THE BIG PICTURE

Steven Lassair asks a perennial question that all TV owners should heed:

I'm going to get the Samsung A650, and I want to optimize the colors. Can you recommend a DVD I can use to do that? I found Digital Video Essentials on Amazon, but it doesn’t get good ratings.

First, I applaud your choice of television. I reviewed the LN52A750, which is essentially the same as the A650 with a few more bells and whistles, and it is one of my favorite LCD TVs.

I'm not surprised that DVE on DVD did not get good ratings on Amazon—it's menu navigation is not at all intuitive. On the other hand, if you have a Blu-ray player, Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics is much better in this regard, and I can recommend it highly. In fact, I use it all the time in my TV reviews. HD Basics has all the test patterns you need to optimize a TV's basic user controls (brightness, contrast, color, tint, sharpness) as well as instruction on how to do so.

If you're limited to DVD, there are several choices in addition to DVE. One of the industry standards is Avia II, which I haven't used myself, though I hear it's pretty technical. Another option is HDTV Calibration Wizard from Monster Cable and the Imaging Science Foundation, which is very user-friendly for the average consumer. This disc uses real-world clips instead of test patterns to optimize the basic user controls.

Perhaps the most widely available setup program is THX Optimizer, which many consumers already have, even if they don't know they have it. This program is included in the bonus materials on some DVDs, including most Pixar titles (Cars, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, etc.) and all the Star Wars movies. Unfortunately, THX Optimizer can't be purchased separately at this point, but THX is considering making it available as a standalone product.

If other readers have a favorite setup disc, please share that information with the class.

If you have an audio/video question for me, please send it to scott.wilkinson@sorc.com.