Matching dual monitors with Spyder2 Pro
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
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2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Hi! This is my first post here. What would be the best way to match the color on two identical LCD monitors using a Spyder2Pro? The monitors look close but not quite the same. Thank you.
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by xun wang
On my PC running XP Pro with i1 Display2, all i had to do is drag the calibration application to the other window, then it ll automatically profile the
2006-03-14 by Tom
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote: > > On my PC running XP Pro with i1 Display2, all i had to do is drag the > calibration application to the other window, then it'll automatically > profile the targeted LCD instead. > Try it, maybe spyder behaves similarly... > > xun Just be careful that the background behind each monitor is the same (color, ambient light etc.) I'm reading that the background has a measurable effect.
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by randy
So I can profile 2 crt monitors on one dual head video card? or not? and have it all work right? Randy CDTobie@... wrote:
> > In a message dated 3/14/06 2:15:13 PM, ttrostel@... writes: > > >> > On my PC running XP Pro with i1 Display2, all i had to do is drag the >> > calibration application to the other window, then it'll automatically >> > profile the targeted LCD instead. >> > Try it, maybe spyder behaves similarly... >> > > > > > Actually, with Spyer2PRO, you get a choice of all the available > monitors and projectors to choose from at the beginning of the wizard > workflow. No dragging or dropping necessary. But the various factors I > listed are the items that need to be considered in tweeking two > monitors to the closest possible match. Just pushing the "calibrate" > button is great, but controlling the details is what makes for the > closest possible multiple monitor matching. > > C. David Tobie > Product Technology Manager > ColorVision Business Unit > Datacolor Inc. > CDTobie@... > www.colorvision.com > > SPONSORED LINKS > Digital photography software > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+software&w1=Digital+photography+software&w2=Digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+course&w4=Photography+school&w5=Professional+digital+photography&w6=Stock+photography&c=6&s=176&.sig=vcZVcv11-RF9aChCrpL-cA> > Digital photography > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography&w1=Digital+photography+software&w2=Digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+course&w4=Photography+school&w5=Professional+digital+photography&w6=Stock+photography&c=6&s=176&.sig=NPMG-BjOjJWWWu1WTDecRQ> > Digital photography course > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+course&w1=Digital+photography+software&w2=Digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+course&w4=Photography+school&w5=Professional+digital+photography&w6=Stock+photography&c=6&s=176&.sig=GPs-R_fGq5Hih2NpQczQ8g> > > Photography school > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Photography+school&w1=Digital+photography+software&w2=Digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+course&w4=Photography+school&w5=Professional+digital+photography&w6=Stock+photography&c=6&s=176&.sig=pj3cKQlkMhgkqUXNMJjiCw> > Professional digital photography > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Professional+digital+photography&w1=Digital+photography+software&w2=Digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+course&w4=Photography+school&w5=Professional+digital+photography&w6=Stock+photography&c=6&s=176&.sig=k7x9GYFzNn4NfJTZP-Vt_g> > Stock photography > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Stock+photography&w1=Digital+photography+software&w2=Digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+course&w4=Photography+school&w5=Professional+digital+photography&w6=Stock+photography&c=6&s=176&.sig=H9bHMH_cKn4LEqWkcUABgg> > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > * Visit your group "colorvision_group > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/colorvision_group>" on the web. > > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > colorvision_group-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > <mailto:colorvision_group-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> > > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of > Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.2/280 - Release Date: 3/13/2006 >
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Thanks for the replies. The monitors are identical Dell LCD monitors connected via DVI to a dual DVI Nvidia Geforce AGP videocard. I am able to calibrate both, but they remain somewhat different. They are positioned side by side against dimly lit white wall, the light is coming from the right side and is fairly dim most of the day. The light does not directly hit the monitors. Windows XP Pro SP2. I wasn't targeting luminance values. One of the monitors is also connected via VGA to another computer with a Matrox G400 Max card, but I haven't attempted calibrating it yet.
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, randy <rlphoto@...> wrote: > > So I can profile 2 crt monitors on one dual head video card? or not? > and have it all work right? > > Randy It works for me. Colorvision installs a utility in Startup folder that loads separate profiles for both monitors. However, even if dual monitors were not directly supported you would be able to calibrate monitors one at a time and manually assign the profiles and load LUTs.
