Sony KV-32FS100 Service Mode Colour Calibration

[The_Atomik_Punk!]

So I went digging into the service mode (again) of my Sony Trinitron (model KV-32FS100) in order to adjust some off colours I noticed while playing some games. Needless to say, without owning any calibration equipment/DVDs, it can be quite the tedious task. I'm aware of Artemio's test suite, but it's still intimidating and somewhat mysterious as to how to use all of the different diagnostic images.

Long story short, I've isolated the most obvious service mode entries that affect colour calibration, and here are my values:

VP2

SHUE = 8
SCOL = 5
SBRT = 12
AXPL = 0
AXNT = 0

VID-ADJ

RDRV = 28
GDRV = 14
BDRV = 22

RCUT = 20
GCUT = 12
BCUT = 8

SCON = 8
CHUE = 14
CCOL = 20

I'm using the "Standard" mode on the Trinitron, with:
Picture = approx 70%
Brightness = 50%
Color = approx 60%
Hue= right in the middle
Sharpness = 50%
Color Temp = Neutral
VM = OFF

This has produced a solid image, but it can use improvement, as this was done all by eye while running various games to check for any obvious inaccuracies. The corollary to that statement is that I'm running my consoles through a CVS 287 SCART to YUV transcoder, which adds more potential variables to colour, as many are known to have a yellow/green bias that needs adjustment.

I'd like to get a discussion going with any members on here who own a Trinitron in the same model family (KV-xxFS100) who have adjusted their service mode values, either with professional calibration equipment, or by trial and error like me. I'd like to get a solid baseline of colour calibration before I start adjusting the pots on my CVS 287.

[Taiyaki]

For what it's worth, I would lower Picture to about half, from what I hear it extends the life of the set. Or is your set a bit dimmer requiring 75%?


I also stick with color temp standard and VM off. Hue should most likely stay in the middle as you did. Color is usually best brought down a few points, unless you like a more saturated picture. Although now that I think of it I think my previously owned FS100 had slightly duller colors so increasing or at least leaving it in the middle might be good (your mileage will vary I guess).


I've done the color adjustments and I know it's probably incredibly primitive but I used a high end S-video cable on my SNES and loaded Zelda a Link to the Past, then loaded the same game on a properly calibrated lcd through an accurate emulator to compare the image.


I used an end game save near the pyramid where you fight Ganon. I compared the effects of increasing and decreasing lows and highs looking at the color spectrum with the purplish red sky, the yellow/beige on the pyramid and the brown on the ground. Then I warped to the Light World and did blue and green calibration with the grass and the water, going back and forth to make sure I got the levels as accurate as possible.


I took note of the settings prior to changing anything and the ones afterwards and basically all I had to change was decrease both the red highlights and lows. I've found this to be the case on all higher end sets like the FV series because they ship with a bit of red push.

[bobrocks95]

I've done the color adjustments and I know it's probably incredibly primitive but I used a high end S-video cable on my SNES and loaded Zelda a Link to the Past, then loaded the same game on a properly calibrated lcd through an accurate emulator to compare the image.

That gets into sort of a chicken and egg thing, right? Without a colorimeter, how do you know your LCD is properly calibrated to the right colors to use it as a baseline?

[FinalBaton]

That gets into sort of a chicken and egg thing, right? Without a colorimeter, how do you know your LCD is properly calibrated to the right colors to use it as a baseline?

Agreed, but there's still a better chance that an LCD will be better qualibrated than a consumer CRT (emphasis on "consumer" here).
I personally did this as well, but with an LCD PC monitor, with tends to be better calibrated out of the box than most LCD TVs, IMO.

[Taiyaki]

I've done the color adjustments and I know it's probably incredibly primitive but I used a high end S-video cable on my SNES and loaded Zelda a Link to the Past, then loaded the same game on a properly calibrated lcd through an accurate emulator to compare the image.

That gets into sort of a chicken and egg thing, right? Without a colorimeter, how do you know your LCD is properly calibrated to the right colors to use it as a baseline?

I used professional calibration settings on both my big tv for hd gaming and my computer monitor and I do trust them to be quite accurate. I also compared with my iPad keeping in mind that has a slight red push.

There's no proper way without hundreds of dollars worth of equipment to get it spot on perfect, for the rest of us who aren't equipped with that we can only strive for the best we can get.