When the image is printed, the problem becomes even more serious. There is only one solution: calibrate the monitor.
CRT monitors (i.e. with cathode ray tube) so far in this regard they look more advantageous than liquid crystal displays (LCD) - primarily due to the independence of their color rendition from the viewing angle.
CRT monitors are also supported by the fact that professional and semi-professional CRT-based models are much cheaper than LCD models.
Professional monitor models have hardware calibration capabilities, and there are also self-calibrating monitors. But monitors from the so-called office series can be very difficult to calibrate - all because of the modest capabilities of an inexpensive cathode ray tube or matrix.
Monitor calibration can be done in several ways. different ways. Firstly, it is adjusting the parameters of the monitor itself, secondly, adjusting the parameters of the video card, and thirdly, software adjustment.
It's hard to say which method is best for a particular monitor.
Before calibration it is worth setting geometric parameters of your monitor - the dimensions and position of the image horizontally, vertically, etc., so that it is rectangular, flat, with even borders, right angles and placed exactly in the center of the screen. For this we can advise free program Nokia Monitor Test, one of the best in its class. It’s quite simple to use, so we won’t overload the article. detailed instructions. We only note that to perform these actions, the monitor must be warmed up.
Now let's look at the process of software calibration of the monitor using the popular and very simple Adobe Gamma utility, which is installed with the package Adobe Photoshop. The choice in favor of software calibration was made because inexpensive models monitors do not have extensive capabilities for hardware calibration, and video card settings various manufacturers differ so significantly that it makes no sense to describe them “as a whole.”
In addition to Adobe Gamma, there are other similar programs that usually come with the monitor (for example, "Natural Color" from Samsung or COLORIFIC from LG). The principle of working with them is similar to that described below.
It must be remembered that there should not be more than one calibration program loaded on the computer - in case of simultaneous automatic download Several such programs may cause serious image distortion at system startup.
So, calibration. First, make sure that you have Adobe Gamma installed and that it is listed in the list of programs to download automatically. Warm up the monitor for about 15-30 minutes until it reaches its optimal operating mode. Set your desktop color to neutral gray.
Label Adobe programs Gamma is located in the "control panel". After launch, the program asks how to calibrate - using the Wizard or through the Control Panel. When calibrating for the first time, it is easier to use the wizard. In the next window, the program will prompt us to select a “color profile” ( in simple words, a color profile is a file describing the color parameters of an output device, such as the range of reproducible colors, gamma curve, white point, designed to correctly represent the colors described in graphic file), from which we will start at the beginning of calibration. It would be most appropriate here to select a monitor profile from the manufacturer (from the windows/system32/spool/drivers/color folder), but sometimes the program does not accept it, in which case you can load another profile, usually using “sRGB Color Space Profile”.
Now the process of calibrating the monitor begins. Click “Next” and set the monitor contrast to maximum (when the white square on the screen appears to you as white and not gray). In the simplest case (on an average monitor), the contrast is set to the full maximum. After that, we change the brightness setting so that the gray square inside the black becomes as dark as possible, but at the same time does not merge with the outer black.
Then the program prompts you to set the phosphor type of the monitor. Unfortunately, it is not indicated in the instructions of most non-professional monitors.
If you find such information, then you are lucky, otherwise you will have to skip this step, leaving everything as is.
After this we will be asked to configure the correct gamma correction. In the tab below, set Windows Default (if you have Windows, of course), check the box for View Single Gamma Only and by moving the slider we try to achieve a position where the gray square merges with the striped background surrounding it. Here it is convenient to move a little away from the monitor and squint so that all the stripes merge into a common gray tone, after which the adjustment process is simplified.
Setting the gamma correction for individual colors is rarely required, and at the same time it is quite difficult to set it by eye, but if the gray color, from your point of view, actually has some shade, uncheck the box and set the gamma correction using the method described above for each of the three primary colors separately.
If you don't know the color temperature of your monitor, you can measure it by clicking the Measure button and selecting the most neutral gray square of the three until the program returns to the program window. It should also be noted that many monitors that do not allow for changes in color temperature are set to a temperature of 9300K.
In the next window, Adobe Gamma must be set color temperature, which you need for work. The typical temperature for daylight lighting is 6500K, so we set this value.
Now let's check the changes after calibration. Click "Next" and click Before - you will see the image before calibration, After - after it.
Now save the resulting profile. This profile will be automatically associated with the monitor in Windows and will be loaded every time the system starts. There is no need to remove the Adobe Gamma utility from startup.
Although this simplest option calibration of the monitor "by eye", you should remember that if the lighting parameters change, the monitor should be recalibrated or loaded with a profile corresponding to different lighting.
Accordingly, such a profile is “made” by a new calibration of the monitor - under new conditions.
The most convenient way to download your profile is through Adobe window Gamma (not in master mode). It is worth considering that with other settings of the monitor itself (brightness, contrast, color temperature), the profile is “invalid”, so it is convenient to write such parameters in the profile name.
Now let's talk about how to correctly use profiles when processing images - using the Adobe Photoshop program as an example.
By pressing Shift+Ctrl+K in Photoshop, open the “Color Settings” menu; here it’s most convenient to turn off color management “Color Management Off”. This is perhaps the only way to get rid of color differences in Photoshop and programs that do not support profiles. True, upon opening Photoshop file Each time it will ask “what to do” with a file located in a different color space. It is worth answering “reject color changes by profile” - this is the 3rd checkbox in the question window.
