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[OM] Monitor Calibration Rabbit Hole (This is very much On Topic)

Subject: [OM] Monitor Calibration Rabbit Hole (This is very much On Topic)
From: Bob Whitmire <fujixbob@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2015 11:13:32 -0400
Oh, how I love to go tumbling down unseen rabbit holes when messing around
with computers. This is provided as a public service to any procrastinators
on the list who have gone through several hardware upgrades while clinging
to elderly calibration technology. <g>

Reader's Digest Version:

Circumstances required installing a fresh hard drive in the MacBook Pro 17"
I used as my principal photo computer. Because the old disk had been acting
wonky, I wanted a clean install of Yosemite, with all my data on an
external drive to move over as needed. One benefit of belonging to the
Subscription Department of the Evil Adobe Empire is that I could then
download LRCC and PSCC as clean installs on a clean drive. I followed suit
with OnOne and Nik, and all was good to go.

But then I initiated a monitor calibration. I have an older model NEC
PA271W with Spectraview, the hard-wired calibration gizmo that works so
well with its i1 puck. Figured I would need updated software, so I went to
NEC to get it. As it turned out, I downloaded the wrong program. I got
Multiprofiler instead of Spectraview, and of course, it didn't work.

So I called NEC, got through to Level 2 Tech Support in a matter of a few
minutes, and discovered the problem. Downloaded the correct software,
hooked up the puck, and initiated a calibration. Tech Support rang off when
the calibration process started. Problem was, while it started, it wouldn't
finish. Got hung on White Balance and just sat there until it finally gave
up and left me with a window that said my monitor had not beed calibrated.

To the phone again, and wonder of wonders, I got the same guy I'd talked
with before. We started clicking this and resetting that and nothing
worked, so he asked if I had another computer I could attach everything to
in order to see if a different computer would successfully calibrate the
monitor. I said I did, and he said call back if I had any problems. So I
hooked up the monitor to the new MacBook Air, and, well, I'm not sure
exactly what happened, but the Air apparently resented the intrusion and
refused to work. It demonstrated sweetly that it had no files on it at all.
So, filled with alarm, I unhooked the monitor, restarted the computer, and
everything was good with the Air, but no so good with calibrating the NEC.

On the phone again (did Willy Nelson sing that?), this time with a
different tech guy. We clicked more, switched more, did some magic things
with the monitor controls and loaded up Spectraview to try again. Nope.
Same thing.

Tech guy asked me if I had a place nearby where I could rent a newer model
puck. I laughed. Boston would be closest, and it's summer, which means the
roads and highways are like clogged arteries ready to myocardially infarct
the Northeast. Turns out B&H sells the puck for $199. I figured I could
order it, see if it worked, and if it didn't, return it. Tech Guy said if
new puck didn't work (filters may be non-functional on old puck) then I'd
have to think about a new monitor. Currently, a replacement would run me
$999, which, in my retired state, is highly unlikely to happen.

(Are you still awake? This is the Reader's Digest version, remember?)

Out of the blue it struck me that Spectraview uses i1. The newer
Spectraview-equipped monitors use the same puck as the X-rite i1 Display
Pro. For an additional $50, I could buy the whole calibration kit and
calibrate my MacBook Pro 17" monitor, and this wee 13" MacBook Air monitor
as well. Calibration bliss for only $248, with free shipping from Amazon
Prime.

Of course I still don't know if the new puck will resolve the issue with
the NEC, but if it doesn't, then I can get a decent calibration on the 17"
MacBook Pro screen and use that.

In hindsight, I suppose this couldn't be helped. At some point I was going
to have to spend some bucks. I just put it off until I couldn't wait any
longer. Joan asked why I needed such precise calibration of I'm retired,
and that was hard to rationalize. I had to fall back on the fact some of my
images are still selling (by request through various old venues), and I'm
negotiating with another venue to keep a few metal prints on the wall, with
a small catalogue of other images available on metal.

Still in the rabbit hole, but that may be daylight above me.

--Bob Whitmire
Certified Uncalibrated Neanderthal
-- 
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