2006-03-14 by xun wang
Yes that s exactly what I m doing. Supposedly windows doesn t support multiple monitor profiling. But obviously that s been proven wrong. though I would like
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Thank you, I'll try that. Tipically in Windows XP to assign separate profiles on a dualhead card one would need to download a Color Control Panel Applet from Microsoft and then set it to load LUTs on startup. However with Spyder2 Pro you don't even have to do that I believe. At least you don't need to load LUTs through the applet - colorvisionstartup.exe does it instead. Since I already have the applet installed I can't tell if colorvision startup would work correctly without it.
2006-03-14 by xun wang
It ll probably work the same without the CCPA. I m not using the CCPA and having two different profile loaded on two LCDs from a single graphic card. ... --
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote: >I meant my Radeon 9800 only has one LUT, I believe this statement is incorrect. I think most modern videocards would support two - although I'm not a technician. If your calibration software affects only the monitor it's positioned on that means you can assign separate LUTs.
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: >If you can't get Windows to see your > dual head video card as two devices... you simply can't use distinct profiles > for both monitors, without buying a second video card. You can assign appropriate profiles and load appropriate LUTs on startup, which is all most people would need.... Which part of it would't work in your opinion? Without colorvisionstartup.exe one would just use "wincolor.exe /L" and it would work. I mean it does work.
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Oh, OK. I was considering getting two videocards for my next system, but if PCIe works OK I guess one would be enough. I know the applet is not perfect (and that's why I was considering two cards) but for most intents and purposes it is useable.
2006-03-14 by xun wang
... I think you re right. It turns out that the 9800 pro has one GPA, but has two seperate DACa. So in case if somebody is wondering if your dual head graphic
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Thanks for the explanation. Do all PCIe card appear as two separate devices or it depends on the drivers?
2006-03-14 by Tom
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: > Unfortunately this is not exactly true. If you can't get Windows to see your > dual head video card as two devices... you simply can't use distinct profiles > for both monitors, without buying a second video card. > So the card only has one CLUT?
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Still, the fact is LUT loader (either colorvision's or microsoft's) loads appropriately. To test it just create an intentionally distorted profile - it will load on startup on the monitor it's assigned to. So having a card that does not appear as two devices should not prevent me from making two monitors look the same. Photoshop and other application will see only one profile but I don't care much about it for now.
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Having two identical monitors look the same is not useless even though Photoshop will only see the profile of only one of them. After initial calibration they are much closer to eachother - that's a big plus already.
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Well, theoretical discussions aside I figured out the solution that works for me for the time being. The problem was the white point in my case. For LCD native wp is recommended and the monitors had different ones. I actually think it has something to do with Nvidia DVI screwup, not the monitors themselves, but anyway... I decided to leave the "better" monitor at native, then measured it's white point (6375K - you need to start calibration at a white point other than Native to get to the measurments part) and then set it as a target for the second monitor. So now they are much closer. The software warned me that it's not a good idea to use RGB sliders on an LCD monitor - but hey, it's not a good idea to work on monitors with different white points either.
2006-03-14 by lowlife_inc
Come to think of it for dual monitor calibration it would be nice to include a standalone "Measure" function in the software, that would just measure the white point and luminance levels. Would be nice to be able to save it as a target as well so you can load it for other monitors. And I don't see why would somebody argue against the strengths of their own software. I understand David Tobie is trying to correctly represent the capabilities of the software but the thing is a lot of dual monitor calibration functionality is available in XP for Spyder2 Pro users even on an AGP dualhead card.