Now the processed images will look correct on other monitors. This is an ideal option for preparing photos for the web, since they will be perceived as files in the sRGB space.
For printing, slightly different techniques are used, in particular, working with the profile of a laboratory printing machine or printer. Usually it is enough to convert the processed file into such a space; this is done from the menu “image - mode - convert to profile”. But most microlabs accept sRGB files for photo printing, so if your camera shoots in sRGB, you often don't need to do any conversions.
Many mid- and high-end cameras shoot in Adobe RGB, in which case, when processing for printing, it is necessary to agree on in which space the files for printing can be carried with the minilab designers.
It is best if files intended for printing have an attached profile.
When saving in a format that supports attaching profiles (such as jpg), in the saving window you need to check the “ICC Profile” checkbox, making sure that the desired profile is entered after the checkbox. You can simply substitute this desired profile (without transformations) through the menu “Image - mode - assign profile”. In this case, spoiling the picture by incorrectly substituting the profile will only be possible through a gross mistake.
/ Sergey Nuikin / Articles and notes
Hello friends, I haven’t written anything for a long time. I didn’t write because the hard drive crashed again, until service center solved the issue of replacement or service flew by a week and a half. This problem with the hard drive already happened, literally a month and a half ago, as some of the readers remember, I already talked about it.
Well, the issue was resolved successfully, the hard drive was replaced with a new one, and at the same time I decided to change the power supply with cables, because... The reason for the constant failure of the hard drive is unclear. We'll see after some time whether there will be a result or not.
When the personal computer failed, I had to work on a laptop. To be honest, working on a laptop is not a pleasure for me; not only is it not very convenient, it is also incorrect. But it’s incorrect because I noticed that the color rendition of my monitor on a PC is radically different from that of a laptop.
Of course, I knew before that the color rendition of different monitors is different, but somehow I didn’t want to delve into the details. When I started working in the design field, I, like many people, had a simple CRT monitor with a cathode ray tube, which, as you know, does not have much color distortion. Although, having switched to the LCD monitor, I noticed that CRT also has its own small drawback, some shades of gray were transmitted as black.
But for LCD monitors with distortion, the situation is much more complicated, and there is a dependence on the type of matrix that is responsible for color rendition. Of course, you can calibrate them all (adjust the monitor colors). But for working with graphics, it is still preferable to use a monitor with an IPS matrix; they have excellent color rendering quality. So, I have a PC monitor with an E-IPS matrix, good calibration, and excellent color rendition. But the laptop has a regular budget TN matrix and its color rendering is highly distorted, which I noticed in some of my works.
If the monitor's color rendering is incorrect, there can be a number of consequences.
Conclusions that I made about the incorrect color reproduction of the monitor:
- Having processed the photo, we will get a result that, when printed, will differ in shades and colors, therefore, this means that all our manipulations were done in vain, and the time spent was wasted.
- There will be questions from customers about adjusting colors, although we will not understand the reasons;
- Poorly designed graphics (poisonous colors, wrong shades);
After these conclusions, I had to think about how to adjust the colors on a laptop monitor.
Adjusting monitor color
After going through a bunch of material, I learned that you can adjust the monitor’s color rendition in several ways, using a calibrator, specialized programs for calibrating at home, and also using the “color management” setting in Windows 7, thanks to which you can also calibrate the monitor.
A calibrator is a device for color calibration (setting to a standard) of monitors.
I tried to calibrate the laptop display using “color management” in Windows 7. I’ll tell you, I managed to correct the colors, but in my opinion, by eye, it doesn’t turn out the same as using a calibrator, but the result is still noticeable. Considering that I work on a laptop very rarely.
To adjust color rendering when windows help 7 You need to go to Start > Control Panel > Color Management. Select the “Details” tab and click the “Calibrate screen” button. Then you need to follow the recommendations, everything is clear there.
I would like to note that monitor calibration does not affect color settings in Photoshop, because... Photoshop has its own color settings.
If you need to determine a certain color anywhere on the monitor, then the article Webmaster Tools: How to Determine Color will be very useful to you.
I would also like to know your opinion about setting up the monitor.
- Do you think the monitor needs to be calibrated?
- How do you adjust the color rendering of your monitors?
- And do you set it up at all?
That's all for me, check out fotodizart.ru and subscribe to updates so as not to miss new interesting articles.
FotoDizArt.ru
How to set up a computer monitor for correct color reproduction, adjusting colors on Windows
The monitor does not always reproduce colors perfectly. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s expensive or cheap. The monitor needs to be configured like other devices that are display media. Normal adjustment consists of standard settings for brightness, contrast, clarity, saturation, and so on. But there are other display options that are more subtle. If the computer is used for simple tasks in the office, then this is not necessary. But if you need to constantly work with graphics, then the color rendition must match the source material. This is an important parameter and in this case it is necessary to calibrate the display.
- You need to calibrate the monitor 20 minutes after turning it on, that is, after it has completely warmed up.
- Before you begin, you need to reset all monitor settings to those that were set at the factory. If such a function is not provided in the monitor, then the wini2cddc program is required. It is a trial and 30 day trial. After the reset it is not needed and will be uninstalled.
- If the parameters have been changed, you need to re-calibrate;
- If there are automatic contrast and brightness adjustments, you should disable them;
- If there is no calibrator and an unsuccessful calibration using the program occurs, when working with images, it is worth saving their originals.
