Best tool for NEC monitor

[sebbe]

I'm using BasICColor Display with a NEC PA272W and I'm very happy with it. Not that it means a lot too.

From Spectraview FAQ: https://www.necdisplay.com/support-and-services/spectra-view-II/FAQ
"The SpectraViewII calibration system is developed by NEC and optionally includes an NEC branded X-Rite iOne Display V2 color sensor. SpectraViewII can be used with any supported display model and is sold both as a complete kit bundled with a display, and as an add-on product.
In Europe SpectraView Profiler includes a display monitor with hood, custom calibration software developed by basICColor, and each display is individually certified. It is not possible to purchase and use the SpectraView Profiler software with a non-SpectraView Profiler display."

As BasICColor do the software for the European market it looks like they have full access and knowledge to do the job.

[mlewis]

I have a Spectraview monitor and live in the UK.  I use the BasiCColor software for calibration.  I can conform the BasiCColor software adjusts the monitor directly just like the Spectraview software does.  In the calibration sense they are functionally identical.  You pick your target, put the sensor on the screen and hit go.  You can see the monitor adjust itself as the calibration process is performed.

It is only in the last few years that you could actually buy the Spectraview software in Europe.

[francescogola]

That's great, thanks!
I think I'll give a try to SpectraView as the BasICColor apparently is not optimized for lates macOS and the last updates is not that recent.
Thank you!

[Mark D Segal]

That's great, thanks!
I think I'll give a try to SpectraView as the BasICColor apparently is not optimized for lates macOS and the last updates is not that recent.
Thank you!

I don't know where you got this rubbish from. Here are the specs for basICColor Display from the basICColor website (https://www.basiccolor.de/basiccolor-display-5-en/):

Macintosh:

    Mac OS X 10.6 (Intel), Mac OS X 10.7, Mac OS X 10.8, Mac OS X 10.9,
    Mac OS X 10.10, Mac OS X 10.11, macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13
    Intel® Core-Duo-Processor
    1GB RAM, 250MB Available Disk Space, minimum
    Graphic Card and Monitor Supporting 1280x1024 Pixel and 24 Bit Color Depth

[MauriceRR]

Here from Basiccolor :

Hardware Support List basICColor display 5.8.1
==============================================

Colorimeter:
- basICColor DISCUS
- basICColor SQUID
- basICColor SQUID 2
- basICColor SQUID 2 WG
- basICColor SQUID 3
- datacolor Spyder 2
- datacolor Spyder 3
- datacolor Spyder 4
- datacolor Spyder 5
- EIZO Swing
- Monaco OPTIX XR - please refer to our FAQ list: http://www.basiccolor.de/faqs-en/
- NEC SpectraSensor Pro
- NEC MDSVSENSOR 2
- X-Rite DTP 94 USB - please refer to our FAQ list: http://www.basiccolor.de/faqs-en/
- X-Rite Eye-One display
- X-Rite Eye-One display 2
- X-Rite Eye-One display 2 WG
- X-Rite Eye-One display LT
- X-Rite i1Display Pro

Spectrophotometer:
- GL optic mini-spectrometer (Windows only)
- Instrument Systems CAS 140CT (Windows only)
- Konica Minolta FD-7
- X-Rite Eye-One Pro
- X-Rite Eye-One Monitor
- X-Rite i1Pro 2
- X-Rite ColorMunki