2006-03-15 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-15 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-15 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-15 by bertha8it
A am able to use the Spyder2Pro to calibrate my 2 monitors that are both attached to an Nvidia AGP video card running under Windows XP. I have an LCD and a CRT on the same video card, and both monitors look quite similar with their proper profiles applied. These are the steps required to do this in Windows with Nvidia cards: 1. Use the Spyder to calibrate each monitor with a meaningful name. 2. Bring up display properties (right mouse on desktop and select "properties".) 3. Select the "Settings" tab. 4. Click "Advanced" button. 5. Select "Color Management" tab. 6. You will see a list of color profiles associated with the monitor, probably the profile you created for the primary monitor and some existing windows or monitor manufacturer's profiles. 7. Click the "Add" button and select the profile you created for the secondary monitor to add it to the list. These profiles are now available to ColorVision's "Profile Chooser" program. 8. The profile that was created for the primary monitor should already be set as the default - you can highlight it and press the "Select as Default" button to be sure. ------------------------------------- 9. When you start the computer, the profile that as been "set as default" is applied to both monitors, so the secondary monitor has the wrong profile. 10. Start ColorVision's "Profile Chooser" application. (Profile Chooser is automatically installed with the Spyder software on Windows machines). A window of it will open on each monitor. 11. At the "Profile Chooser" window on the SECONDARY monitor, select the correct profile for the secondary monitor. Now each monitor will have the correct profile. 12. Close "Profile Chooser" 13. Steps 9 to 12 need to be done whenever you restart your computer, but its easy. - --- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: > > > In a message dated 3/14/06 6:34:34 PM, lowlife_inc@... writes: > > > > Come to think of it for dual monitor calibration it would be nice to > > include a standalone "Measure" function in the software, that would > > just measure the white point and luminance levels. Would be nice to be > > able to save it as a target as well so you can load it for other monitors. > > > White point and luminance levels are functions of the calibration, so you > can't just measure them, you need to calibrate to obtain them (adjusting the > whitepoint, for instance, will effect the available white luminance). Once you > have calibrated, these values are available in the info window. They can also be > saved as custom targets, to be, among other uses, loaded on other computers > for matched targeting or used to target other monitors on the same computer. So > I believe everything you are asking for is already available. > > > > And I don't see why would somebody argue against the strengths of > > their own software. I understand David Tobie is trying to correctly > > represent the capabilities of the software but the thing is a lot of > > dual monitor calibration functionality is available in XP for Spyder2 > > Pro users even on an AGP dualhead card. > > > Its not our software, these are limitations under Windows XP for any monitor > calibration and profiling product. Its important that Windows users understand > about dual head cards in terms of both dual VLUT capacity, and dual profile > assignment limitations, so that they can choose their configuration > appropriately for their uses: if the second monitor if for palettes, no problem; if they > are both for color managed work, then a PCI express dual head card, or two > separate cards of most any type, are probably necessary to get full color
> management, and proper matching, with both monitors. > > C. David Tobie > Product Technology Manager > ColorVision, Inc. > CDTobie@... > www.colorvision.com >
2006-03-15 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: >Once you > have calibrated, these values are available in the info window. They can also be > saved as custom targets, to be, among other uses, loaded on other computers > for matched targeting or used to target other monitors on the same computer. So > I believe everything you are asking for is already available. That is excellent. I wouldn't figure it out by myself. > Its not our software, these are limitations under Windows XP for any monitor > calibration and profiling product. Its important that Windows users understand > about dual head cards in terms of both dual VLUT capacity, and dual profile > assignment limitations, so that they can choose their configuration > appropriately for their uses I know that XP has limitations in that respect. But for color matching two monitors loading appropriate LUTs is "good enough". And your software does it really well. You should play it up instead of saying that it's not really full color management. It's not, I understand. Thanks for taking your time discussing this issue. So - is it OK using RGB sliders for adjusting white point in my situation?
2006-03-15 by lowlife_inc
bertha8it's post made me reevaluate my assumptions. On a dualhead AGP card under Windows XP you do need to use the windows control panel color applet loader in the startup folder (wincolor.exe /L) to avoid manually chosing profiles. It lets you chose correct profiles on startup without the need for manual correction. I was wrong stating that colorvisionstartup.exe does the same thing for an AGP dualhead card. So dual monitor calibration will still work but it will require a couple more steps configuring the applet. I believe xun wang has a PCIe card, so he is in a better situation than us. Good news is that PCIe cards don't not have that problem...
2006-03-15 by Kris
To all -- Can someone take the lead to gather the info about this subject, and summarize it? I would do it, but I have only one-display systems except for one that is used only for tools and other stuff. no color required. (most of you have the same setup). If someone can help with compiling this, please let me or John know!!!! Thanks! -kris
> -----Original Message----- > From: colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of lowlife_inc > Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:01 PM > To: colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [colorvision_group] Re: Matching dual monitors with > Spyder2 Pro - homegrown solution > > bertha8it's post made me reevaluate my assumptions. > > On a dualhead AGP card under Windows XP you do need to use > the windows control panel color applet loader in the startup > folder (wincolor.exe > /L) to avoid manually chosing profiles. It lets you chose > correct profiles on startup without the need for manual correction. > > I was wrong stating that colorvisionstartup.exe does the same > thing for an AGP dualhead card. So dual monitor calibration > will still work but it will require a couple more steps > configuring the applet. I believe xun wang has a PCIe card, > so he is in a better situation than us. > > Good news is that PCIe cards don't not have that problem... > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >
2006-03-15 by Bob Frost
I use the Win Color Applet to switch between profiles for my computer and projector that are both connected to my Radeon 9800 Pro dual-head card, but I can only have one profile (and calibration) active at at time, because as CDT has said several times, the video card can only take one calibration table at a time and applies it to both outputs. So, AFAIK I can have the projector working with the correct calibration and profile, OR the computer monitor working with its own calibration table and profile, but with WinXP I cannot have both using a my AGP card and photoshop. Bob frost. ----- Original Message -----
From: "lowlife_inc" <lowlife_inc@...> > bertha8it's post made me reevaluate my assumptions. > > On a dualhead AGP card under Windows XP you do need to use the windows > control panel color applet loader in the startup folder (wincolor.exe > /L) to avoid manually chosing profiles. It lets you chose correct > profiles on startup without the need for manual correction. > > I was wrong stating that colorvisionstartup.exe does the same thing > for an AGP dualhead card. So dual monitor calibration will still work > but it will require a couple more steps configuring the applet. I > believe xun wang has a PCIe card, so he is in a better situation than us.