Settings and image quality assessment
If the display has a matrix Low quality, then there can often be errors when choosing colors when processing pictures, photographs and on layouts for printing, when creating websites and resources.
There is a special picture that allows you to evaluate the quality of the calibration. On both sides there are numbers from 1 to 5. So, if the calibration is more or less successful, then three numbers should be visible, and if ideal, then all five above and below. If the settings are bad, then 1-2.
How to print from a computer to a printer
You need to remember how many numbers are visible and adjust until there is a medium or high level. You can also open the picture and customize based on it.
In order to see the image clearly, first wipe the screen itself well so that nothing interferes or spoils the picture, and then adjust it.
Adjusting brightness and contrast
The brightness is also adjusted according to a special picture. On it you need to make sure that the colors of the suit and shirt, which are black, do not merge. That is, it was possible to distinguish where the jacket was and where the shirt was. There is also a cross in the background, it should be clearly visible.
Adjusting contrast makes light colors stand out and their details stand out.
There are folds and buttons in the image, so you need to choose the calibration so that they are clearly visible. It is better to set this parameter to the zero position, and then gradually increase it. If they start to disappear, then you need to reduce them.
Gamma and Gray Adjustment
Gamma is an important parameter. However, not every monitor allows you to configure it properly. But you need to try to bring it to the ideal, that is, as best as possible. If it is adjusted well, then dark and light spots will not be visible in the center of the image. 
Proper gray calibration will remove those shades that make the display look worse. Three colors are adjustable: red, blue and green. If the calibration is perfect, then there should be no third-party colors in the picture, only perfect gray. 
Configuration programs
There are a lot of different applications for this, from the simplest to the most complex, with subtle calibration capabilities:
- Atrise Software LUTCurve – best utility with a lot of settings.
- Eberhard Werle QuickGamma – this program allows you to adjust colors and gamma.
- TFT Test 1.52 – this program contains 12 pictures for setting up and comparing displays.
composs.ru
Monitor calibration
To check color reproduction, color calibration is used - this is a series of tests and settings to check the brightness and contrast on a display device: TV, monitor or projector. This check will help you ensure that the device displays colors without distortion, that is, has correct color reproduction. You need to adjust all the color settings to suit your requirements. The goal of monitor calibration is to display colors as naturally as possible in accordance with their natural spectral characteristics.
Users who work with photography use calibration methods based on third party programs or settings built into the Photoshop graphics editor. Professionals use a special device - a calibrator, which is applied to the monitor screen to accurately determine the displayed color. All this is done so that when editing the photograph on the screen looks exactly the same as its future typographical print.
But, since individual calibrator devices are quite expensive and comparable to the cost good smartphone or a camera, they are not suitable for most users. Therefore, in this article we will tell you how you can configure your monitor using the built-in Windows calibration utility and third-party programs, as well as online testers.
Monitor calibration using built-in Windows tools
First, let's look at the color calibrator in the Windows operating system. For operating version Windows systems 7 you need to go to Control Panel - Screen, and find the Color Calibration tool. In Windows 10, you need to go to Start - Settings (gear icon), System - Display - Advanced display settings, and click on Color calibration.
After you have launched the utility, you should be sure to sit comfortably and turn on exactly the lighting in which you will work with the computer. Your workplace should be sufficiently lit. Make sure the monitor is at eye level, generally the same as you would use it when regular work. Expand the calibration window to full screen for more precise settings. Color calibration in Windows is very rich in settings, so it is divided into six steps, which are given below:
First step
You can use the built-in image settings on your monitor or laptop (a separate utility for working with images may be useful for a laptop - it usually comes with drivers). You need to select the default settings for your monitor, or, if possible, enable the mode automatic settings. For example, for many Asus monitors there is a Splendid utility that uses color settings templates for each individual mode of use of the monitor, according to the type of content being displayed.
Second step
More important for laptop computers. Laptop matrices are more sensitive to changes color range. Select the item “Adjust gamma”. In the middle in front of you there will be a gray square with nine dots, and on the left there is a slider that can be adjusted so that the dots on the square become invisible, that is, match the brightness against the general background.
Third step
You need to go to the “Power Options” settings, you can find them in the Panel Windows management. Here we need a brightness control. But you can also use the + - keys in your monitor's brightness settings or the individual function keys on your laptop. An example of the setting will be an image with a man in a shirt. You need to adjust the brightness so that the suit and shirt are clearly visible on the screen, and the X mark, which is in the background, is almost invisible.
Fourth step
Adjust image contrast. Use the contrast sliders so that the folds and buttons on a white shirt do not blend into the background (wall).
Fifth step
Adjusting the balance according to the RGB scheme. You need to move the red, green and blue color sliders so that the stripes become completely gray and do not cast shades of the corresponding color.
Sixth step
This is the final step in saving the calibration settings into a separate profile. After this, you will be asked to compare the previous calibration option with the new one. If you are completely satisfied with the results, you should move on to the text display settings, so be sure to check the “Run ClearType tool” checkbox.
The ClearType setting includes displaying multiple passages (pangrams) that are read most clearly. In general, we can say that the standard calibrator in Windows is quite sufficient for ordinary users who do not work with graphics and photographs. To evaluate the new calibration profile, you can also use an example photo from the website Realcolor.ru. Choose an image that fits your screen resolution so that the picture is displayed at 100% scale as much as possible.