Display Color Analyzer:
- Konica Minolta Display Color Analyzer CA-210

Displays (hardware calibration):
- Eizo CG 210
- Eizo CE 210W
- Eizo CG 211
- Eizo CG 220
- Eizo CG 221
- Eizo CG 222W
- Eizo CG 223W
- Eizo CG 232W
- Eizo CE 240W
- Eizo CG 241W
- Eizo CG 2420
- Eizo CG 242W
- Eizo CG 243W
- Eizo CG 245W
- Eizo CG 246
- Eizo CG 247
- Eizo CG 248-4K
- EIZO CG 2730
- Eizo CG 275W
- Eizo CG 276
- Eizo CG 277
- Eizo CG 301W
- Eizo CG 303W
- Eizo CG 318-4K
- NEC SpectraView 231
- NEC SpectraView 232
- NEC SpectraView 241
- NEC SpectraView 242
- NEC SpectraView 271
- NEC SpectraView 272
- NEC SpectraView Reference 241
- NEC SpectraView Reference 242
- NEC SpectraView Reference 271
- NEC SpectraView Reference 272
- NEC SpectraView Reference 301
- NEC SpectraView Reference 302
- NEC SpectraView Reference 322UHD
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA231W
- NEC MultiSync LCD P232W
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA241W
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA242W
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA271W
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA272W
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA301W
- NEC MultiSync LCD PA302W
- NEC MultiSync PA322UHD
- NEC MultiSync MD301C4
- NEC MultiSync MD322C8
- NEC MultiSync X841UHD
- NEC MultiSync X651UHD
- NEC MultiSync X981UHD
- NEC MultiSync EA244UHD
- NEC MultiSync EA304WMi
- Quato Intelli Proof 190
- Quato Intelli Proof 201
- Quato Intelli Proof 213
- Quato Intelli Proof 220 LE
- Quato Intelli Proof 220 Excellence
- Quato Intelli Proof 240 Excellence LED
- Quato Intelli Proof 242 LE
- Quato Intelli Proof 242 Excellence
- Quato Intelli Proof 260 / 264 Excellence
- Quato Intelli Proof 262 Excellence
- Quato Intelli Proof 270 Excellence
- Quato Intelli Proof 300 Excellence
- Quato Intelli Proof 420 Excellence
- Quato Proof View 700-42

Displays (combined hard- and software calibration):
- Apple monitors*

Displays (software calibration):
- all other displays, LCD and CRT

Other Devices:
- basICColor diLIGHT
- JUST Color Communicator 2
- manroland Press Console



* only Apple monitors supported with a brightness slider
in the monitor preferences pane.

Spectraview Profiler is the rebadged basiccolor software, sold in Europe.
Spectraview ii is distributed in US, maybe elsewhere too.
They have sdk from Eizo and Nec.
Unofficial : the sdk for hard calibration works for a few other monitors, which not included in the list (tested on other Eizo models).

Basiccolor is one of the best engineering team in color management. They also sell the best colorimeter on the market (basiccolor discuss).
Some functionnalitys can lack if you compare to Eizo colornavigator for exemple, but basiccolor display offers a very high end calibration profiling system.

[Alan Klein]

Here from Basiccolor :

Spectraview Profiler is the rebadged basiccolor software, sold in Europe.
Spectraview ii is distributed in US, maybe elsewhere too.
They have sdk from Eizo and Nec.
Unofficial : the sdk for hard calibration works for a few other monitors, which not included in the list (tested on other Eizo models).

Basiccolor is one of the best engineering team in color management. They also sell the best colorimeter on the market (basiccolor discuss).
Some functionnalitys can lack if you compare to Eizo colornavigator for exemple, but basiccolor display offers a very high end calibration profiling system.

Will NEC handle warranty and other issues with software other than Spectraview? 

[Mark D Segal]

Will NEC handle warranty and other issues with software other than Spectraview?

Alan, if NEC isn't marketing basICColor in our service area (North America) I don't see any reason why they should support basICColor issues, but they would support NEC hardware issues. That said, whether using Spectraview or basICColor, display profiling is pretty straightforward and as long as the instrument is properly matched to the kind of panel - mainly, you want a colorimeter capable of picking up the gamut of the monitor, the results should be good. I wouldn't make much of the support question in the context of the profiling software and the panel coming from different manufacturers. Beyond installation and connectivity of the panel, very little by way of support is usually required unless you have a defective panel, and if I've ever had questions about this or that setting for profiling, the instruction manual, advice on the internet, or a contact with the software vendor has sufficed in dealing with it. This is one of the easier aspects of digital imaging, at least in my experience.

