Spyder

[Fruengalli]

So have just bought my lovely a Dell 27 All in ONE & the colours are definateley somewhat skewed. Thinking about a Spyder to correct...any thoughts?

[arthurking83]

Yeah, they're OK. Which model?

I have the 3.
It works, and even if it's out by 5%(compared to the best colour calibrator device available) .. it's not a difference that the human eye can detect anyhow.

(well, that was my reasoning for purchasing mine from a store, rather than stuff around trying to get the best device from an online source!)

Anyhow .. my only issue with the Spyder is the Spyder software. In a word ..... bad!

It works, in that it will calibrate your screen, but I had nothing but trouble with the software.
My Spyder3 came with version 3 of Spyder's software, but as I purchased just before v4 was introduced, I got the update to v4 for free.
v4 in a word(or 2) .. bad too!

I haven't run Spyder's software for years now .. I started using BasICColor for my calibration software. Much better than Spyder's software .. especially in terms of startup and it's ability to run!

I note that you say you have a Dell 27" screen.
Some of these have hardware LUT(look up tables) .. so that when you calibrate the screen, instead of the calibration being loaded into the graphics card 'driver', the calibration is loaded onto the screen itself(ie. hardware .. not software)

My issue with Spyder's software was simply that it sometimes wouldn't load up correctly, or at all, or it may have at some point after PC bootup! .. the problem being that I was never sure.
I could be half way through a spreadsheet, or browsing the net, when all of a sudden the screen colour and brightness would change(ie. Spyder's software finally loading up!)

This is not good!

With BasICColor(that's how it's spelled) it load properly every time, just at the login screen . I can see the change in brightness and hue at that screen every time.

I know that BasICColor can load the colour profile parameters into a screens hardware(the option is there if the screen allows that ability), but I'm not so sure if the Spyder software can(probably does, but you'd need to check).

Where an issue may result is that some screen manufacturers deliberately lock out non manufacturer hardware from accessing the screens hardware .. and recent Dell screens do this.
That is, you may have to purchase a specific calibrator to access the screen's hardware. Obviously a deal done between hardware manufacturers.

This isn't the case for all screen models from specific manufacturers tho .. your model may fully work with any brand of calibrator.
The model of screen will also determine if you have a hardware LUT capability or not, and newer model screens don't necessarily imply this ability over previous generation models.

Dell's 2713 vs 2714 is an example of this. 2713 has hardware LUT ability .. the newer 2714 doesn't.

FWIW: hardware based LUT(ie. loaded directly into the screen) is generally better.
From memory, to calibrate the 2713 in hardware mode using Dell's software, you need an X-rite calibrator. Sorry can't remember the specifics of every detail tho .. info is easily found on the web somewhere tho.

[Fruengalli]

Thanks King Arthur...it's a 27 Touch i7 etc etc.. starting to look at the Spyder 4 Pro & Color Munki

[arthurking83]

From the PC description, I assume it's a 27" touchscreen PC(most likely with Win8 on it)?

if so, then it can make a huge difference.

My experience is with Syder's v4 software(and for a short while, v3 before it) on my brand spanking new Win7 machine years back.

So my experiences may not be relevant to you in that sense, for starters, and of course, in my 'research' to find a screen I will enjoy for many years to come .. the hardware LUT issue will most likely not affect you.

I'm not sure which exact model of screen Dell use for this touch screen, but I've found that it's a Samsung PLS screen type(this is good).

PLS is Samsung's version of IPS(which is used in most photography/imagery applications) and calibrates very well(compared to TN type screens).
I can't find any info on whether it's true 6, 8 bit .. but considering Samsung's other screens of this type, most likely 6bit. This most likely means no hardware LUT to calibrate, so it's all software.

I don't think I mentioned that even tho I use the Spyder 3, my screen calibrates well(using the BasICColor) software, and wasn't too different from what the Spyder software set it too, when measured using the BasICColor software.
My only issue was in trying to get the Spyder software to load in a consistent manner(and it was easier to give up than to fool around with it all).

hope that helps.

[Fruengalli]

Thanks Arthur...it is the all in one unit (like the imac) with Windows 8.1 but the saturation is way too high & seems that there is no onboard adjustment so Spyder4 OR Colormunki Display? Flip a coin I guess.

[Steve Axford]

I use spider pro on a dell screen and it works fine. No problems.

[arthurking83]

Just for the sake of clarity ...

I wasn't implying that a Spyder won't work on a Dell screen.

(From my research into getting myself a new screen) Some higher end Dell screens have a hardware calibration mode(that I know of, the 2713 model does) and to calibrate it in hardware mode, you need to use the Dell software. This software appears to only work via a particular X-Rite colourimeter(a Pro model of some kind).

If software calibration mode is all you want/need, then any hardware/software will(or should) work fine.
At a technical level, hardware calibration is a better option to use if available, on many fronts. The major one being that all your software uses the same screen calibration point .. ie. your software need not be colour managed(of which not all are). This then produces a more consistent look to all your images no matter how you view them.

Now that the OP has revealed the model of screen he has, the point is moot as I don't think his screen model supports hardware LUT calibration anyhow.

My other point about Spyder issues, re the software, wasn't about Dell screens as such. More about the instability of the (early) version of their v4 software.
I'd hope that they have improved that by now anyhow.

[Steve Axford]

I think you know far more about this than I do, Arthur. I just know that my Dell screen (U2410) definitely needed calibration, but since I did that with Spyder, all has been good.

[Fruengalli]

Have ordered a Spyder4 Pro through my Local Fletchers. They use a 3 & have had no issues...