Color calibration for designers and photographers
The following calibration methods are suitable for those people who work in graphic editors and work with design and photography. For many designers, mid-level and high-level photographers, the image quality transmitted through the monitor is very important. Therefore for professional use Modern LCD monitors with IPS (P-IPS) matrix are suitable, where the image is almost not distorted when the screen is rotated (does not invert, does not darken, does not turn green). The image must be the same as the real color - white must be white, black must be black.
Alas, this quality cannot be achieved on budget monitors with TN+Film matrices. On screens based on this technology, when viewed even from a slight angle, visible colors already begin to distort and fade, which negatively affects the work with photographic materials and graphics. The difference is so noticeable that even points in the center of the screen and on the periphery are seen differently. In order to set up a monitor for professional use, you need to follow several points:
- - the monitor should be located in a place convenient for you;
- - the room must have sufficient lighting. Calibration should be carried out under the lighting in which you will be working with images. If, in addition to natural color, you also use artificial color in the form of table lamps or others, it would be advisable to create several calibration profiles;
- - before you start calibrating the monitor, it should be turned on for some time. For an LCD monitor - 30 minutes, for a CRT - about an hour;
- - It is best to set the image on your desktop with soft, neutral colors. Ideally, a photograph in gray tones.
Now let's move directly to third-party calibration utilities that are popular among users.
Adobe Gamma is a small program that comes with graphic editor Adobe Photoshop and allows you to adjust image settings for subsequent work with the program. The program also allows you to create profiles, which can then be used in the editor itself; they are displayed in a separate menu and the user can select any of them. The utility can also be downloaded separately, but for this you will have to use third-party resources. It does not require installation, just run the executable EXE file.
If you are encountering calibration for the first time, you can use the setup wizard; to do this, select this item when starting the program. Then you need to indicate the name of the calibration profile (necessarily in Latin letters). Then we move on to adjusting the image; several steps will be available to us at once.
The first one is the brightness and contrast settings. They need to be adjusted so that the gray square in the middle merges with the black as much as possible, but is noticeable, and the frame itself should be white. The next step allows us to select the type of glow of our screen (phosphor type). Factory settings can be found in the monitor drivers, if available. If it is not there, the default setting will be used. If you don't know what type of glow is right for you, select "Custom"
After that we go to the settings RGB colors, or rather, to adjust the gamma. There will be three sliders in front of you - Red, Green, Blue. They need to be adjusted so that the brightness of the gray square can be equalized against the background of the black and white stripes that flicker. Using one of the sliders, you can remove excess color from the screen, or remove one of the three colors altogether. But if there are no extra colors, then it is best to leave the default settings.
The next step is to adjust the color temperature. It is measured in Kelvin. For example, the range from 5500 to 6500 K corresponds to daylight, with artificial warm lighting (incandescent lamps, desk lamp) 5000 K is suitable, with fluorescent lighting the highest value of 9300 K is suitable. In order to determine the color temperature, click on the “Change” button and you will see an image in the form of three light squares. You need to choose one that is neutral gray.
The final step consists of determining the white point and saving your settings into a separate profile. Saved profiles can be easily changed using the control panel in the AdobeGamma program; all settings are located as conveniently as possible and are located in one window.
In addition to third-party utilities, there are also calibrators that work online, and you can find them on the Internet. Their advantage is that you do not need to install any programs on your computer; they work in your Internet browser. But you can also use them as an addition to the same AdobeGamma or Windows calibrator. There are several web services that can adjust not only the contrast, brightness and color of your monitor, but also adjust the sharpness, geometry, and flicker level. This is important if you use a professional monitor for graphics and photo processing. Another advantage of online calibrators is checking for dead and incorrectly working pixels, with which you can easily diagnose defects with the matrix in one click.
Web resources for image verification
- Monteon.ru allows you to determine the quality of color rendering, the presence of dead pixels, gradient settings, flicker levels, sharpness, brightness and contrast settings. You can evaluate the geometry and mesh, which is mainly used on widescreen screens.
- Online Monitor Test allows you to calibrate using several profiles. Suitable for SMARTTV TVs and monitors with 1080p resolution. Moreover, it can work both in a browser window and as a separate application. All versions, except the simplified version for TV, include the entire set of tests. But main feature This calibrator is to check the image delay Input lag. This useful feature, if you have two or more monitors. Its only drawback is, perhaps, that the interface is in English.
Now you know what monitor calibration is and why it is needed. To carry out this operation, it is absolutely not necessary to call computer specialists; you can do it yourself. To ensure that image quality and color do not deviate from the norm, monitor manufacturers recommend recalibration every three to four months. If calibration cannot be done, then you may need to use the services offered in the “Monitor Repair” section.
ant.sc
Description of monitor tests
monteon - service for testing a computer monitor or display mobile device. With test screens you can easily adjust your monitor settings to get best quality Images. A number of tests will help you evaluate the image quality of your monitor. Even from the first test screens, you can calibrate the monitor by adjusting the brightness, contrast, sync phase, sharpness and gamma correction of the monitor.
Tests are best viewed in dim or dark ambient light and in full screen mode. When running tests, you will be automatically prompted to switch to full screen mode. When you move the mouse pointer, a test control panel will appear at the bottom of the screen. Using the controls on the panel, you can select the test you need, rotate the slide (if the test provides it), return to home page or turn off full screen mode. With left and right side screen when you move the mouse, buttons for moving between tests are displayed. For convenience, controls disappear from the screen when you don't move the mouse pointer. In addition, hot control keys are provided. To move between test screens, use the Left, Right, or Space keys, or the mouse wheel. To rotate the slides - “Up” and “Down”, to exit the test - “Esc”.
