JVC Autocal Software V12 calibration for 2019 RS1000/RS2000/RS3000/NX5/NX7/NX9

[jbn008]

If you’re happy with the results, don’t touch it until you need to.

great. thank you

[Killroy™]

Anyone tried the new Spyder X on JVC Autocal yet?

[smhunter1983]

Hi everyone,

As the new JVC Autocal Software is available, I thought it would be useful to create a dedicated thread to collect here the best practice and calibration tips for this version of the software (V11) and the new native 4K models.

IMPORTANT WARNING: using the Autocal software changes internal tables in the projector. The first time you use it and save a calibration, it will create a .INIT file that contains the calibration tables as they were when the PJ left the factory. This .init file is saved in the folder you have selected in the software settings. There is no way to re-create this .INIT file if you lose it or delete it, yet restoring this .INIT file is the only way to revert the PJ to its factory state (doing a factory reset in the service menu only restores user settings, not calibration tables). So please make sure that you back up this .INIT and keep the back-up copy in a safe place. Also, using any software means that things can go wrong. It's a software. There can be bugs. Updating the f/w to V2.01, which is necessary to use the latest version of the Autocal, should be done carefully as there are opportunities for things to go wrong during that process too. If you read further, you acknowledge these risks and agree that you are using the software at your own risk. Please don't blame me if anything goes wrong, especially if you have not made sure to keep your .init file safe, or read and followed JVC's instructions for the f/w update. If you don't feel comfortable with this, please don't use the Autocal software, or ask a competent calibrator to use it for you.

EDIT 15-03-19: a new JVC Autocal (V11 1.10) has been released, along with a new f/w version (V2.01). See links below. You need to install the new f/w first before being able to use the new version of the Autocal. I have installed both and have updated the FAQ with a few minor issues I experienced, but it overall went well.

I'm in the process of compiling some info that I've started to post and I'll continue to do so over the next few weeks.

I've added most recently some recommended settings and detailed brightness and contrast measurements, as well as calibration measurements and a first impression / mini review of my rs2000, all linked in the next post.

I've also added advice for preparation and calibration, as well as advanced tips and results. The whole basic section is completed.

You'll also find in the next post useful links to external resources or direct access to specific posts in this thread, either in the "reference" part (posts 2-29) or the body of the thread as it grows up. [Note: For now, only the links to posts with actual content are "live". I'll add the links as content is posted. Please refrain from asking questions about a [reserved] section until the initial content for the section has been posted. Thanks!]

I've tried to organize the information to make it easy for beginners to get started and for experienced users to get more advanced stuff. If you have any questions regarding calibrating the 2019 JVCs, please feel to ask in the thread, however...

IF YOU'RE STUCK WITH THE SOFTWARE, BEFORE ASKING A QUESTION IN THIS THREAD: please read the documentation linked below, as well as the Troubleshooting/FAQ in the Basic section. Thanks!

More later...

When I calibrate with a spider 5 elite, on an NX5 to spec Natural, bt709, 6500k, gamma 2.2

The results seem way to warm/red 
I do notice in the calibration the first reading of red is 0.000

Should that be a reading of some sort?

I change over to the untouched stock DCI Picture setting and that seems to look much better. Any ideas to what I'm doing wrong??

[Manni]

Anyone tried the new Spyder X on JVC Autocal yet?

The Spyder X isn't supported by Autocal 11 yet. Only Spyder 5 and i1pro2.

[Manni]

When I calibrate with a spider 5 elite, on an NX5 to spec Natural, bt709, 6500k, gamma 2.2

The results seem way to warm/red
I do notice in the calibration the first reading of red is 0.000

Should that be a reading of some sort?

I change over to the untouched stock DCI Picture setting and that seems to look much better. Any ideas to what I'm doing wrong??

Sounds like you need to read the basic section and the FAQ

If you mean that the first reading for red is zero during a gamma calibration, this isn't desired but you'll find in the guide how to address this with the meter positioning. This zero reading should only impact the RGB balance near black though, so unlikely to be related to a red push in the overall picture.

Please redo your calibration after having read the guide and all the recommended reading and show us screenshots of the calibration results and settings if you still have the issue.