2006-03-15 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-15 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-15 by Tom
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: > No, its not. If they are a matched pair, and haven't faded to differing > states, then it is a good compromise, but for the cost of a cheap second videocard, > you could have the real thing, and actually profile both. If the two monitors > don't have similar primary color values, then colors simply won't match... Are the DACs in the video cards out there pretty much the same? The other day I had wondered if there were commercial cards out there which could run 16 bits per channel instead of 8. That might be below the level of perception though.
2006-03-15 by Kris
wow, this thread died quckly... Was it me? Lots of opinions, no experts? This is the fastest growning group on Yahoo, it seems there might be a Windows expert that can help, and a member that has the time to document it? Oh well....
> -----Original Message----- > From: colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Kris > Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:06 PM > To: colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com > Subject: RE: [colorvision_group] Re: Matching dual monitors > with Spyder2 Pro - homegrown solution > > To all -- > > Can someone take the lead to gather the info about this > subject, and summarize it? > > I would do it, but I have only one-display systems except for > one that is used only for tools and other stuff. no color > required. (most of you have the same setup). > > If someone can help with compiling this, please let me or > John know!!!! > > Thanks! > > -kris
2006-03-15 by Tom
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "Kris" <km-yahoo@...> wrote: > > wow, this thread died quckly... Was it me? > > Lots of opinions, no experts? > > This is the fastest growning group on Yahoo, it seems > there might be a Windows expert that can help, and a > member that has the time to document it? > The problem is under the current version of windows you can *calibrate* both displays on a *single* graphics card with dual heads but you can't *profile* both of them. The problem arises because the current windows OS does not properly enumerate seperate displays. So ... its ... looks like chicken, smells like chicken, tastes like chocolate pudding. Again if you do want to do this on windows aparently the PCI express dual head card drivers report themselves to Windows as *two seperate cards* and thats why those particular ones appear to work. Aparently Microsoft took this one and is providing a solution in Vista but thats not out yet. MAC OSX aparently enumerates dual head display cards correctly so this isn't an issue there. Tom T
2006-03-15 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-15 by Tom
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: > High bit cards are common. High bit throughput is not yet available. So we > need to wait for the card manufactures, and the OS developers, to get it > together to allow high bit all the way through... > Printing with 16bit channels certainly helps to keep the banding down in the saturated colors ... at least when the ink isnt splashing.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
OK, that was an extremely informative thread, especially thinks to David Tobie. Now, allow me to me rephrase the main question. "Assuming that the two monitors can be independantly calibrated" what is the best way to achieve visually matching colors on both monitors using Spyder2 Pro software? For my purposes the monitors are identical LCD, but I would like to know a more general answer as well. Here's my guess: calibrate both monitors and chose the "best". Save it's settings as a target. Load this target for the second monitor and recalibrate it. Adjust RGB sliders in the process ignoring the software warning. You can use this target file for other computers as well. I am specifically interested in visually color matching two monitors. By now I have a very good understanding of XP color issues but please let's leave it aside. My next computer would be PCIe regardless of the color management issue. For the time being I'll settle for the best I can have under the circumstances.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote: > > > In a message dated 3/14/06 10:16:39 PM, bernieg@... writes: >So what you are getting is > dual calibration, but not dual profiling. What almost everyone on Windows is > getting is dual calibration, not dual profiling. Understood. Now, ignore dual profiling - let us know how to do dual calibration right.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
> when it can be fixed for $50 (spent on a cheap video card)... For users with any need for 3d performance capability on both monitors this is not an option. I don't think I ever claimed that the color applet is a magical solution. It's just the best thing AGP-based XP users have for now. It's definitely better than nothing.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