If you have any color management systems installed in the operating system or additional video card correction software, it is recommended to disable them first. The first step is to make adjustments to your monitor's settings so that its performance is as close to ideal as possible, before using some kind of color management software to compensate for any small possible deviations or imperfections.
This classic template is used to test the settings of primary colors and shades. Nowadays there are usually no problems with color reproduction (especially on LCD monitors), so you probably don't even need to change these settings. This test can be used to verify that a monitor displays colors correctly without any artifacts. If your monitor supports filters (or has color filtering software), then you can use such filters to check that the monitor clearly reproduces colors without impurities (i.e., when using a red filter, the red bar should not change hue).
Defective pixels
Modern monitors use the RGB color model for color reproduction (an abbreviation of the English words Red, Green, Blue - red, green, blue). Each screen pixel consists of three channels. Mixing these three colors in different intensities gives different colors, the same intensity - shades of gray. A series of color rendering tests feature single-color template screens. These tests use only one specific color channel. Separately red screen, separately green and separately blue.
These tests, in addition to the completeness of the channel color, allow you to check for dead pixels or, as they are also called, dead pixels. To check for dead pixels, you need to carefully examine the entire screen on a single-color test screen. There should be no black dots on it. You need to check each channel, because... each pixel consists of three channels. Therefore, it is not at all necessary that if everything is fine on one channel, then everything will be fine on the other. If you find a black dot on one of these tests, then you have found dead pixel. Definitely, the presence of a defect even in one of the pixel channels will lead to distortion of color reproduction in a given pixel (point). Having a few dead pixels is normal on older monitors, but a new one should not have such defects. This series additionally includes color channel mixing tests: yellow(red+green), magenta (red+blue), cyan (green+blue) and white (red+green+blue).
Gradients
This series of tests presents screen templates with smooth gradients. All gradients should appear smoothly, without any stripes, lines or sudden color changes. Banding appears when the monitor is unable to correctly reproduce true colors and smooth transitions. A good monitor will display a completely smooth transition.
Flicker
On many VGA monitors, it is necessary to adjust the so-called clock/phase parameter (phase synchronization). These test images are best viewed in full screen mode. On long distance from the monitor they should look gray. When viewed closely, a fine pattern of alternating contrasting pixels (black and white) should be clearly visible.
If the synchronization is not configured correctly, images flicker or the appearance of “running pixels” is created. Or if the images look solid gray (no dots are visible even when viewed closely) or there are black and white stripes (vertical or curved), then adjustments are also needed.
Most monitors have a function to automatically adjust this parameter. It is usually called "Auto" or "AutoSet". Depending on the type of monitor there may be options manual settings.
Sharpness
Sharpness is very important. Sharpness is responsible for the level of clarity of the boundary between light and dark areas. For example, if it seems to you that the letters of the text are blurred, then most likely the level of sharpness is insufficient. By adjusting a certain level of sharpness on the display, you can get a picture or text that is pleasing to the eye. But over-sharpening is just as bad as under-sharpening.
Unlike brightness, contrast, color and hue, there is no “ideal” level of sharpness. Because, at least in part, the perception and optimal level of image sharpness depends on a number of factors, including the display method, screen size, and how far away you typically are from the screen.
In the test, an example of which is given above, with a sufficient level of sharpness you should clearly see small patterns in a checkerboard pattern. If there is insufficient sharpness, some squares merge into a solid gray color. The central circle should stand out clearly.
On another test, you should see clear rectangles and lines without blurred edges, halos and other artifacts. Diagonal lines should also be straight.
Contrast and Brightness
In this series of tests, you should see clear boundaries between stripes and squares in the images. If some areas merge and become the same color or are not visible against the background at all, then it is necessary to adjust the brightness and contrast. On a good monitor, you should see equal levels of brightness across the entire test range and in all colors.
Zone brightness
This test good way check the level of overall brightness reproduction, and not a bad template for checking clarity. The center of the screen should look smooth and clean. Further from the center, closer to the edges, the contours should become more and more sharp and less smooth. Imaginary false concentric circles may appear closer to the edges of the screen. If these outlines are ovoid or oval, then something is wrong. There may be a slight, almost imperceptible decrease in brightness in the corners of the screen. If the decrease in brightness is large or everything merges, then this is not so good.
Geometry and meshes
These tests are designed to verify the correct geometry and fit of the image being reproduced by the monitor.
Image Clipping
Not every display actually shows you every pixel that is sent by the video card to the monitor. This test will show you how part of the image is missing. If your monitor is set up correctly, you should see a white line on the outer edge of all the numbered rectangles around the entire edge of the screen. If some rectangles are missing the outer white line at the edge of the screen, this means that the edge of the image is being cut off. The number of such a clipped rectangle shows how many pixels are missing on this edge of the screen.
16:9 format
The test example above is designed to test widescreen displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Here you should see a grid of 16 identical squares horizontally and 9 identical squares vertically. Regularly shaped circles should be visible at the corners. If you don't see them or they are clipped or distorted, then your monitor either does not support the corresponding mode, or you need to adjust the image scaling, which may be service menu display.
Run tests
monteon.ru
Calibrating a laptop screen - adjusting color reproduction
Often after printing digital photos on a color printer, users are faced with the problem of colors not being displayed correctly, i.e. The photo looks completely different when printed than when viewed on the screen.
