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Reference Monitors & LG’s OLEDs in The Color Suite

January 22, 2017

Team Mixing Light discusses choosing colorist reference monitors. Plus, using LG's consumer OLED televisions in our color suites.

Tutorials  /  From the Mailbag: Answering Member Questions  /  Reference Monitors & LG’s OLEDs in The Color Suite
Series
Day 22: 25 Insights in 25 Days New Year’s Marathon

Discussing Reference Monitors & LG OLEDs

Episode 36: From The Mailbag

Well, it’s the last weekend of our New Year’s Marathon.  We have a few days left, but we hope you’ve enjoyed the daily Insights!

2017 is going to be a big year for Mixing Light and we’re more dedicated than ever to bring you top notch color correction training.

Sunday’s are Mailbag days during the marathon and in this installment, we first revisit a subject that we’ve talked about before and is often talked about in colorist circles – reference monitors. We discuss in more depth OLED consumer displays from LG – these displays have been getting quite a bit of attention over the past year or so, and LG continues to improve them.

Remember, if you have questions that you’d like to get our opinion on please use the contact form. Your question may be included in a future episode of  From The Mailbag.

Your questions can be aesthetic, technical or even client related. We’d love to hear from you, and your question might make future episodes of From The MailBag.

Revisiting Reference Monitors

Yep, we’re talking about reference monitors again!

We got a question from a member named Luca, that was wide-ranging – but essentially he was asking for help picking a new reference monitor. He inquired about LED vs. OLED, HD vs. UHD, and if HDR monitoring was worth the investment at this point.

Although we’ve discussed reference monitors in various Mailbags, articles, videos and other podcasts here on the site, this is a question we get weekly (sometimes daily).

In part one, we take some time talking about reference monitors, what makes a good one, connectivity, HD vs. UHD, budget and other things to consider when looking for a new reference monitor.

Using LG OLEDs In The Color Suite

Over the past year, you’ve probably heard us (really Robbie!) talking about 2016 LG OLEDs and how good they are once properly setup.  But you’ve probably also heard us say several times they can be a bit of a pain to get setup properly.

Succumbing to peer pressure, Patrick recently purchased a 2016 LG 55″ B6 OLED, so because of that and because of Luca’s question, in part 2 we jump in and talk about these displays, how good they are, and essential setup steps.

This is a pretty dense Mailbag part so to help you out please check out these links:

When we originally recorded this episode it was nearly 45min so we cut down things quite a bit.  In the edited version, a few bits of vital information were left out:

  • Throughout the episode, Robbie refers to the LG as having a backlight.  Robbie was just having a brain fart! And late in the episode (the part we cut), he corrected himself.  Emissive displays like OLED, of course, don’t have backlights! In OLED speak, this is known as electrophosphorescence.
  • The built-in CMS is acceptable for minor adjustments like saturation, brightness, etc. The issues lie more with the grayscale and individual color adjustment settings. We clarified this in a bit that got cut.
  • The 2017 LG specs are better – better P3 performance, better HDR performance (peak white is near 1000nits).  The other interesting thing is LG announced a tick-tock schedule like Intel used to have.  Meaning 2017 is an improvement year, 2018 is a redesign year.
  • 2017 LG OLEDs will support 4 flavors of HDR – HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG and Technicolor’s Advanced HDR

LG OLEDs aren’t perfect, and there is a lot of new competition from Panasonic, Sony and others.  But when it comes to professional use, it’s good to know OLED is alive and well, and that new options that can be adapted from professional use are continuing to be developed. One can only dream about what NAB 2017 will mean for professional OLEDs!

You guys have been quiet! We want your questions! Of course, you can use the comments below if you have more to add to the conversation. 

-Team Mixing Light

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Comments

Homepage › Forums › Reference Monitors & LG’s OLEDs in The Color Suite

Page 4 of 4
1 … 3 4

  • Marc Whittemore
    Member
    June 19, 2017 at 5:44 pm

    Soooo… having read this I am in a total quandry in setting up my own beginner color grading studio. So would an LG 55 B6 beat a LG 31MU97-B for color grading? I really want a CG318-4K but 5K is about double my top budget.


  • Zdenek Klusacek
    Guest
    July 7, 2017 at 12:03 pm

    Hi there, great listen. We are right now trying to solve the same issue – to perceptually match DM250 and LG OLED55E6V 2016 and it is not easy. We do not have FSI IO BOX (at least for now), but HDLINK, which in theory should have the similar LUT possibilities (for SDR), but might not work as good as FSI box. Do you have any experience with those? If you ever write an article or something about how you actually create your LUTs it would be greatly appreciated. Anyway thanks for great insight, Zdenek


  • Zdenek Klusacek
    Guest
    July 7, 2017 at 12:03 pm

    Hi there, great listen. We are right now trying to solve the same issue – to perceptually match DM250 and LG OLED55E6V 2016 and it is not easy. We do not have FSI IO BOX (at least for now), but HDLINK, which in theory should have the similar LUT possibilities (for SDR), but might not work as good as FSI box. Do you have any experience with those? If you ever write an article or something about how you actually create your LUTs it would be greatly appreciated. Anyway thanks for great insight, Zdenek


  • Robbie Carman
    Guest
    July 8, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    Hi Zdenek –

    This is a bit old (software has been updated) but should get your started. https://mixinglight.com/color-tutorial/calibrating-to-match-a-quick-guide-to-perceptually-matching-two-monitors/

    I can tell you, owning both of the monitors you mention – the DM250 and the E series 2016 OLED you can get them to match very very very closely. To be honest its the closest ref/client match that I have ever head.