[Alan Klein]

Alan, if NEC isn't marketing basICColor in our service area (North America) I don't see any reason why they should support basICColor issues, but they would support NEC hardware issues. That said, whether using Spectraview or basICColor, display profiling is pretty straightforward and as long as the instrument is properly matched to the kind of panel - mainly, you want a colorimeter capable of picking up the gamut of the monitor, the results should be good. I wouldn't make much of the support question in the context of the profiling software and the panel coming from different manufacturers. Beyond installation and connectivity of the panel, very little by way of support is usually required unless you have a defective panel, and if I've ever had questions about this or that setting for profiling, the instruction manual, advice on the internet, or a contact with the software vendor has sufficed in dealing with it. This is one of the easier aspects of digital imaging, at least in my experience.

Mark: Why look for trouble with a non-NEC product?  Is the price that different?  Whenever I tried to match different manufacturers, I always seem to pay a penalty. 

Right now I have problems with Microsoft Outlook email on my desktop working with my Samsung cell phone using Verizon Wireless and my email handled by Comcast.  Everyone is pointing fingers telling me to go talk to the other party.  Trying to get advice from equally dumb people on the internet is extremely burdensome.  Maybe because I'm old.  But keeping life simple and working with one vendor has it's advantages even if it costs a few extra bucks. 

[Mark D Segal]

Mark: Why look for trouble with a non-NEC product?  Is the price that different?  Whenever I tried to match different manufacturers, I always seem to pay a penalty. 

Nothing to do with money Alan, and only to do with outcomes. I don't look for trouble either - I look for performance and ease of use. Nor is it a matter of "matching" manufacturers. The question is compatibility. We are always dealing with compatibility between one thing and another in digital imaging, and it can be very problematic, but in my experience least of all with the profiling of an NEC monitor whether one uses Spectraview or basICColor.

[digitaldog]

That said, whether using Spectraview or basICColor, display profiling is pretty straightforward and as long as the instrument is properly matched to the kind of panel - mainly, you want a colorimeter capable of picking up the gamut of the monitor, the results should be good.

Got nothing to do with gamut Mark. It has to do with a colorimeter who's filters and filter matrices 'match' (are compatible) with the backlight. You can have a wide gamut CCFL display with a colorimeter that works just fine, but will not work well with an sRGB gamut display using white LEDs. The newer X-rite devices actually have the ability for downloadable matrices but I'm not aware of if and when it's been necessary. Mostly for future display technologies and future compatibility with the hardware.

[Mark D Segal]

Useful clarification Andrew, but I recall being told when I bought the NEC PA271 that I needed a colorimeter capable of accommodating the wider gamut of the new display. Maybe the person who advised me that way didn't have the reason quite right, but he should have?!?!

[digitaldog]

Useful clarification Andrew, but I recall being told when I bought the NEC PA271 that I needed a colorimeter capable of accommodating the wider gamut of the new display. Maybe the person who advised me that way didn't have the reason quite right, but he should have?!?!

Again, not gamut, backlight and filter matrices. It's why in the very old days, we'd use a Spectrophotometer and a Colorimeter on NEC's; two step process. Not necessary today with newer Colorimeters, certainly those NEC bundles with their panels.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Right now I have problems with Microsoft Outlook email on my desktop working with my Samsung cell phone using Verizon Wireless and my email handled by Comcast.  Everyone is pointing fingers telling me to go talk to the other party.  Trying to get advice from equally dumb people on the internet is extremely burdensome.  Maybe because I'm old.  But keeping life simple and working with one vendor has it's advantages even if it costs a few extra bucks.

OT to this discussion but I would note that the only way to have seamless email these days is to use a web-based system and leave MS Outlook.  Either gmail or Yahoo are perfectly fine and you can export all your Outlook contacts into either application.  You can use an Internet browser on a PC at home and the dedicated phone and or tablet app on the road.

