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The “Auto CalPro” is a groundbreaking calibration system that is changing the future direction of the calibration industry. Whether you are a new or a seasoned calibrator, this system helps you do a better job in fine tuning displays to achieve those dazzling pictures.
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If you are a newcomer to home theater installation, the ‘Auto CalPro’ is like having a knowledgeable calibrator along with you. The ‘Auto CalPro’ makes you look like you’ve got years of calibration experience under your belt. If you’re an experienced pro, the “Auto CalPro” helps you do your job faster so you can get onto the next client. At any level, the comprehensive calibration reports justify your services.
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Sencore’s long term plan for Auto CalPro: Continue to add more displays that can be automatically calibrated. |
Since its introduction, Sencore has continued to make enhancements and improvements to the ACP6500 system. It is part of a long term plan to add more displays that can be automatically calibrated and to continue to make using the ACP6500 easier and faster. This article reacquaints you with the ACP6500 and introduces you to several of the recent product enhancements.
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ACP6500 Auto CalPro System The ‘Auto CalPro’ system contains three main components; 1) the VP403 ‘VideoPro’ Multimedia Video Generator 2) the CP5000 All-Display ‘ColorPro’ Color Analyzer 3) the ACP6500 ‘Auto CalPro’ control software and interface hardware
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These components are interfaced with a common computer interface bus. Note: The use of an interface port expander is often required. The ACP software provides user interface for the system, and controls the communication between the VP403, the CP5000 and the video display being calibrated. The VP403 is a portable video generator that provides all the video formats and patterns you need for precise calibration of each input on a video display. The CP5000 All-Display ‘ColorPro’ helps you align color tracking (white balance) on any video display. The ACP6500 software links them together seamlessly to help you quickly and accurately calibrate a video display.
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Professional Guidance through 10 Calibration Steps |
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How many steps? Which patterns? Look for what? Adjustments? |
New at calibration or have trouble remembering all those calibration steps? What patterns to use, what to look for and, what adjustment to make? The Auto CalPro provides simplified application guidance throughout the entire procedure. It’s like having a professional calibrator with years of experience at your side. |
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The Auto CalPro breaks the video display calibration procedure into ten easy steps and automatically guides you through each step, leading you to a professional looking calibration. The 10 Auto CalPro Calibration Steps Include: • Brightness Preset • Contrast Preset • Pre-calibration Capture • Automatic/Manual White Balance • Brightness • Contrast • Saturation • Hue • Sharpness • Postcalibration Capture
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First, you enter the customer contact information used in the calibration report and database for each customer and display. Next, select the brand and model of your customer's display from the new display drop-down list, or type in the brand and model information for a new custom display.
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Now you are ready for the 10 step calibration procedure (bottom left of screen) in which the Auto CalPro software automatically: · selects the correct video generator pattern on the display, · takes required measurements from the ColorPro sensor, and · prompts you to make needed calibration adjustments.
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Step 1. Brightness Preset – prompts you with instructions to preset the display to the proper black level, as a starting point for the white balance calibration.
Step 2. Contrast Preset – prompts you with instructions to preset the display to an acceptable starting white level, as a starting point for the white balance calibration.
Step 3. Precalibration Capture – automatically controls the video generator and color analyzer to capture precalibration display performance data at every 10 IRE luminance level, from 10-100 IRE. Click the Capture button to capture the full set of performance data. This Precalibration data is automatically saved as part of the customer record, and can be printed to show your customer ‘before’ and ‘after’ calibration reports.
Step 4. Automatic White Balance– if you are calibrating a profiled display (with serial calibration control), just select the calibration IRE levels, click the “AutoAdjust” button, and the Auto CalPro software automatically calibrates the display white balance in about 3-5 minutes. Manual White Balance – if you are calibrating a custom display (no serial calibration control), the manual white balance procedure guides you through the adjustment using the display’s remote, while you use the cutoff and drive controls to center the measurement indicators on the laptop screen.
Step 5. Brightness – prompts you to make the black parts of the picture dark, without losing any of the darkest gray picture detail. With a profiled display, a slider bar is provided on the laptop screen for ease of display adjustment. With a custom display, the remote is used to adjust brightness on the display.
Step 6. Contrast – prompts you to adjust for the highest white level possible, without degrading the picture. Again, a profiled display shows a slider bar on the laptop to adjust with the mouse, and a remote is used to adjust the contrast for a custom display.
Step 7. Saturation – prompts you to adjust the color intensity, using a blue filter. Use the slider bar to adjust a profiled display and the remote control for a custom display.
Step 8. Hue – prompts you to adjust the color hue, using a blue filter. Use the slider bar or remote control to calibrate hue.
Step 9. Sharpness – prompts you with the proper method to adjust for least enhancement artifacts, without reducing picture resolution. Use the slider bar or remote control to calibrate sharpness. This is the last adjustment step for an overall perfect display.
Step 10. Postcalibration Capture – automatically captures Postcalibration display performance data at every 10 IRE luminance level, from 10-100 IRE. Click the Capture button to capture the full set of performance data. The Postcalibration data is automatically saved as part of the customer record, and can be printed to show your customer ‘before’ and ‘after’ calibration reports.
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Professional Calibration Reports The Auto CalPro system provides a 10-step automated pre and post calibration capture that plots a gamma curve and shows how the display performs before and after calibration to the standard gamma curve. |
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Recent ACP6500 Product Improvements Since its introduction Sencore engineers have been researching displays with serial bus control features for addition to ACP6500 software. Initially, the ACP6500 provided automated calibration for several Pioneer display models. Sencore's ACP6500 has been upgraded and now includes TEN profiled displays. These displays can be automatically calibrated with commands from the ACP6500 software program. The profiled displays include seven Pioneer models, two Runco models and a Sony model. Several other models are being worked on at this time, and will be available in the future.
Through customer input it was noted that bar graph adjustments could be simplified. Consider it done. The "Action Bars" are now much easier to use. Simply move the bar and the new adjustment level is made to the display automatically. That's it, no button to press. Additionally, improvements have made the software more responsive when selecting low and high IRE levels while performing a manual white balance calibration.
The updated ACP6500 software provides a greatly enhanced gamma measurement and analyzing capability. In conjunction with the post calibration capture the luminance levels are plotted to show the displays gamma. The gamma is plotted separately from the color calibration results. Up to ten gamma curves can be captured and displayed making it simple to select the display gamma that provides the most desirable result.
The new upgrade software is version 2.0.0.0. This software version contains a feature which permits easy updates in the future for new display profiles. If you own an ACP6500, you may recall receiving a version 2.0.0.0 upgrade disk within the past several weeks. If you have not already done so, you should uninstall the previous version and update to the new ACP6500 version 2.0.0.0.
Note: Upon loading the new version software, please go to the Sencore website and download the "Upgrade Disk Problem.zip" file. You will find this file in the ACP6500 product section. When you open the file you will find a Word document which provides a step by step sequence to follow to install a needed file in the new version 2.0.0.0.
To learn more about the Auto CalPro system please visit ACP6500 webpage at http://www.sencore.com/products/acp6500.htm. You will find the screen captures of the Auto CalPro software as well as examples of all of the Auto CalPro calibration reports. For a free 10 day trial, call 1-800-Sencore and ask to visit with an account representative.
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1.800.736.2673 or 1.605.339.0100 |
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