To fix this problem, calibrate the laptop screen.
Monitor calibration is a procedure for adjusting its color gamut in order to bring the colors displayed on the device screen as close as possible to the real colors that the user will receive after printing.
It should also be said that the image on different monitors, as well as computers (due to being equipped with different video cards) will be different.
After performing the calibration procedure, the image will be almost the same on different computers with different displays.
Display calibration is mainly dealt with by people whose field of activity is related to video and photo editing (both professionals and amateurs), artists and designers, as well as web designers.
The disadvantages of uncalibrated displays include: inaccurate representation of colors and shades, loss of detail in light and dark areas, incorrect brightness and gamma values, incorrect display of web page designs, eye fatigue after working with a computer.
It should be noted that displays on an IPS matrix, although to a lesser extent, also need calibration. As a rule, special software is supplied with the monitor to perform calibration.
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There are two approaches to display calibration - hardware and software. The most accessible for the average user is programmatic method calibration.
Software calibration, as a rule, does not allow one to reach the level of hardware calibration, but this method should not be neglected.
Hardware method more expensive both in terms of money and the qualifications of the person performing the calibration. The hardware approach can be divided into 3 key stages:
The monitor is adjusted (color, brightness, contrast) in such a way that in the adjusted position it meets the requirements of the equipment (spectrophotometer and calibration software).
Configuring the video card to linear mode work.
Testing the system and saving the changed settings to the monitor color profile.
Modern operating systems personal computers are graphic. This means neither more nor less, but that from the quality screen image The rhythm and style of working with a computer depends. Screen settings affect productivity and personal well-being, mood and prosperity, visual health and worldview.
Adjusting the quality of the screen image should begin with the monitor. If it is a CRT monitor, its factory settings are never optimal. By changing them, you can significantly improve image quality.
Most often, an LCD monitor has nothing to adjust. If it has defects, they are irreparable. But such a monitor can be fully checked upon purchase and the defective copy can be rejected.
Overhead Screen Display, OSD
Monitor settings are controlled using the on-screen display overlay. He has small size(15-20% of the screen area) and is displayed on top of the current screen image. You can turn it on by pressing one of the buttons located on the front panel of the monitor. The OSD panel turns off automatically after being idle for a certain period of time.
The OSD panel contains a graphical menu. Here you can select a custom parameter and change its value.
Adjustment is possible within a very wide range. It is often possible to normalize completely unacceptable images. The quality of image display on the monitor greatly depends on the video card, and the correct settings of the video card must be approached personally.
When performing the setup, it is advisable to:
- have a test image on the screen;
- adhere to a certain sequence of actions when making adjustments.
Exist utilities, satisfying both of these wishes. One of the most well-deserved is the Nokia Monitor Test program, known for more than ten years. Among more modern programs, I can also recommend Iiyama Mon itor Test. Also study the CD that you received when you purchased the monitor. It is possible that it has a similar program.
How to set up your monitor
Specific actions depend on the monitor model, but the set of settings itself is approximately the same for all monitors with a cathode ray tube.
Adjusting brightness and contrast
Brightness and contrast are the image parameters that have the greatest impact on its consumer properties. Therefore, they must be configured taking into account the characteristic type of activity.
Modern monitors usually have a dedicated button to quickly switch between three activities:
- normal (working with text documents);
- graphic (viewing graphic images and playing computer games);
- video (watching videos).
- In Normal mode, the goal of adjusting brightness and contrast settings is to reduce eye strain to a comfortable level. Depending on the state of the vision system, the type of activity and the nature of the documents, everyone adjusts the brightness of the normal mode to their liking. The setting is subjective and, as a rule, comes down to setting low brightness values.
- IN graphic mode The purpose of adjusting brightness and contrast settings is to ensure correct color tones across all brightness ranges. They strive to make this setting as objective as possible, for which they use special programs, for example Nokia Monitor Test and others.
- In video mode, the purpose of adjusting brightness and contrast is to ensure the best conditions watching videos. This setting is very subjective and is determined by the characteristics of the particular film, personal habits and viewing conditions (external lighting, distance to the screen, etc.). As a rule, comfortable conditions are achieved at elevated brightness values.
Such settings cannot be used when working with documents, as this will lead to rapid visual fatigue. They should not be used when working with graphics tools due to unpredictable color distortion.
Adjusting image size and position
With the optimal setting, the center of the image coincides with the center of the screen, and the image itself fills the entire screen. If there are black bars around the edges, the screen area is not being fully utilized. If the image goes off the screen, that's also bad. You can adjust the image size and position separately vertically and horizontally.
Elimination of geometric distortions
The geometric parameters of the image determine the correct display of lines and contours on the screen. Ideally, the lines parallel to the edges of the image should be straight. Test squares and circles anywhere on the screen should have a clear shape and the same size. Monitor adjustment tools allow you to eliminate different types of distortions, guided by test patterns on the screen.
Moire in the image
Moire- these are patterns and stains that are noticeable when small elements of the same type are repeated on the screen.
Moire occurs due to the superposition of two grids on top of each other. different frequencies. The grid of image cells depends on the video signal, and the grid of phosphor elements depends on the design of the monitor tube.
Moire cannot be considered only as a disadvantage. This is a fundamental phenomenon, the presence of which is due, in particular, to the good clarity and accuracy of the image obtained on the screen, especially if moire appears approximately equally in different corners of the screen. Usually moire can be removed by slightly adjusting the video signal. The clarity of the image is slightly reduced. It is important that this reduction is not critical.