Oh, man I'm dumb. You can load an ICC profile from C:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\color\ as Target - end of story.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
OK, sorry for posting 5 times in a raw but I think I figured it out. I'd like to have some expert input on this as well - most of this thread was discussing OS ideosincrasies that don't directly affect color matching (as opposed to properly using profiles in colormanaged applications). This assumes you have identical or similar monitors and are trying to match the colors on them as much as you can: First you would calibrate both monitors and chose the one you like. If the whitepoints seem off on both of them (like, they seem too yellow or whatever) try recalibrating both to a known whitepoint (6500K) and see if it looks better to you. At this point your monitors may look close enough to just leave it at that. However I assume if you work with LCDs having at least one of them calibrated to Native WP should have some advantages so in this case you'd keep calibrating. After calibration you have an option to File/Validate - essentially it measures the resulting output and compares to the Target output. You can go ahead and do it and then print it out if you want - it's an informative printout. Then chose the monitor you don't like and go and load Target (File>Open Target). Navigate to where the profile for the first monitor is stored (in XP C:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\color ... whatever your first monitor profile is named). Load it as a target and go through the process - it will include tedious monitor RGB and Brightness (backlight) controls manipulations. After it's done your monitors are supposed to look very close. Do the Validate thing to compare the printouts. If all went well they should be really close. Most people would be done at this point. Colorvision loader will load profiles on startup. Now the unfortunate Windows XP AGP card users like myself will only have one profile used by the OS and it will be evident after you RESTART your system. So what was the point, right? A half-baked solution is an LUT loader that comes with a freely downloadable Microsoft Color Control Panel Applet. You would want to install it before calibration. Then add a shortcut with an /L extention to your All Users Startup folder "C:\Program Files\Pro Imaging Powertoys\Microsoft Color Control Panel Applet for Windows XP\WinColor.exe" /L. And remove the Colorvisionstartup.exe from there (and Adobe Gamma and whatever else could attempt to manage color). The loader will only adjust colors on your respective monitors (/L stands for Load LUTs) without actually achieving a fully colormanaged worflow (like, Photoshop will only see one profile). I wish somebody more professional than myself wrote this. Hope this helps - feel free to correct me.
2006-03-16 by xun wang
It sounds like spyder2pro sure is complicated to calibrate for dual monitor... my calibration on a 9800 Pro AGP card was simple and easy with i1 display 2...
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote: > > It sounds like spyder2pro sure is complicated to calibrate for dual > monitor... No. My goal was not calibrating dual monitors - it was color matching dual monitors. Like David Tobie has mentioned for calibration in Spyder2 Pro you don't need to drag anything - just chose the monitor from the dropdown list. Speaking of which for calibrating dual LCD monitors to 2.2/Native I could've used a much cheaper Spyder2Express to calibrate one at a time and manually assign the profiles.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
To clarify - dual monitor calibration is a snap in Spyder2 Pro. You just use the dropdown menu and the process starts at the appropriate monitor. No issues there. My question is matching the colors between the two monitors.
2006-03-16 by xun wang
oh, I might ve skipped reading few posts. But still, if you calibrate two identical monitor to the same standard, in a way it -is- matching the two. ... -- ...
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
What would you consider the same standard? For LCDs 2.2/Native is a standard I believe. Therefore if Native white point is different on two monitors then your colors are different. They are accurately described in the generated profiles that are used by colormanagement-aware software but they visually look different on monitors. Then there's black and white luminances that are also different. And with a colorimeter you can measure it, print it out, compare. You see the whole thing. The idea of matching (AFAIK) is to make two monitors colors look as close as possible to a colorimeter. Calibration, on the other hand, tries to match the target values and then creates an accurate description (ICC profile). In the case of "native" wp there's no target value to speak of.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote: > 2) restart, the loader automatically loads -different profiles- for each > monitor. And sorry for repeating it but unlike myself you seem to have a PCIe videocard that appears as two cards to Windows XP - so you don't have to jump through hoops like us the AGP misfits.
