Best tool for NEC monitor

[francescogola]

Hello friends,
I'd love to hear your experience on the calibration of a NEC PA272W monitor.
I made some researches on this forum, but I found very conflicting opinions.
I own an X-Rite i1Display that works pretty well with the MacBook Pro display.
For the NEC monitor, if I'm not wrong, I have 3 options:

- Spectraview II
- X-Rite i1Profiler
- DisplayCAL

I tried to play with DisplayCAL with the MacBook Pro display, but results were pretty bad, probably due to my lack of skills on fine-tuning the app.
As I calibrated the MacBook Pro display with i1Profiler, do you believe that using it for NEC monitor too will help on having a better results (aka better color match between the two screens)?

Any advice is more than welcome!
Thanks,

[Mark D Segal]

Your list doesn't include basICColor Display 5, which I have been using for years and I think is an excellent profiler for these monitors.

[francescogola]

Your list doesn't include basICColor Display 5, which I have been using for years and I think is an excellent profiler for these monitors.

Interesting, thanks!
Do you have a positive experience both on NECs and MacBooks?

[Mark D Segal]

I don't profile my laptop because any change of the angle between your eyes and the screen, say due to changing tilt of the cover, the image appearance changes. I have a MacBook Pro and don't consider it an option for serious editing.

[digitaldog]

For a SpectraView, I can't fathom why anyone would use anything but SpectraView.
For a Macbook Pro, like Mark, I don't profile it (expect for testing). I don't really see the point as I don't trust or use it for image editing.

[Mark D Segal]

For a SpectraView, I can't fathom why anyone would use anything but SpectraView.

Because my testing indicated that I was getting slightly better monitor to print matching from basICColor - not to say Spectraview was bad - it's not, in fact it's pretty good; it's just that I found basICColor a bit better. That was probably seven years ago. Maybe both have changed since then, so this is a carry-over finding that I haven't updated with new comparisons. For someone looking at options, no harm trying as many as available for free demo.

[digitaldog]

Because my testing indicated that I was getting slightly better monitor to print matching from basICColor - not to say Spectraview was bad - it's not, in fact it's pretty good; it's just that I found basICColor a bit better.

Sorry, I'm not going to buy that per se. Better match indicates better settings for the match. Now are you saying that no matter the settings in SpectraView, you couldn't produce a match/as good a match? The two products will very, very unlikely produce the same rendering with the same settings. If that's what you tried.
Can basICColor produce multiple calibrations and profiles, allow you to switch on the fly and load that into the panel? If not, there's little question using it versus SpectraView will cripple the functionality of the SpectraView hardware. Does it use all the SpectraView engine? If not, it versus SpectraView will cripple the functionality of the SpectraView hardware.

[Mark D Segal]

No, I tried various settings in each.

There is a lot of information about what basICColor does on their website and in their (downloadable) manual, so you can check the details yourself; but yes, it can make bespoke profiles for different displays hooked to the same graphics card.

I'm not the least bit concerned about Spectraview hardware. basICColor communicates with the display hardware and it produces fine profiles; what it's doing under the hood is for them and them, I'm just a user with eyes. I didn't say there's anything wrong with Spectraview, I just suggested basICColor as another one to add to the O/P's list, worth a look. This is the application that NEC supplies to European customers for the high-end NEC monitors.

[digitaldog]

No, I tried various settings in each.

There is a lot of information about what basICColor does on their website and in their (downloadable) manual, so you can check the details yourself; but yes, it can make bespoke profiles for different displays hooked to the same graphics card.

But SpectraView does this IN the panel hardware! And swaps the profiles. This is absolutely not happening in the graphic card. You're not using the full hardware capabilities by not using the host software to drive the panel.

I'm not the least bit concerned about Spectraview hardware

Many who did buy them for their functionality should and do. 

[Mark D Segal]

I said communicates with the display hardware and you say panel hardware. We're saying the same thing - i.e display=panel=device - not the graphics card. The software I'm using to drive the panel does what it needs to do: it makes very fine profiles and allows me to get very good screen to print matching. That's all I need from it. I only mentioned it as an option for the O/P - I never suggested not to use anything else on his list. He should try all of it if he has the time and patience. He won't go wrong with either Spectraview or basICColor - the others I haven't used so wouldn't speculate.

[digitaldog]

I said communicates with the display hardware and you say panel hardware. We're saying the same thing - i.e display=panel=device - not the graphics card.

OK, if you say so. You're certain that all the panel hardware is supported by the two equally?
There IS a basICColor version that should, based on a European bundle WITH SpectraView display. But I don't know that's every version one can possibility buy/use.

[Mark D Segal]

I have no idea whether ALL the hardware is supported equally in both, nor do I care. I'm only interested in outcomes.

I have been told in the past that the version of basICColor Display bundled with the European "Reference Series" panelss is exactly the same as the software sold to everyone anywhere. As you may recall, (just an aside here), after bales of confusion broke out, we in North America were told there is no functional or quality difference between a "Reference Series" panel sold in Germany and the ones bearing the same model series sold in North America. The former is accompanied by a certificate of calibration and comes with basICColor, whereas over here we don't get certificates and we get Spectraview.

[Alan Klein]

I have a PA242W with Spectraview II software.  It calibrates simply without much input from me.   The software is mated to the display by the manufacturer of the display.  Since I I'm not technical like Mark or Andrew, I appreciate that my setup works simply and in the background.   Life is complicated enough. 

[digitaldog]

My PA came with a certificate. Not that it means a lot.

[Mark D Segal]

My PA came with a certificate. Not that it means a lot.

Mine didn't, but that's probably because you are Andrew Rodney and I'm not, or they think Canadians don't deserve certificates. I think I should sue them for "certificated discrimination" or is it "certified discrimination" or "just plain nutty marketing". :-)  :-)

(Back to serious: they did tell me back then that the certificate has no bearing on the basic quality of the panel).

[digitaldog]

Mine didn't, but that's probably because you are Andrew Rodney and I'm not, or they think Canadians don't deserve certificates.

That has to be it Mark. Like the leader of the "free world", you should state you'll sue them. 

(Back to serious: they did tell me back then that the certificate has no bearing on the basic quality of the panel).

Which is the reason I wrote: Not that it means a lot.

[Mark D Segal]

I have a PA242W with Spectraview II software.  It calibrates simply without much input from me.   The software is mated to the display by the manufacturer of the display.  Since I I'm not technical like Mark or Andrew, I appreciate that my setup works simply and in the background.   Life is complicated enough.

Ya, that's fine and make sense, but I assure you, basIIColor Display is as easy to use as it can get - one doesn't need to be "technical".

[Mark D Segal]

That has to be it Mark. Like the leader of the "free world", you should state you'll sue them.  .......

And then not do it.......

[Alan Klein]

Ya, that's fine and make sense, but I assure you, basIIColor Display is as easy to use as it can get - one doesn't need to be "technical".

When I first set it up, I had some questions.  The NEC tech was very helpful including helping me to download and setup the latest Spectraview and NEC software.  My point being that by buying the hardware and software from NEC, I could get a single source for service and support, something I find very helpful today.  How many times with other equipment and APPs have I gotten each side pointing the finger at the other manufacturer as the cause of the problem and who to go to for help.  With NEC monitor and NEC software, I make one phone call.  That's worth a lot.

[Mark D Segal]

That can have its benefits.