Focusing and convergence of beams
Both focusing and convergence of color rays affect the clarity of the image. If focusing is poor, the electron beam hits several phosphor elements and the image is blurred.
If color mixing is poor, color halos are visible around thin contours. Such defects are usually noticeable in the corners of the screen, where the beam undergoes maximum deflection.
Purity of colors
Uniform, pure colors (red, blue and green) should fill the screen in an even field. With a working kinescope, the monotony may be disrupted and the colors may be distorted if there are strong magnetic fields near the monitor. For example, this effect can be given acoustic speakers. Sometimes it is enough to move the column two or three centimeters to the side to significantly improve image quality. If the defects are caused by magnetization of the picture tube, a demagnetization operation can help. This operation should not be performed too often.
During installation Windows drivers for the video card are installed automatically, but they are usually standard and do not make the equipment work completely. Therefore, it is recommended to install the video card driver recommended by the manufacturer.
Features of LCD monitors
Let us remind you that for an LCD monitor, adjustment is usually not needed. Image defects are of a manufacturing nature. There are two main types of defects. Uneven brightness or color in a picture is usually due to deformation of the liquid crystal matrix or a defect in the backlight. Such a defect is unacceptable - you can demand a replacement of the monitor under warranty.
Another type of defect is defective pixels, completely or partially non-functioning cells of the liquid crystal matrix. Theoretically, it is believed that a working monitor can have several defective pixels, but this does not mean that such monitors need to be purchased. It’s one thing when they spontaneously arise during operation - you can only come to terms with this. It's a different matter when such a monitor is available for sale. There is no point in buying it if it is easy to find another copy.
The purpose of setting up a monitor is accurate color reproduction
The manufacturer, as a rule, does not place the highest priority on color accuracy. For good sales It’s more effective to place emphasis on price, design, and some additional (often unnecessary) features. Therefore, the most accurate color rendition without additional settings- this is either an accident, or some very expensive special models, or simply people’s indifference to such an important parameter on which eye health, emotional state and freshness of thought depend.
However, no matter what category of buyers you belong to (pros, amateurs, advanced users, etc.), most likely, you will strive to achieve the highest possible quality from the monitor in accordance with the capabilities of a particular model. It is no secret that this desire is largely due to the difficult economic situation, which forces us to pay close attention to every ruble spent on equipment, especially when it comes to monitors for professional or gaming needs.
Initial monitor settings (brightness, contrast, temperature)
Of course, there are a lot of people who prefer not to go into the monitor settings menu for reasons of fear of “spoiling something,” laziness, or simply ignorance of such capabilities. As a rule, their monitors suffer from excessive brightness, which can hardly be called beneficial for the eyes. At the same time, people forget that our vision is unique. adaptive tool flexibly adapts to different conditions. It is unlikely that you will need more than half an hour (and sometimes 5 minutes is enough) to completely get used to the new conditions of reducing brightness from maximum to sufficient.
A parameter that usually does not require additional adjustment is contrast. However, as surveys have shown, this is precisely what the vast majority of users are trying to change in one direction or another (relative to the factory settings). This is fraught with various unnecessary distortions. As you zoom in, light halftones may begin to merge and gradient transitions may begin to fall apart. And as it decreases, the depth of the black field decreases. Needless to say, gamma curves change and color accuracy deteriorates? Unfortunately, not everyone pays attention to this.
An important indicator of monitor settings is color temperature. The reference point is a level close to 6500K. This value is considered close to the reference values for the perception of screen images. Of course, in ordinary life it occurs infrequently, and our vision adapts to any color temperature value, but if you strive for the ideal, then the color temperature in the room should not differ from the white color on the screen by more than 500-700K. Otherwise, you may be “disturbed” by the temperature contrast on the screen and in the surrounding space. One way or another, almost everyone has encountered this phenomenon. We must remember that solving this issue is not difficult, and modern monitor models, as a rule, have several ready-made color temperature settings (5-10), covering most typical situations. Well, if this does not help, then manual configuration options will come to your aid.
Methods of setting up the monitor (manual, software, hardware).
Very often, users think about setting up a monitor without using special devices, that is, “by eye.” This desire is quite understandable, since it does not involve spending money on the purchase or rental of measuring equipment. But this method does not provide the necessary accuracy, since human vision, as mentioned above, is very flexibly adjusted to different conditions.
A slightly more advanced configuration method is to use special software. It appeared about ten years ago and still has its share of fans among users who are not inclined to spend, in their opinion, excessively. (See also) Indeed, these tools help to improve the situation a little, but you will not achieve a dramatic improvement with their help. We are talking about internal edits to the video card data - Look Up Table (LUT). In this case, you will not be able to accurately adjust the brightness level and color temperature, although you will be able to eliminate the imbalance in color channels RGB will be within your power. How to improve the color balance of shades of gray and better display the color palette in terms of brightness (this is achieved by editing the gamma curves). But, you need to understand that in the final accuracy will be determined by such subjective parameters as the characteristics of your vision, emotional background, internal concentration and room lighting at the time of adjustment.
The main disadvantage of setting up using special software is the inability to create a full-fledged profile containing data on the color potential of the monitor, which in turn reduces the efficiency of working with software using a color management system (CMS). The color gamut of the device will be missing from the data and, accordingly, changing the parameters to the level of compliance with the specified standards will be incorrect.
