While the topic of calibration comes up more & more frequently, many new electronics owners aren't that familiar with the concept, nor the benefits associated with having one performed by a certified professional. When it comes to investing in quality audio/video equipment, we all - ultimately - desire top performance. True audio & video fidelity is achieved by the following steps:

Let's explore the most commonly posed questions regarding the latter step:

Gone are the days when our parents & grandparents went to the appliance store, purchased an analog B&W or color TV in a cabinet, hauled it home in the back of a borrowed truck or van, plugged it in & began watching one of the 3 channels that were available after dad adjusted the wire antennae (affectionately referred to as "rabbit ears").

Today's state-of-the art, high definition, digital LCD & plasma panels are packed with features & capabilities which enable them to reproduce life-like images right before our very eyes. With the advent of high definition cable and blu-ray discs (technology that enables substantially more data to be housed on a disc, thereby capturing the details once only privy to high-end movie cinemas), consumers are now able to fully experience a film the way the movie studio/cinematographer had intended.

In order to truly leverage the capabilities of both the audio and video components, the aspects must be fine-tuned by an individual that has been certified to use equipment specifically designed to maximize the quality of:

So, in a nutshell, calibration is a process by which a professional fine-tunes your electronics utilizing specialized hardware & software, akin to the approach that's taken when a piano-tuner tunes your baby grand.

Let's ponder a few analogies; viewing/listening to an un-calibrated system is similar to the feeling you'd have if you:

1. Adjusting Factory "Default" Controls. Often, products are shipped from the manufacturer with the brightness and contrast levels set excessively high. The rationale behind this is to make the panels appear more ‘enticing' when viewed along-side other devices in a bright retail showroom. In a home setting, the excessive brightness/contrast results in fatigue, eye strain & inaccurate color reproduction, rendering the experience less than appealing. Calibration eliminates these issues.

2. Establishing True Integration of Various Components. High-quality audio/video systems are designed with controls that enable adjustments to be made depending upon a variety of combinations involving components, configurations and environments. When playing a DVD, for example, the DVD player, video processor and display may each have contrast control settings; during the calibration process, the contrast controls on each of these components are adjusted AS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM, so that the final image is displayed as it was intended by the studio engineers.

Many individuals have had the unfortunate experience of ordering something online, based upon a picture that was displayed on a website. Often, one computer monitor is calibrated differently than another, so that royal blue shirt you saw online might just show up at your doorstep as navy blue!

When multiple components are involved, it's essential that they're all speaking the same language…that's where calibration comes in.

3. Optimization of the System within a Specific Environment. Because all components included in the signal chain are involved in the reproduction of the audio or video source, the aspects of the room they're housed in impacts performance significantly. Manufacturers cannot possibly account for the environmental variables affecting performance (room size/dimensions, walls/floor coverings, furniture placement, listening/viewing distances). Your home's unique layout & design are key factors that are taken into consideration when optimizing the performance of your system through professional calibration.

4. Maximizing Energy Efficiencies. Studies conducted by Sencore have shown that electricity expenditures were reduced by 10-30% after proper calibrations were performed. In addition to saving resources (both energy AND money), you will also contribute to extending the life of the display by taking this measure.

VIDEO: In the case of AHC, a VideoPro Multimedia Generator is utilized to generate precision test and calibration signals into each active video input & at every different signal scan format that you will normally be viewing. This may include standard TV, progressive scan DVD, satellite TV, digital cable, computer games, and off-air HDTV.

We precisely calibrate your display's User Control Default Setup (black level, white level, saturation, hue, sharpness) and Technician Service Controls (white balance, focus, SVM, color decoder, geometry, etc.) to industry standards for both night and day viewing.

We use a ColorPro Color Analyzer to analyze the background "canvas" color of your display at all brightness levels. We calibrate the background color to be accurate to the D65 industry standard (as the starting point for overlaying a full range of accurate picture colors). We make certain that every picture you view, no matter the signal source, looks the best it can - just as it was intended to look.

AUDIO: AHC performs all THX & HAA audio calibrations with Sencore equipment, the industry leader. AHC uses the Sencore Professional Audio Suite, which includes the SP295C Audio Analyzer, 4-Mics & Multiplexer, the DAG5161 Digital Audio Generator, and the RS95 Acoustic Reporting Software. This equipment plus the specialized software from HAA allows AHC to provide industry leading audio design and calibrations for both large and small environments. THX audio calibrations are performed to the required standards, and can result in a location receiving a THX Certified Home Theater designation.

Ideally, calibrations should be performed after the equipment has been installed & used for a period of approximately 100 hours. This gives the unit sufficient burn-in time prior to calibration. It's a good idea to have panels & audio components re-calibrated from time to time, most especially after a move due to changes in room dynamics and ambient lighting conditions.

Just because someone delivers & sets up your equipment, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have been professionally trained to perform accurate calibrations -- the ability to quickly set a few knobs to the center position does not a professional calibrator make.

There are a limited number of corporations dedicated to the manufacture of calibration & testing equipment. On-site classes are conducted by experts in the field and require hands-on work, as well as class participation & rigorous testing. Top calibrations are performed using equipment requiring a 5-6 figure investment, so in a sense, you get what you pay for when it comes to the quality results delivered by a calibrator that's been professionally certified.

If you're based on Maui, look no further! AHC maintains 9 different industry certifications & has made a large financial investment in obtaining the high-end equipment necessary to perform on-site calibrations.

If you're living on the mainland, we'd suggest that you visit the websites of Home Acoustics Alliance, Image Science Foundation and THX, as they're good places to start when looking to identify certified calibration specialists. Additionally, the industry trade organization, CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) has a website that provides a list of members, broken down by area. CEDIA's site also contains many helpful articles on a variety of topics related to home electronics.