I have a Sony 27FS100 Wega and NS72P DVD player. I adjusted the black level in a dark room by the following: turned on 16:9 enhanced on my TV; this generated 2 black bars on the bottom and top (4 in total), one pair from the TV and a pair from the DVD. I then adjusted the black level until the two bars on the top and bottom blended into 1. Is this an accurate way of adjusting my black level? Thanks.
Joined: Aug 23, 2002
Posts: 2623
From: Houston, TX
Posted: 2003-10-19 15:34
This only works if you know the "black bars" from the DVD is actually true black. If it's not true black, then you may have set the black level of your TV too low.
The best way is to get a test disc, or a DVD movies with the THX optimizer, to adjust it.
Thanks for the reply. I calibrated the black levels with the Matrix DVD black bars, probably not the most accurate black. Which test disc do you recommend and can you get them at your local radio shack etc.? By the way, noticed you have a pair of B&W's. Great speakers!
Joined: Aug 23, 2002
Posts: 2623
From: Houston, TX
Posted: 2003-10-19 15:51
The two best test discs right now are "Sound & Vision Tuneup" which is easy to use, and the new "Digital Video Essential" which has tonnes of test patterns and sound tracks. Both are available for under $20 at various online merchants. The S&V disc can be purchased from that magazine's publisher as well.
Thanks for the swift reply. One last thing. My DVD player has this setting for setting the Black Level to the "Standard Level." What exactly does that mean? When it is on (set to "standard level"), the blacks seem a little more gray and grainy, and when its off they are more deep but might be lacking some detail. Know anything about this? thanks.
Joined: Aug 23, 2002
Posts: 2623
From: Houston, TX
Posted: 2003-10-19 16:24
The problem with black level control is that NTSC standard used to consider 7.5IRE true black. But many HDTVs can receive and display 0IRE "blacker than black" signals.
With my older DVP-NS900V that doesn't have a switch, I cannot get good black level when displaying progressive scan signals on my Samsung HD monitor, until I messed with the gamma control. [Takes me a lot of research and a couple hours of actual adjusting it.] That's why newer players like your have a black level control.
I have not used the 725, so I can't tell you which is the correct setting for you. That's why a test disc will be useful. Using it, you can find out which setting will let you get the correct black level, which means doing these two things at the same time:
- Give you a deep true black
- Show you the very dark, but not black detail, in your picture
[ This message was edited by: rkkwan on 2003-10-19 16:26 ]
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Posted: 2003-10-19 15:23
Posted: 2003-10-19 15:34
