Optoma HD161X Projector - Calibration & Settings

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Art Feierman

OPTOMA HD161X PROJECTOR: CALIBRATION SETTINGS

Optoma HD161X General Settings (old) - See important update below

Optoma HD161X Calibration Settings - General
	Cinema	Reference	Vivid	Bright	User	Game
Contrast =	(0) -2	(-3) -1	(0) -1	(0)	(0) -1	(0)
Brightness = (1)		-3		-1	2
Color =	(5)	(2)	(2)	(18)	(2)	(5)
Tint =	(0)	(2)	(2)	(3)	(2)	(0)
Color Temp =	(D65)	(D65)	(D75)	(D65)	(D75)	(D75)
Gamma =	(Film)	(Std.)	(Graphics)	(Video)	(Graphics)	(Film)
Color Gamut =	(DLP-C)	(HDTV)	(Native)	(Native)	(Native)	(DLP-C)

By default, Brilliant Color is on 10 for all but Reference, which is set to 5. Also, Dynamic Black is Off for all but Cinema, which is On. Lamp is on Bright for all.

All other settings at default (untouched).

Important Update

The table above has the settings used in Mike's calibration. Settings sent in by a reader Chintan, that were originally posted on the AVSforum by Steve Withers, in this case provide much better color. Note that Mike worked with the default of 5 on Brilliant Color, for the settings above. These new settings below, however use Brilliant Color of 1 (minimum). In this case, the end result is much better color accuracy with these new settings. I recommend using those. -art

Here are these new settings, in one place (color temp settings further down the page). Only missing are the CMS (color management) settings which as always are on our Advanced Calibration page. (Reserved for our subscribers along with other content - only $3.99 a year.)

Reference mode:

Contrast, Brightness, Tint = 0
Color = -1
Sharpness 8
Gamma Standard, 2.3

Brilliant Color 1
Noise Reduction 0
Dynamic Black Off (if you find it smooth enough use it, it will not affect color

Color Settings:
Temp D65
Gamut HDTV
Space Auto
RGB Channel Normal

Pure Engine Settings (Pure Color likely will have an impact on overall color, use the other Pure settings as desired):
Pure UltraDetail Off
Pure Color Off
Pure Motion Off

Color Temp over IRE range, Best Mode (Pre calibration)
	Cinema	Reference
30 IRE	7866	6543
50 IRE	7406	6643
80 IRE	6643	6673
100 IRE	6572	6653

NOTE: Reference and Cinema are fairly equal in the higher IRE ranges, but Reference has better RGB balance than Cinema in the lower IRE ranges, where there is too much red in Cinema

Optoma HD161X Calibration

Optoma HD161X Calibration
	Reference	Bright (Quick Cal of Native color temp)
Gain (0 is default)	R= 0	R= 0
	G= -3	G = -10
	B= +2	B = 0
Bias (0 is default)	R= 0	R= 0
	G= 0	G = 0
	B= 0	B = 0

Lumens at 100 IRE	1001*	1298*

NOTES: Updated recommended settings: Settings for Reference: Gamma on Std., with Curve Type 2.4.

Mike's Notes on Initial Performance

Reference mode is quite good without calibration and Cinema mode is decent as well. Bright mode is surprising in that is has much better balance than most projector’s bright modes, which is due to the fact that it uses the D65 color temp by default, rather than the Native color temp. The trade-off is that Bright mode is not that much brighter than Cinema mode. The default color gamut for Cinema and Game (DLP-C), has an expanded range which contributes to the color excesses both modes demonstrate with normal video. It’s understandable for Game mode, but Cinema should use HDTV like Reference more in my opinion. Gamma in its default modes is too low, relative to what you would expect it to be. For example, Film gamma, by default is around 2.0 on average. Fortunately, you can set the curve type to achieve a higher average gamma.

Mike's Grayscale Calibration Notes

Grayscale calibrated very well, with minimal adjustments and minor bumps at 20 and 100 IRE (to 3.1 and 2.4 respectively). The rest of the IRE range detracting from a very good average Delta E of less than 1.0 from 30 to 90 IRE. The RGB balance was also good and was consistent across the whole IRE range. The RGB controls worked like they’re supposed to, with adjustments to Gain and Bias only having small effects on each other.

Gamma has a number of available adjustments that allow you to get a good average. However, I had to adjust the Standard gamma from its default of 2.2 to 2.4 to get an average that was 2.2 or higher. This results in an average of 2.26.

The Bright mode, which by default uses the D65 color temp and isn’t much brighter than Cinema, doesn’t require a Quick Cal. Switching the color temp to Native yields more lumens, but it reall green. Turning down the green (as shown in the Quick Cal) gives you less green and a few more lumens than the default Bright mode.