Windows 7 monitor calibration???

[stradibarrius]

I have a new HP Windows 7 64 bit machine with a 24" monitor. I have been using Spyder 2 Express to calibrate the monitor on my old machine.
The new monitor is much different than the old one and I am have trouble getting the priner output (Epson 3800 Pro) to match the monitor image.
My question is is the new monitor calibration function in Windows 7 a good calibration method? it seems better than the Spyder Express 2, or do I need to upgrade my calibration system?

 

[garri]

Hi there, I had the same issue, I just went to the colorvision website and downloaded the update for W7 for the spyder. Works fine now.

Gari

 

[stradibarrius]

I have updated everything, tried the Windows 7 calibration, recalibrated using the Spyder2 Express. Tried calibrating in a totally dark room, in the viewing daylight everything I can think of and still when I print the prints looks "dull" compared to the screen.
Would a better calibrator give better results?

 

[garri]

Been away a while so haven't looked in for a while.
The monitor calibration tool does just that, and only that, it profiles the monitor for the conditions/environment that it is used in. You should see a difference/improvement in the output of the monitor after calibration
The print is another part of the colour management workflow,. You now need to get you printer/ink/paper combination profiled. The printer and ink combination will for most people saty the same, however some of us tend to chose a couple of papers for printing. You will need a prifile for each paper, assuming that you will use the same printer/ink as mentioned. If you use more than one printer, and some of us do, then it's each printer/ink/paper etc.

I am not sure where you are based but here in the UK several paper suppliers will offer a free CUSTOM profile for every paper type you purchase from them.
Basically, they email a file to you containing a colour patch, the colour values of which they have stored in their calibration software. You print the file on the paper, using the printer comb you use and post it back to them. they then scan the print and crreate a profile that bridges the gap as it were, between what the value should be and what it is.
That is you profile. The instructions how to install, where to put etc are usually attached to the email containing the profile. If not the WWW is awash with the information you need. Google(other browsers may be available!!) is our friend on this front.

Though it sounds complicated ( and it is) there are plenty of places to get it done bye a third party so we can install and get on with what floats our boats.

Gari

 

[stradibarrius]

I do use the profiles for the papers I use so I am aware that those factors are part of the equation. But even when I calibrate the monitor, use the "paper profiles" I am not getting what I see on the monitior. I even use the "soft proof" before I print but the print still has a muted look.
Very frustrating!!

 

[pschwart]

I do use the profiles for the papers I use so I am aware that those factors are part of the equation. But even when I calibrate the monitor, use the "paper profiles" I am not getting what I see on the monitior. I even use the "soft proof" before I print but the print still has a muted look.
Very frustrating!!

What do you mean by "muted"? Are the colors a close match? And what kind of paper -- matte or semigloss/luster/glossy -- are you using? Profiles that ship with the printer can range from close to pretty far off in my experience. I finally broke down and bought a DTP41 and software so I could generate my own.
Keep in mind that images viewed by reflection (print) and transmission (monitor) will never match exactly. A print on matte paper will have a more muted appearance than the screen image and even the same image printed on glossy or luster photo paper. The viewing light is also critical -- if your monitor is calibrated to 6500K then that is what you need to critically evaluate your prints. GTI print viewers are good but not inexpensive. Even a daylight bulb in a desk lamp can be helpful.

 

[stradibarrius]

My printer is an Epson 3800 and I typically use Epson gloss or luster paper.
When I do the "soft proof" step there is a muted bluish gray cast that is placed over the image. The actual print is the same but a bit more strength to the cast.

 

[Marco B]

Two things:

- Make sure you have the extra LCD/TFT (blue honeycomb) filter installed on your Spyder 2, without it, you can only calibrate old CRT monitors properly.

- Second, to be honest, I have never had luck with true ICM colormanaged printing and my Epson R2400 on my XP machines either. Even though downloading all the right ICC profiles for my papers, setting all Photoshop and printer driver options properly, reading a ton of information about colormanagement, it fails to give the accurate colors I expected. Colors are simply off. I wasted a lot of money in ink and paper on these issues.

