Calibrating NEC PA-271W and 15" MacBook Pro with retina display

[The View]

I'm updating my computer equipment to a 15" MacBook Pro with retina display and a NEC PA-271W.

I will calibrate both.


I will buy the i1pro by X-Rite which is identical with the measuring device sold by NEC.


As far as I have learned: the Spectraview II software gives great results. Only: I can't use it to calibrate the MacBook Pro.

Should I:

OPTION 1. Buy BasicColor 5 instead of SpectraView II and calibrate both the laptop and the screen with it?

(BasicColor wrote the software SpectraView Profiler, which is bundled with the monitor in Europe (and which may be quite different from BasiColor5), but not the SpectraView II software. I contacted BasicColor, and they said, of course I could use BasicColor 5 for the NEC, but they didn't confirm that the results would be of the same quality (which may also have been just an oversight to see that particular question).


OPTION 2. Buy SpectraView II to get the best for the NEC, and calibrate the laptop with the X-Rite software (After all, I wouldn't really do final color work on a 15" screen)

OPTION 3: Buy SpectraView II for the NEC, and BasicColor 5 for the laptop. Color is very important to me, so I don't want to spend $4000 on hardware and then save $130.00 and get a compromise.

[MrJPH]

Hello,

Sorry, I am new and am not here to answer your question, but to ask you a question - I too am about to order the NEC 27" monitor, to use also with my 15" MacBook Pro with Retina display, and I had to get in contact with NEC themselves to see just how I could actually connect my MBP to their monitor, as the new MBPs have their new Thunderbolt port thingies instead of any mini-display ports.  And thought I was going to have to do a HDMI to display port connector kind of thing, but NEC said that they have their own Mini-display port to Display Port cable, that has been able to be used in the Thunderbolt port slot, and work effectively... and was just wondering if that is what you use, and if you have had any issues?  And if both connect and work fine together?

I hope someone answers your question for you  :-)  All the best to you,
JPH

[Joe Blackwood]

I am also waiting for the delivery of the NEC PA-271W and planning to purchase the 15" MacBook Pro with retina display. 

The 15" MacBook Pro with retina display has Two Thunderbolt ports for digital video output.  Each Thunderbolt port can support multiple external devices to include the Apple Thunderbolt Display. 

Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3382#7

Not having previously used a computer with a Thunderbolt port I was not aware that the Thunderbolt and the older DisplayPort use the same port geometry. 

From Confusing Mini DisplayPort with Thunderbolt | MacFixIt - CNET Reviews - http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20043524-263.html

The new port is backward compatible so it can still be used to connect to DisplayPort devices; however, only the new port can be used to connect to Thunderbolt devices.

This means that while you can physically connect a Thunderbolt device to a (an older) Mac with DisplayPort, the device will not work, but if you connect a DisplayPort device to a Mac with Thunderbolt, then the device will work.

Will Hollingworth, Senior Manager - Product Development, NEC Display Solutions of America Inc., sent me an email message that stated, "You would be using a miniDisplayPort to DisplayPort cable to the PA271."  He also wrote, "the PA series also allows USB to be used for communicating with the display, so simply connecting a USB cable between the Mac and display." 

The compatibility problem with Apple computers with Nvidia Graphics Adapters running OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) and OS 10.7.5 and the NEC Spectraview II software does not apply here because you will be connecting via miniDisplayPort to DisplayPort cable to the PA271.  The problem is when going from miniDisplayPort to DVI, and DVI to DVI connections.

I already own a ColorMunki Photo so my plan is to purchase the SpectraView II Display Calibration Software from NEC and use the ColorMunki and the SpectraView Software to calibrate the NEC PA-271W.  I will use the ColorMunki and the X-Rite software to calibrate the MacBook Pro with the Retina Display.  I can also use the ColorMunki Photo to do some printer profiles as needed. 

I am on X-Rite's email list and I just got an email message about the following free webinar:

Free Webinar December 13th: Simply Amazing Color with the ColorMunki Family! - Take control of your monitor, projector, printer and camera!

You can register for one of Two Sessions on Thursday, December 13, 2012 - 3pm EST & 7pm EST - http://www.macgroupus.com/xrite/webinar/ColorMunki-Family-Webinar-Invite-12132012.html

[MrJPH]

Thanks, Mr. Blackwood -

You were able to get a more detailed clarification of the Thunderbolt / mini-display port from NEC, than my "the Thunderbolt and mini-display port are the same and compatible and will work"... you got a better fleshed out response.  So, that is interesting.  All I am concerned about is that it works, and will not have issues connecting the two, which sounds like I won't.

I'll have to look into that Color Munki Pro, thanks for sharing info on that also.

All the best to you,
JPH

[chrismurphy]

My view is that thus far the built-in calibrations I get from the display plus NEC MultiProfiler (which is free) is such a good result visually that I can't tell you whether it's better or not from a measured calibration. I'd need a research grade spectroradiometer to know which method is more accurate.

Conversely laptop displays are low bit depth and have a different color gamut than the NEC, so about the best you can do here is get the white luminance the same between the two displays, and maybe attempt to get the laptop white point close to that of the calibrated NEC. This similarity allows a more complete adaptation, while different whites will inhibit adaptation and can be distracting. The thing is you can do this visually, you don't need a measuring device to do it.

So you could actually make a purchasing decision after trying it without a measuring device.

[MrJPH]

So you could actually make a purchasing decision after trying it without a measuring device.

Yeah, that is what I am doing... I've ordered the NEC 27" monitor (mostly as it had been back ordered for awhile, and wanted to be sure to get one while I could, as getting it with the bundled SprectraView took two additional weeks), and am going to hold off on calibrating investments until I see how it goes and looks without first.

I know I will most likely be scoffed at for admitting this, but, will use Apple's own built in color/monitor calibration with it, to set it up after I get it... again, if NEC's monitor really needs it, and isn't really good to go out-of-the box, which one would think it would be... will be sure to check out NEC's MultiProfiler too, thank you for the tip!

Will see... and learn.  :-)

[chrismurphy]

I know I will most likely be scoffed at for admitting this, but, will use Apple's own built in color/monitor calibration with it, to set it up after I get it... again, if NEC's monitor really needs it, and isn't really good to go out-of-the box, which one would think it would be... will be sure to check out NEC's MultiProfiler too, thank you for the tip!

Use Multiprofiler regardless. It's free. And it will build an ICC profile for the display based on the settings you choose.

For the rdisplay you can use the OS X visual calibration tool to get the white point in the ballpark of the NEC.

[MrJPH]

Well, just downloaded NEC's MultiProfiler for Mac... now just have to wait until tomorrow for my 27" monitor of theirs to arrive... FedEx just delivered the mini-display port cord for it... can't wait!  :-)

Thanks again, for your time and advice!  All the best to you, Chris -
JPH

[The View]

Well, just downloaded NEC's MultiProfiler for Mac... now just have to wait until tomorrow for my 27" monitor of theirs to arrive... FedEx just delivered the mini-display port cord for it... can't wait!  :-)

Thanks again, for your time and advice!  All the best to you, Chris -
JPH

The best results you'll get with Spectraview II. It's about $ 95.00