JVC DLA-HD250 Projector Calibration and Settings
As has always been the case with JVC's entry level home theater projectors JVC DLA-HD250 home theater projector lacks the full CMS - color management system - found on their over $5000 JVC's. This means that you can calibrate the standard items - brightness, contrast, color saturation, and also do a grayscale balance, to get the color temperature to 6500K.
8/2/2011 - Art Feierman
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The JVC DLA-HD250 also lacks the rather excellently pre-calibrated THX mode found on the JVC X7 and X9, RS50 and RS60. Those THX modes are excellent whether on a JVC projector or one of several other brands that provide them. Runco was first, now JVC, Epson and Optoma, others, mostly on their higher end models. While you can improve on a THX mode with an individual calibration, it would be slight. On the other hand, this HD250 while not bad out of the box, definitely improves noticeably with calibration, even without a Color Management System.
JVC DLA-HD250 Color Temperature
All of the JVC presets offer a bit cool white, with white (100 IRE) at 7142K or higher, instead of our "optimal" 6500K.
That said, the JVC HD250's color temperature gets warmer, as we go down the grayscale, until it's actually very warm by 30 IRE.
These are the measurements, taken "right out of the box."
Color Temp over IRE Range, Best mode (Pre calibration):
Cinema 1
30 IRE 7123
50 IRE 7054
80 IRE 7110
100 IRE 6934
For your convenience, these were the starting measurements:
Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom):
Cinema 1= 801 @ 6934
Cinema 2= 743 @ 5942
Natural= 803 @ 6948
Stage= 865 @ 8036
Dynamic= 934 @ 9064
User 1, 2 or 3= 803 @ 6955
JVC DLA-HD250 Post Calibration Grayscale
Here's a look at the results of Mike's calibration (saved to User 1):
Color Temp over IRE Range (Post calibration):
20 IRE 6636
30 IRE 6667
40 IRE 6593
50 IRE 6517
60 IRE 6592
70 IRE 6561
80 IRE 6565
90 IRE 6460
100 IRE 6402
Average gamma= 2.23
Mike's comments on the HD250 calibration: Grayscale calibrated quite well, with an average Delta E of only 1.1. The RGB balance was actually better than the RS15 we did earlier this year. It's unfortunate that the custom color temp starting point is so far off from 6500K (it's something more like 8000K) at higher IREs. This requires big reductions in Green and Blue Gain to get things balanced. The color gamut (see the CIE chart) is the usual JVC expanded gamut and without a CMS like the more expensive models have, all you can do is turn down the Color control to reduce the "sunburned" look in skin tones. Grass and other green items can still be almost a "neon" green however.
Art's comments: regarding sunburned and neon, we're talking "first degree burns here, not 2nd or 3rd... As to neon, Mike's getting colorful! "almost neon" naw. rich, oversaturated yes, but really dayglow or close, no... Even on my images which as a group are oversaturated, none of the greens -even grass, is close to "neon"... And all of this typical of JVC's lowest cost projectors. All that said, it looks real good! -art
JVC DLA-HD250 Basic Settings
In addition to calibrating Red Green and Blue for a correct grayscale balance (6500K), there are a number of other settings that come into play. Typically Contrast and Brightness (white balance and black balance), need to be done first. Color saturation and gamma also need adjustment.
Our final settings (the default settings for Brightness, Contrast, Saturation and Tint are all 0, in all modes). Mike made adjustments to these, and the Color Temp settings for each of the seven modes:
Cinema 1 |
Cinema 2 |
Natural |
Stage |
Dynamic |
User |
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| Contrast = (0) | -1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
| Brightness = (0) | 1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Color Sat. = | (-3) |
(-3) |
0 |
0 |
-10 |
0 |
| Tint = | (-3) |
(-3) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Color Temp = | -6500 |
-5800 |
-6500 |
-7500 |
(High Bright) |
-6500 |
| Gamma = | (B) |
(A) |
(Normal) |
(C) |
(C) |
(Normal) |
To get the very most out of the DLA-HD250, a calibration is recommended. You can try our settings, which should definitely improve on out of the box performance.
It seems to us, that going with the default settings for Cinema, will not get you the kind of color quality/accuracy, needed to rationalize a $3000 projector spend, for this projector. Once color has been "corrected" this projector is definitely worth its price.
JVC HD250 Gamma settings:
The gamma controls on the HD250 allow for detailed customization, including different gamma curves for each primary color! You can have about as much fun as you would like, customizing gamma for your screen, room conditions, personal tastes, etc.
Ultimately though, Normal is the default. Mike measured an average of 2.23, a tiny bit higher than the theoretically correct 2.2 gamma (some would use 2.4 for film to try to get a gamma like a CRT projector). (There's a lot of variation out there, in terms of the actually gamma of the content, as well.)
In addition there are three Custom gamma modes (1,2,3) which you can adjust. Start with any one of the preset gammas (Normal, A-D), copy that into a Custom, and modify from there. You can even set different gamma settings for the different primary colors (red, green, blue), or all at once with white. This is one of the more comprehensive customizable gamma modes I've encountered. (and much fun to play with). of the Preset Gammas, I tend to favor Normal C, or D.
The A setting lifts the brightness in the very darkest areas, making dark shadow detail more visible, but, by doing so, removes a small amount of the punch on very dark scenes. B setting mostly lifts brightness in the 40 to 80 IRE range. It adds punch and also makes those sunny days seem sunnier. Gamma C is much like B, but a little less push in those brighter ranges, and a little push added at the low end to bring up the very darkest shadow detail. In other words, C, is very much like a cross between A and B, and personally preferable to either. Gamma D lifts the mid-tones only slightly. It is closest to Normal, but "brightens" the mid-range just slightly.
Basically I tend to favor D over Normal, but it's not uncommon of me to change a gamma setting once I start watching. C is my choice when I want to make the image more dynamic looking. B will also do that but is often "over the top" and typically "distorts" the original too much for my taste. (when I'm being an image snob)
And of course, you can create your own, similar to any of these, with your own preferences, if you like to play.
JVC DLA-HD250 RGB Settings
These are the adjustments we made to Red, Green and Blue for the grayscale balance. Mike placed best mode settings into User 1.
Mike also did our Quick-Cal adjustments to Dynamic, and placed them in User 2. Our Quick-Cal isn't as bright as the default, but offers more accurate color, without sacrificing very much brightness.
| User 1, Custom Color Temp 1 | User 2, Custom Color Temp 2 |
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| Gain | R = -1 |
R = 0 |
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G= -29 |
G = 0 |
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B= -63 |
B = -30 |
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| Offset | R = -2 |
R = 0 |
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G = 0 |
G = 0 |
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B = -1 |
B = 0 |
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Brightness Post Calibration (mid-point on the zoom lens):
758 lumens 853 lumens
If you wish, you've got everything you need to copy our calibration efforts on your shiny new JVC DLA-HD250 projector.
Keep in mind, there will be slight variations due to the lamp (and lamp performance will change over time). We calibrated with the lamp virtually brand new, as opposed to waiting a couple hundred hours, which is generally considered more ideal. There will be a continuing very slight shift in color over the life of the lamp.
Bottom line: With these settings, this DLA-HD250 projector puts a very impressive image up on the screen, even if not quite as accurate as the top of the line JVC's with their CMS to adjust.