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Using the Windows HDR Calibration tool

dolabla

Member
I have a Samsung QN90C tv that I'm using with my PC and am trying to calibrate brightness, but the test patterns don't seem to work well with my tv and has me turning them up very high (several thousand) before the box disappears. I know that can't be right. These test patterns are in nits, correct? The first test is for black levels which I assume should be turned all the way down? The second pattern test is for peak brightness. Does that mean I should set it to the peak 10% brightness nits of my tv (via RTINGS)? The third test pattern is max screen luminance. Is that the peak 100% window (via RTINGS)?

Here is the RTINGS page for my tv: https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/samsung/qn90c-qn90cd-qled
 

Kuranghi

Member
I have a Samsung QN90C tv that I'm using with my PC and am trying to calibrate brightness, but the test patterns don't seem to work well with my tv and has me turning them up very high (several thousand) before the box disappears. I know that can't be right. These test patterns are in nits, correct? The first test is for black levels which I assume should be turned all the way down? The second pattern test is for peak brightness. Does that mean I should set it to the peak 10% brightness nits of my tv (via RTINGS)? The third test pattern is max screen luminance. Is that the peak 100% window (via RTINGS)?

Here is the RTINGS page for my tv: https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/samsung/qn90c-qn90cd-qled

Yeah sounds like you've got the idea right for the 3 screens, black level 0, peak brightness is usually 10% and the max screen luminance will be the 100% window yeah.

Do you have any picture settings turned on like dynamic tonemapping, or things called something like contrast booster or adaptive contrast or dynamic contrast or the like? Those would make setting the test pattern values difficult/impossible as it would fuck with the results.
 

Ulysses 31

Gold Member
I have a Samsung QN90C tv that I'm using with my PC and am trying to calibrate brightness, but the test patterns don't seem to work well with my tv and has me turning them up very high (several thousand) before the box disappears. I know that can't be right. These test patterns are in nits, correct? The first test is for black levels which I assume should be turned all the way down? The second pattern test is for peak brightness. Does that mean I should set it to the peak 10% brightness nits of my tv (via RTINGS)? The third test pattern is max screen luminance. Is that the peak 100% window (via RTINGS)?

Here is the RTINGS page for my tv: https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/samsung/qn90c-qn90cd-qled
Your TV's contrast/gamma/brightness/dynamic contrast affect the patterns too.
 

dolabla

Member
Yeah sounds like you've got the idea right for the 3 screens, black level 0, peak brightness is usually 10% and the max screen luminance will be the 100% window yeah.

Do you have any picture settings turned on like dynamic tonemapping, or things called something like contrast booster or adaptive contrast or dynamic contrast or the like? Those would make setting the test pattern values difficult/impossible as it would fuck with the results.
There is a setting called HDR Tone Mapping. There's only two options in that setting to select from and they are Static and Active. I have it set to Static (which is supposedly the more accurate according to reviews). There's also an HGIG setting and there are three options to select from on that one: Off, Basic and Advanced. I have it on Basic. When I change them it still does nothing.

Basically I have now set it to:

Black: 0
Peak: 1900 (RTINGS says the 10% Peak Window is 1996)
Max Full luminance: 680 (RTINGS says 684 for the 100% Peak Window)
 

Kuranghi

Member
There is a setting called HDR Tone Mapping. There's only two options in that setting to select from and they are Static and Active. I have it set to Static (which is supposedly the more accurate according to reviews). There's also an HGIG setting and there are three options to select from on that one: Off, Basic and Advanced. I have it on Basic. When I change them it still does nothing.

Basically I have now set it to:

Black: 0
Peak: 1900 (RTINGS says the 10% Peak Window is 1996)
Max Full luminance: 680 (RTINGS says 684 for the 100% Peak Window)

You're doing everything right afaics. I think that's the correct settings personally.

It's basically the same settings I'd use for my Sony ZD9 except a bit lower for peak brightness.
 

Bry0

Member
Do you use night light? Make sure that is turned off when running the tool. I kept being confused on why I had to crank up the nits on the test patterns, and realized night light makes the calibration tool unusable.
 
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dolabla

Member
I have a C1 and I just do what the tool tells me. 0/800/800 in HGIG. Games look bliss. If you TV supports it. Use it.
Yeah, this TV has an HGIG mode. I have it turned on to basic. There's an advanced mode as well which seems to make things brighter/more blown out.

Do you use night light? Make sure that is turned off when running the tool. I kept being confused on why I had to crank up the nits on the test patterns, and realized night light makes the calibration tool unusable.
No night light or any settings like that on. That third test pattern with max full screen luminance can't be right. This TV is bright, but not 2000+ nits at full screen brightness. Rtings has it listed at 684 nits in the 100% window.
 
i was asking about what settings I should use for the Windows HDR calibration tool on Reddit for my G9 OLED and some guy was saying:

"you shouldn't use it, it is an unnecessary software tone mapping step" and

"Some games have their own tone mapping, and you absolutely don’t want double tone mapping just in the software, because then you have yet another tone mapping happening in the display for triple redundant processing"

Any truth to that?
 
I don't know if I should be using 0/1000/400 for my G9 OLED or using the Rting's specs of 0/465/263 like the OP is for his monitor.

Does anyone have a G9 OLED and can chime in?

Thanks.
 

dolabla

Member
I don't know if I should be using 0/1000/400 for my G9 OLED or using the Rting's specs of 0/465/263 like the OP is for his monitor.

Does anyone have a G9 OLED and can chime in?

Thanks.
The last pattern is the one that's confusing to me. I think the second one is the 10% peak brightness. I would go with what rtings has for that and see how it looks. The last pattern makes it sound like how bright does your tv/monitor get on a 100% white screen and there's no way my tv gets 2000+ nits in a full screen window. Something has to be broken with the pattern. I would try out the 0/465/263.
 
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