    The HDLINK for LUT purposes just shouldn’t be used. It’s widely known to be VERY problematic when it comes to working 3D LUTs. The newer Teranex MIni Boxes (SDI > HMDMI) has be received quite well.


  • Robbie Carman
    Guest
    July 8, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    Hi Zdenek –

    This is a bit old (software has been updated) but should get your started. https://mixinglight.com/color-tutorial/calibrating-to-match-a-quick-guide-to-perceptually-matching-two-monitors/

    I can tell you, owning both of the monitors you mention – the DM250 and the E series 2016 OLED you can get them to match very very very closely. To be honest its the closest ref/client match that I have ever head.

    The HDLINK for LUT purposes just shouldn’t be used. It’s widely known to be VERY problematic when it comes to working 3D LUTs. The newer Teranex MIni Boxes (SDI > HMDMI) has be received quite well.


  • Robbie Carman
    Guest
    July 8, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    properly calibrated a B6 is pretty good monitor. I’d take it for sure over the LCD computer monitors they make for any serious grading work. Remember to calibrate and have proper video I/O to the monitor.


  • Robbie Carman
    Guest
    July 8, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    properly calibrated a B6 is pretty good monitor. I’d take it for sure over the LCD computer monitors they make for any serious grading work. Remember to calibrate and have proper video I/O to the monitor.


  • Luca Enrico Canessa
    Member
    October 6, 2017 at 2:47 pm

    Hi guys,
    thanks for this insight.

    I really wanted to ask you an advice.
    I’m setting up my suite. I’ll be running as reference/reference-clients monitors the boundle Fsi Cm 250 plus the Lg Oled UHD B7A.
    I got a Deck link 4k extreme card from BMD (2x sdi outputs and 1x hdmi output).
    In total I will need to get 1 output for the Flanders, 1 for a mini mac running scope box (trough BMD mini recorder sdi to Thunderbolt) and one for the Lg Oled B7A. So I will have to use the Flanders built in sdi output.

    I’m not sure about with path to chose. Is it better to output the signal out of the FSI sdi channel to scop box or to the LG B7A?
    Considering also that if I choose to use the FSI sdi output to the LG B7A I will need the Box I/O for sure.

    If I choose instead to output the video signal from FSI toward scope box, would I need anyway the Box I/O for the LG oled B7A even if it has its own Sdi output (converter needed) from the BMD Deck link 4k extreme? There’s a way to output a 1d/3d lut directly from DVR exclusively on that specific output?

    Last thing. Will the video connection work from the BMD Extreme 4k hdmi out to the mini Mac with just a cable converter hdmi to mini display?

    Thanks in advance.

    Luca Enrico Canessa


  • Luca Enrico Canessa
    Member
    October 6, 2017 at 2:47 pm

    Hi guys,
    thanks for this insight.

    I really wanted to ask you an advice.
    I’m setting up my suite. I’ll be running as reference/reference-clients monitors the boundle Fsi Cm 250 plus the Lg Oled UHD B7A.
    I got a Deck link 4k extreme card from BMD (2x sdi outputs and 1x hdmi output).
    In total I will need to get 1 output for the Flanders, 1 for a mini mac running scope box (trough BMD mini recorder sdi to Thunderbolt) and one for the Lg Oled B7A. So I will have to use the Flanders built in sdi output.

    I’m not sure about with path to chose. Is it better to output the signal out of the FSI sdi channel to scop box or to the LG B7A?
    Considering also that if I choose to use the FSI sdi output to the LG B7A I will need the Box I/O for sure.

    If I choose instead to output the video signal from FSI toward scope box, would I need anyway the Box I/O for the LG oled B7A even if it has its own Sdi output (converter needed) from the BMD Deck link 4k extreme? There’s a way to output a 1d/3d lut directly from DVR exclusively on that specific output?

    Last thing. Will the video connection work from the BMD Extreme 4k hdmi out to the mini Mac with just a cable converter hdmi to mini display?

    Thanks in advance.

    Luca Enrico Canessa


  • Rupert M
    Guest
    March 28, 2019 at 8:16 pm

    Hi, I’m having an 2018 version of the LG Oleds (the 77′ version, yeah) ). Do you still test these machines? Is the recommendation for the OLED light 20-30 still valid or did LG change something essential now? Do you have recommandations for the image settings? Best regards, Rupert


  • Rupert M
    Guest
    March 28, 2019 at 8:16 pm

    Hi, I’m having an 2018 version of the LG Oleds (the 77′ version, yeah) ). Do you still test these machines? Is the recommendation for the OLED light 20-30 still valid or did LG change something essential now? Do you have recommandations for the image settings? Best regards, Rupert

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Robbie Carman
Insight # ML 0585
Type Audio
Duration 22:36, 23:54
Skill Level Beginner
Skills Business
Categories Calibration HDR Holiday Marathon MailBag Suite Design Workflow
Series From the Mailbag: Answering Member Questions

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