[Mark D Segal]

OT to this discussion but I would note that the only way to have seamless email these days is to use a web-based system and leave MS Outlook.  Either gmail or Yahoo are perfectly fine and you can export all your Outlook contacts into either application.  You can use an Internet browser on a PC at home and the dedicated phone and or tablet app on the road.

Completely OT, but Yahoo is NOT fine. Regrettably, I use it because of their hook-up with Rogers, my ISP, but they have an extremely invasive privacy policy that so far I have not signed up to. Every day I get reminders to sign up, but I keep deferring it. When they leave me no option I shall leave them. MS Outlook hooked up to your own domain with a server space provider (e.g. GoDaddy or similar) is much less intrusive. Not to speak of Yahoo's multiple technical shortcomings and glitches...as for Google - world headquarters for data mining. I'll leave it at that because this is way OT.

[Mark D Segal]

Again, not gamut, backlight and filter matrices. It's why in the very old days, we'd use a Spectrophotometer and a Colorimeter on NEC's; two step process. Not necessary today with newer Colorimeters, certainly those NEC bundles with their panels.

OK, thanks.

When I bought my PA271 it came bundled with an NEC-branded X-Rite eye-one display 2. It's compatible with the display, Spectraview and basICColor.

[GWGill]

The newer X-rite devices actually have the ability for downloadable matrices but I'm not aware of if and when it's been necessary.

Actually no, they don't have downloadable matrices. What they (and the Spyder 4 & 5) do have, is the spectral sensitivities of the particular instruments filters+detector in their EEPROM. From that and the display spectral characteristic, a custom matrix for that display & instrument can be computed on the fly by the driver code. End result is probably not quite as accurate as a custom measured matrix for that instrument & display, but a whole lot better than generic calibration matrices.

[digitaldog]

Actually no, they don't have downloadable matrices. What they (and the Spyder 4 & 5) do have, is the spectral sensitivities of the particular instruments filters+detector in their EEPROM. From that and the display spectral characteristic, a custom matrix for that display & instrument can be computed on the fly by the driver code. End result is probably not quite as accurate as a custom measured matrix for that instrument & display, but a whole lot better than generic calibration matrices.

Thanks. Even better than I incorrectly believed. Clever.

[Garnick]

I apologize for cutting in her not completely on topic.  However, this seemed to be perhaps the best place to find an answer to my question(s).  My first NEC display was the 2690 (26" Display) and I was very happy with it, but after approximately 5 years of steady use it developed an issue that eventually caused me to buy the PA271.  Now after about 6 years of rather steady usage it too is showing an issue which seems to be much like that of the 2690, although not exactly the same.  I'm seeing an encroaching pattern of a rather light brown colour mostly at the right side and recently across the top and now at the left upper top as well.  My question is this - has anyone here experienced this sort of invasion on an NEC display and what would be perhaps the expected life span of these displays on average?  I'm not doing as much business now so I cannot rationalize another $1800.00 CDN, but at some point I will have to purchase another display of some sort.  I also have a PA241 that I've had for approximately 6 years and it is not displaying any such issue, but it has not seen nearly the amount of usage as the 27", in case that could perhaps be the reason for the issue on the 27".

Any replies will be much appreciated.         

[digitaldog]

How many hours  of use are recorded on each display?
To answer your question however, no.

[Daverich]

I don't know where you got this rubbish from. Here are the specs for basICColor Display from the basICColor website (https://www.basiccolor.de/basiccolor-display-5-en/):

Macintosh:

    Mac OS X 10.6 (Intel), Mac OS X 10.7, Mac OS X 10.8, Mac OS X 10.9,
    Mac OS X 10.10, Mac OS X 10.11, macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13
    Intel® Core-Duo-Processor
    1GB RAM, 250MB Available Disk Space, minimum
    Graphic Card and Monitor Supporting 1280x1024 Pixel and 24 Bit Color Depth

Mark, the link you posted just takes me to a login page so I can’t verify what you wrote but macOS 10.13 is two versions ago so perhaps the post you were responding to is correct and BasICColor doesn’t support the current Mac OS?