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Hance
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Color calibration with dual monitors

Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:41 pm

My wifes system has two LCD's connected. The first is a Dell 1705 and the second is a Starlogic 17 inch LCD (hey dont laugh it was free). I have tried to get the color on the monitors to be an exact match but I cant get the job done. I am guessing the simple fact that the monitors are different brands and different ages will make it pretty much impossible to do but I wanted to ask you guys if it was possible or not.
 
dragmor
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:16 pm

Short answer = Its unlikely

Expensive answer = Pick up a Spyder 3 Pro or Elite (you can't use the express with more than one monitor), it should get them close and more correct.
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:28 am

Also, what graphics card do you have, and what OS are you running. If its windows and the graphics card shows up as two separate cards in the device manager, you can probably work it out with a hardware calibrator. Of they only show up as one card, you are probably out of luck since the drivers then uses some form av sharing of the display with the LUT-table for the color. Nvidia is sadly notorious for this, unless they changed in the last year. ATI usually works fine.
 
mattsteg
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:39 am

dragmor wrote:
Short answer = Its unlikely

Expensive answer = Pick up a Spyder 3 Pro or Elite (you can't use the express with more than one monitor), it should get them close and more correct.

You can use the express on dual displays, you just need to jump through more hoops with the software. This article details the procedure.

Another piece of software I find useful is this one. It gives more of a direct readout from the colorimeter than the colorvision stuff and is of great use for getting the display dialed in pretty close before generating your profile.
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titan
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:44 pm

I'm gonna run contrary to everyone else. I haven't used calibration software before for computer monitors. If I remember right, you can load color profiles for each monitor. (Just checked, you can.)

As far as calibration software, I'm not sure how it works, but I'm pretty sure they provide a color management profile...file. Right click on the desktop and go to "Properties". Click on the "Settings" tab, and you should see an image with two monitors. One should be blue and the other grayed out. Click on the monitor you need to load a profile for, and then click the "Advanced" button below the "Color quality" selection menu. Click the "Color Management" tab. Then you just have to load the appropriate profile...file.
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mattsteg
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:52 pm

titan wrote:
I'm gonna run contrary to everyone else. I haven't used calibration software before for computer monitors. If I remember right, you can load color profiles for each monitor. (Just checked, you can.)
Contrary in what way, other than not having relevant experience?
titan wrote:
As far as calibration software, I'm not sure how it works, but I'm pretty sure they provide a color management profile...file. Right click on the desktop and go to "Properties". Click on the "Settings" tab, and you should see an image with two monitors. One should be blue and the other grayed out. Click on the monitor you need to load a profile for, and then click the "Advanced" button below the "Color quality" selection menu. Click the "Color Management" tab. Then you just have to load the appropriate profile...file.
You're kind of shooting in the dark here, so I've kinda gotta ask: why even post in the first place? You're not really adding anything except semi-informed guesses.
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titan
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 5:20 pm

mattsteg wrote:
titan wrote:
I'm gonna run contrary to everyone else. I haven't used calibration software before for computer monitors. If I remember right, you can load color profiles for each monitor. (Just checked, you can.)
Contrary in what way, other than not having relevant experience?
titan wrote:
As far as calibration software, I'm not sure how it works, but I'm pretty sure they provide a color management profile...file. Right click on the desktop and go to "Properties". Click on the "Settings" tab, and you should see an image with two monitors. One should be blue and the other grayed out. Click on the monitor you need to load a profile for, and then click the "Advanced" button below the "Color quality" selection menu. Click the "Color Management" tab. Then you just have to load the appropriate profile...file.
You're kind of shooting in the dark here, so I've kinda gotta ask: why even post in the first place? You're not really adding anything except semi-informed guesses.

It turns out that my semi-informed guess is right. Others have been able to use separate profiles for each monitor with one card.