2006-03-16 by CDTobie@aol.com
In a message dated 3/15/06 7:15:40 PM, lowlife_inc@... writes: > OK, that was an extremely informative thread, especially thinks to > David Tobie. > Actually, it was a zoo, but there was some good info in there, for those willing to wade through. Thats how these groups are... > > Now, allow me to me rephrase the main question. > > "Assuming that the two monitors can be independantly calibrated" > Only one nit to pick so far: Independently calibrated and independantly profiled, or independantly calibrated and jointly profiled? This detail will effect the best choice of workflow... > what > is the best way to achieve visually matching colors on both monitors > using Spyder2 Pro software? For my purposes the monitors are identical > LCD, but I would like to know a more general answer as well. > > Here's my guess: calibrate both monitors and chose the "best". > Think of a motorcycle gang. We think of them as outlaws with no rules, but if the goal is for each of them to drive as fast as then can, they won't be a gang for long, they'll be spread out over several counties. So they have to actually travel at the rate of the slowest, not the fastest, bike. Same with monitors. You can't make several monitors match the "best'; you can only make them match the worst. That means the weakest (highest) black luminance target, the weakest (lowest) whitepoint, at a whitebalance that the weakest monitor can manage. This is why, when I'm told to "match all the monitors in the whole office" I have to point out that this would mean the color correction screens will be as dull and dim as the secretary's monitor unless we use a bit more logical standard. You need to avoid, in most cases, dulling LCDs down to match CRTs, or the LCD owners will rebel. You need to check all the monitors, calibrate and profile them INDEPENDANTLY once, to see what their specs are, then find the group that you are willing to compromise to a single, literal standard. For two monitors this means to look at the info, see what the native black point of each is, and set the weaker as the standard. Look at max white luminance, and not set a white target above what either can reach. You may, for a range of reasons, set a white luminance target that is lower than the max on either. This will give you headroom so that you can continue to calibrate to this consistant standard as both monitors fade. And the max may be too bright for your ambient lighting and your proofing lighting. I'll post a page from the new Ambient Light feature help to the files section for those interested in the relationship between whitepoint, white luminance, and ambient lighting. Once you have an appropriate target both monitors can reach, you calibrate in the advanced mode that uses target white and black luminance, as well as the same gamma and whitepoint for both, and unless you run into special problems, you're done. > Save > it's settings as a target. Load this target for the second monitor and > recalibrate it. > Other than using the weaker, not the stronger of the two, and sometime the black from one and the white from another, thats the general idea. > Adjust RGB sliders in the process ignoring the > software warning. You can use this target file for other computers as > well. > See issues above, but yes, you can. And yes, you can force the whitepoint for a side by side match. > > I am specifically interested in visually color matching two monitors. > Well, the last item would be profiling both and using both profiles, as any color variation between the primaries on the two screens will turn around and bite you if you can't do this... > > By now I have a very good understanding of XP color issues but please > let's leave it aside. My next computer would be PCIe regardless of the > color management issue. For the time being I'll settle for the best I > can have under the circumstances. > > Within those limitations, I think the above description covers it. Now I have to remember to copy that help file to the files section... C. David Tobie Product Technology Manager ColorVision Business Unit Datacolor Inc. CDTobie@... www.colorvision.com
2006-03-16 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
Thank you very much for the instructions. That pretty much answers my question. The problem of identical monitors connected to the same videocard displaying different colors has been bothering me for many years. I'm glad to finally have a (partial) solution.
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
One more question. I thought about your remark on "independantly calibrated and jointly profiled". As you know this is the case in my situation - what workflow differences would that cause?
2006-03-16 by CDTobie@aol.com
2006-03-16 by lowlife_inc
Thank you. I will fine-tune my workflow and come back with more meaningfull questions. Overall I am very happy with the results and I have learned a lot about color management in the process.
2006-03-17 by Editor, P.O.V. Image Service
lowlife_inc wrote:
>--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>>2) restart, the loader automatically loads -different profiles- for each
>>monitor.
>>
>>
>
>And sorry for repeating it but unlike myself you seem to have a PCIe
>videocard that appears as two cards to Windows XP - so you don't have
>to jump through hoops like us the AGP misfits.
>
>
>
So, add a PCI card for the second monitor and stop whining. The damn
things are cheap. Running two cards has a lot of advantages. Warning
though, don't use the same brand of AGP and PCI card. ;-) The drivers
tend to get confused..
--
Keith
Keith Krebs
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"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together
guys"
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{ The P.O.V. Image Service Website is still at http://www.p-o-v-image.com/ }2006-03-17 by lowlife_inc
At the end of this thread I mentioned that I am completely saticefied with the color matching achieved on an AGP card. I do not have any complaints. For me using a second card is not an option or at least not a cheap one - I need good Open GL performance on both monitors.