Which content are you sending to this calibration, from which source, with which settings? If you're sending UHD content, you most likely need an HDR calibration (HDR color profile on the N5, as it doesn't have the BT2020 filter and associated color profile), with the correct gamma (PQ or power) depending on where the tonemapping takes place, not a Rec-709 calibration, which should only be used for SD and HD content (DVD/bluray/HDTV). Unless you're using madVR or a Radiance Pro, no consumer source sends DCI, so that's unlikely to be correct anyway. Please read the recommended settings section to figure out which calibration you should use according to source/content.

After all this healthy reading and possibly a new attempt, don't hesitate to get back if you still have some problems, but please provide more information: source, content, tonemapping settings if any (does it take place in the source? In the PJ?) and screenshots of the post calibration results (for gamma and gamut and color temp) if you still have this red push issue.

[SirMaster]

I thought on the NX projectors that a color calibration applies to every color profile.

I did a color calibration in HDR color profile and my rec709 profile and DCI profile were also calibrated after that single autocal run.

[Manni]

I thought on the NX projectors that a color calibration applies to every color profile.

I did a color calibration in HDR color profile and my rec709 profile and DCI profile were also calibrated after that single autocal run.

Only if you're using the same lamp, filter (not applicable for the N5) and iris range setting (for a color calibration). And that's for color temp.

The color calibration is also using gamut info (color profile), so if the gamut is different the white point might be corrected, but the primaries and saturations won't be.

I've always had a filter so I've never tested for this, my calibration for rec-709 and HDR (SDR BT2020 in my case) is always different (not the same iris setting at the very least, which I know is not the case for you as you use iris open in both, and always a different filter setting). So I always run at least two separate calibrations, one for SDR Rec-709, one for SDR BT2020/DCI-P3.

[Jeff R 1]

Photos

[Manni]

Hi Jeff,

Welcome here!

The first two photos indicate that the PJ is getting HDR content but that there is no metadata. Which title are you feeding it (movie name and country of the UHD Bluray)? Is it the same title with the third pic, which has metadata? Which source? Please use the UB900 to rule out any HTPC related issues.

[EDIT: replied in other forum, case closed here].

[LeFric]

Usted acaba de hablar de DI, ¿qué significa?

[Manni]

Usted acaba de hablar de DI, ¿qué significa?

Significa Dynamic Iris, ma no hablo espanol, so English is preferred

[Manni]

New f/w available (V2.07). See link in second post.

[jbn008]

Manni-

i recently had my projector recalibrated and realized that the calibrator had set the HDMI level to super white 16-255 (while running autocal and calman).  i noticed the image was very dark when playing madvr because the htpc was set to "full" so it was crushing the blacks.

My question is should i set the JVC back to "auto" or the htpc output to limited?  I'm really hoping that i don't need to redo the calibration or anything since the projector wasn't set to auto.  i'm not sure if changing the HDMI input level on the JVC would affect color and grayscale?

thanks again for your help,
Jeremy

[Manni]

Hi Jeremy,

That's a tricky one. Superwhite should never be used. It comes from an old THX recommendation that leads to a loss of contrast and brightness for no benefit with 99% of the content. I think that even THX doesn't recommend using it anymore. Let's proceed by elimination:

- You should never set the GPU to limited because the GPU would be compressing levels behind madVR's back. So let's assume that your GPU is set to RGB Full, preferably in 8bits due to the forced YCC422 conversion when using 12bits on the JVCs.
- If you want the picture to be accurate for desktop content (ie games) and not only video, your best bet is to try GPU Full, madVR Full and JVC Enhanced (all 0-255). That's the straightest and recommended path in that situation.
- If you're only interested in video content from the HTPC, then you could try GPU full (0-255), madVR limited (16-235) and JVC standard (16-235). Levels will be wrong for desktop content, but should be right for video content.

If one of these two work (if nVidia, make sure you use 385.28 when testing, 430.xx drivers might work but almost every single driver from 398.11 borks levels), then you're good. Otherwise I'm afraid a new calibration is in order with either of the above selected.

Let's not elaborate if it doesn't work, levels on HTPCs and madVR can be tricky to get right because there are too many possibilities depending on GPU, drivers, OS version, player, decoder, madVR settings etc, it would soon derail the thread.

Good luck!

[jbn008]

gotcha, I'll just set the hptc back to full and JVC auto (enhanced).  thank you very much!

last question, would changing back to 16-235 from super white affect the SDR calibration for other sources or would that be fine?

Thanks again,
Jeremy