Adventures in Home Theater Calibration

By Phil Lozen

It’s no secret that when you go to your local big-box retailer to look at HDTVs, the sets on display are brighter than the sun. Manufacturers want the brightest set on the shelf to draw you to their TV. When you get that new set home, you’re not likely to find your picture looking much better.

That’s why it’s so great that calibration DVDs exist, allowing you to properly set your picture settings to get the most out of your TV. There are several different options available when it comes to the DVDs, but two pop into most people’s heads: The Avia Guide to Home Theater, and Digital Video Essentials.



Avia is a great product - and the first calibration disc I owned. When it comes to setting up your HD signal, however, the newly released Digital Video Essentials HD Basics from Joe Kane Productions is your best option. It’s the first product on the general consumer market specifically designed for Blu-ray and HD DVD, allowing you the chance to calibrate your HD signal using HD material. Avia has a HD release listed as “Coming Soon” on its web site.

Having recently received the HD DVD version of DVE, I’m going to take you through the process of calibrating my setup. First a look at what I have in my living room:

My Setup:
50-inch Samsung HLR-5067 720P DLP
Xbox 360 HD DVD player hooked up via component video
Yamaha HTR 5750 5.1 channel receiver
Klipsch 5.1 channel Quintett II speakers
Klipsch KSW10 Subwoofer

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