From what I have read, a profile is generated at the end of calibration, though that profile is applied to both monitors. The calibration can be run again on the second monitor, and that second profile will be applied to both monitors. The key is to name the profile according to which monitor it belongs. Then by using the steps I've mentioned before, individual profiles can be applied to each monitor.
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mattsteg
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:54 pm

titan wrote:
mattsteg wrote:
titan wrote:
I'm gonna run contrary to everyone else. I haven't used calibration software before for computer monitors. If I remember right, you can load color profiles for each monitor. (Just checked, you can.)
Contrary in what way, other than not having relevant experience?
titan wrote:
As far as calibration software, I'm not sure how it works, but I'm pretty sure they provide a color management profile...file. Right click on the desktop and go to "Properties". Click on the "Settings" tab, and you should see an image with two monitors. One should be blue and the other grayed out. Click on the monitor you need to load a profile for, and then click the "Advanced" button below the "Color quality" selection menu. Click the "Color Management" tab. Then you just have to load the appropriate profile...file.
You're kind of shooting in the dark here, so I've kinda gotta ask: why even post in the first place? You're not really adding anything except semi-informed guesses.

It turns out that my semi-informed guess is right. Others have been able to use separate profiles for each monitor with one card.
How on earth is that "running contrary to everyone else"? Multiple people have already said that that is possible. In fact, everyone who has replied in this thread has stated that it's possible, to one extent or other. I've even provided a link on how to do it with a given software program that doesn't do it natively.

You could have been far more informed if you just would have read what's already been posted in this thread. You know, the stuff that you're "running contrary to" while agreeing with it.
titan wrote:
From what I have read, a profile is generated at the end of calibration, though that profile is applied to both monitors. The calibration can be run again on the second monitor, and that second profile will be applied to both monitors. The key is to name the profile according to which monitor it belongs. Then by using the steps I've mentioned before, individual profiles can be applied to each monitor.
Three things to note: 1) it's more complicated than that 2) I've posted a link that details how it's more complicated than that and describes the necessary procedure. 3) You're completely ignoring the important step of loading LUTs.

How about you quit gloating and pay more attention?
...
 
Hance
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:08 pm

I have spent a little bit of time playing with the color profiles on the starlogic monitor trying to get it to match the dell. I did get it closer but it still isnt an exact match. I am not willing to adjust the color profile of the dell at all. Using dells monitor profile and just a little bit of tweaking the monitor is an exact match for what comes off our large format printer. I dont have one of the hardware monitor calibration tools. I dont plan on buying one because the color of her primary monitor and the printer already match each other. The starlogic monitor seems to have a bit of red bias to it that I cant adjust out. I think she is just going to have to live with the colors being off or give up on having a second monitor.
 
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Re: Color calibration with dual monitors

Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:52 am

The problems with having multiple color profiles isnt about actually having multiple profiles assigned to each monitor as they are seen as output devices, but it depends. At least some time ago, nvidias dual screen implementation was that the whole desktop was seen as a single surface. Hence the color calibration software, that also has a TSR component, can only apply a single real time LUT-profile, working the whole surface, and not only a single monitor. ATI got around this problem, which was XP-and W2k related, by having their single card show itself as two graphics cards with a monitor each as far as windows drivers and device manager was concerned. Hence two real time LUT tables for the calibration software to work with. Of course, Matrox was the king of dual-screens back in those days. :P

But the thing is that most calibration packages also offer a TSR part that really gives a certain amount of color correctnes to everything you do, not only those programs that are ICC-aware, and this is usually the part which gets bungled by bad driver implementations. Although the last time i looked at a nvidia 8800 it seemed like it should work. But my friend doesnt do color work so he couldnt care less. But its quite easy, somebody with a dual screen aware color calibration package and Nvidia could easily test if it works as it should.

Mattsteg - I have to look at that software you found. Seems interesting. Although right now i have a Spyder 2 Pro Studio, which also calibrates projectors, so i've thought of stepping up to a Spyder 3 of similar abilities. Also, that trick with switching primary display is kindof neat, however not totally new :wink: Although the really neat thing was that he actually got both profiles to be active in the express package.

Also, for the OP. Didnt read it myself, but the author that Mattsteg linked to had another article which relates to dual calibration under XP.

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