So, what did I do? Well, it is a shame, but I have given up. Simply switching ICM colormanagement off in Photoshop, and leaving the Epson printer driver on its default "Color Controls" with "Color Mode" as "Epson Standard" gives me far more reliable colors, that often very closely match my calibrated monitor.

I have never managed to solve this issue, and I am suspecting that there is some major issue with the Epson printer driver on some machines / Windows installation, that causes the ICC colormanagement to completely fail.

As the printer, using Epsons own colormanagement options in the driver, does give rather reliable colors, I am sure it is not a major issue with either my monitor calibration or printer. It seems really to be a printer driver issue.

Still need to double check this once maybe with something like QuadTone RIP, that completely replaces the Epson driver, and see if that maybe is capable of doing proper ICC colormanaged printing, but for now, I'll stick with the current solution...

Marco

 

[stradibarrius]

Marco, I think I will try the same thing and see if my results are better. Thanks for the idea...

 

[donbga]

Two things:

- Make sure you have the extra LCD/TFT (blue honeycomb) filter installed on your Spyder 2, without it, you can only calibrate old CRT monitors properly.

- Second, to be honest, I have never had luck with true ICM colormanaged printing and my Epson R2400 on my XP machines either. Even though downloading all the right ICC profiles for my papers, setting all Photoshop and printer driver options properly, reading a ton of information about colormanagement, it fails to give the accurate colors I expected. Colors are simply off. I wasted a lot of money in ink and paper on these issues.

So, what did I do? Well, it is a shame, but I have given up. Simply switching ICM colormanagement off in Photoshop, and leaving the Epson printer driver on its default "Color Controls" with "Color Mode" as "Epson Standard" gives me far more reliable colors, that often very closely match my calibrated monitor.

I have never managed to solve this issue, and I am suspecting that there is some major issue with the Epson printer driver on some machines / Windows installation, that causes the ICC colormanagement to completely fail.

As the printer, using Epsons own colormanagement options in the driver, does give rather reliable colors, I am sure it is not a major issue with either my monitor calibration or printer. It seems really to be a printer driver issue.

Still need to double check this once maybe with something like QuadTone RIP, that completely replaces the Epson driver, and see if that maybe is capable of doing proper ICC colormanaged printing, but for now, I'll stick with the current solution...

Marco

I get virtually perfect color prints with ny Epson 3800 printing through CS4 running on a Windows XP32 machine. Since using ICC profiles for ABW I no longer use QTR for B&W printing.

Don Bryant

 

[Marco B]

I get virtually perfect color prints with ny Epson 3800 printing through CS4 running on a Windows XP32 machine. Since using ICC profiles for ABW I no longer use QTR for B&W printing.

Don Bryant

Don, I wasn't suggesting it couldn't work, just that on some machines, like mine, there might be issues with the driver. I have read enough posts here and elsewhere of people that do get good results.

Anyway, what is that you mean with "using ICC profiles for ABW (I guess you mean the Advanced B&W option in the printer driver)", either you are using the default Advanced B&W option of Epson itself with no control of choice of ICC profile (of course, the Epson driver does use his own internal one), or you are doing ICC managed printing, switching colormanagement off in the printer driver, and making the settings in Photoshop???

So how can you use your own ICC profile for ABW :confused:

Marco

 

[donbga]

Don, I wasn't suggesting it couldn't work, just that on some machines, like mine, there might be issues with the driver. I have read enough posts here and elsewhere of people that do get good results.

I was hoping you would ask me how I do that.

So how can you use your own ICC profile for ABW :confused:

http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3800/abwprofiles.html

Don

 

[stradibarrius]

Don what are "ABW" and "QTR"???
My X machineseem to do better than the new Windows 7. Windows 7 sometimes doesn't play well with CS3.

 

[donbga]

Don what are "ABW" and "QTR"???
My X machineseem to do better than the new Windows 7. Windows 7 sometimes doesn't play well with CS3.

QTR is short for Quad Tone RIP, a gray ink Raster Image Processor which is a great product developed by Roy Harrington.

http://www.quadtonerip.com/html/QTRoverview.html

ABW stands for Advanced Black & White and is a special interface for the Epson driver.

Don