Professional monitor setup is carried out using special instruments - colorimeters and spectrophotometers. This allows you to fine-tune the monitor to the level accepted as standards. The work includes two types of actions:
- Calibration;
- Profiling.
Monitor calibration and profiling
The initial stage of this setup is devoted to the internal parameters of the monitor, configured through its OSD menu. Using a measuring device, you need to adjust the brightness and color temperature indicators. They will depend on the external lighting conditions. (See also) As a result, the optimal saturation range should be formed.
At the next stage, you need to make automatic measurements of a large array of color shades. These indicators will be compared with reference values, as a result of which an ICM|ICC profile will be created and recorded, containing the final edits to the LUT of the video card. The profile contains information about how the display reproduces colors. Programs using a color management system (CMS) will access this data so that, in accordance with the characteristics of the monitor model, the color spectrum can be adjusted at the software level to a given standard.
To solve this problem, you can try: either select a gamma mode from among the available ones, or select corresponding value contrast, which affects the gamma curves, or use a tool like “Black Equalizer”. If all these actions do not lead to positive result(and possibly worsen the picture), then you have no other choice but to work on correction using the LUT of the video card. As for the LUT of the monitor, the vast majority of models on the market do not support changes. Unfortunately, in this situation, negative aspects in the form of distortion of gradients cannot be avoided.
Setting up a monitor using a video card driver
Another opportunity to make changes to the monitor settings is provided through the video card driver. But this path is recommended exclusively for laptops. Since the use of hardware matrix adjustment tools is not implemented for them, and only software can influence color rendition. Let's analyze several samples with settings edits using the NVIDIA driver.
Let's take advantage software Calibration Tester, which will help detect changes in the LUT of the video card that have arisen as a result of brightness, contrast and gamma correction. In the graph, the X-axis represents hue parameters from 0 to 255, while the Y-axis data illustrates their brightness. Since the dependence is specified in a linear format, it does not affect the output signal by default. But when making adjustments to the basic parameters, the image does not undergo significant changes. Moreover, the magnitude of the change exceeds similar steps performed in the OSD of the monitor.
An example of such unwanted distortions is the transformation of light halftones into absolute white, while black is transformed into dark shades of gray. If you lower the contrast, the effect will be much the same, but here the white color will acquire a gray component. Your vision may thank you for reducing the load in this way, but you will have to pay for it by reducing the range of colors, which fundamentally contradicts the idea of accurate color rendition.
Using someone else's profile in monitor settings
In any field of activity there are people who seek to “cheat the system.” Such attempts were not avoided when it comes to the processes of setting up the monitor. One of the misconceptions in this direction concerns the use color profiles, which someone once created on another monitor of the same model. The temptation to take advantage ready-made solution from the outside it is quite large. But, as a rule, the effectiveness of this step tends to zero.
Many people are sure that absolutely every monitor needs adjustment. In many ways, this opinion was formed under pressure from companies and individuals providing paid services on calibration and profiling of monitors. Also, a significant contribution to the dominance of this point of view is made by those users for whom the setting helped to radically “change the picture” on their monitors. You may agree with these views or not, but if we talk about the recommendations of professionals in this field, then they have a number of ideas about the need (or not) to work on setting up monitors.
Setting up your monitor for creative activities
It is quite logical that buying a monitor with a high-bit LUT, where there is direct access, implies calibration, for which these capabilities are introduced.
You should not place excessive hopes on calibration if you are working with colors behind a display that has a TN+Film matrix. It is better, after all, to replace such a monitor with another one with an IPS matrix, where color rendering is stable over the entire screen area and does not depend on working viewing angles. Calibration will also not solve problems with low stability, uneven illumination on a white/dark field, Black-Crush, Glow, Cross-Hatching effects.
Resetting your monitor
Over time, a monitor that once had good color reproduction may gradually deteriorate in this important parameter. This is a common occurrence, and in this case, calibration can return the situation to a positive direction. To achieve maximum accuracy, it is recommended to calibrate once every year or six months. Some purists insist on repeating this procedure every few days. However, this is overkill.
The effect of calibration can often be minimally noticeable. It manifests itself most clearly on monitors that initially performed poorly in accuracy testing based on factory settings.
When adjusting your monitor won't help
If your monitor has an extended color gamut, but for some reason you do not work with programs that support CMS, then calibration and profiling will not help you solve the problem of obtaining accurate colors. Only if you switch to MacOS, where the CMS will function at the operating system level, which, unfortunately, is not yet implemented in Windows. ()
If you get tired quickly, your eyes hurt, you can’t work at the monitor for a long time, and you’ve already tried reducing the brightness and changing the color temperature, then you shouldn’t count on calibration to save you from these problems.
Rely on the brand, but don’t be bad yourself.
Currently, the monitor industry continues to move forward on the path to improving product quality, paying more and more attention to factory settings. However, it has not yet been possible to achieve any stable result suitable for each user. Therefore, setting up monitors does not lose its relevance these days. Your monitor can be made better, more comfortable and more accurate if we are talking about some specific color solutions. You should not perceive the monitor as something finished - forever frozen in the final phase. All people are born different, feel and see the world differently. Setting up a monitor to suit your tasks and preferences means making the world even more convenient and beautiful, since nowadays what you see on the screen directly correlates with the surrounding space. The computer is a part of life. And the desire to make existence more pleasant is a natural process. Set up your monitors and have fun!
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