In a recent series of 10 videos, Phil Hinton explored THX and how the certification process is carried out.

THX – Interview with Rick Dean about THX (Part One)
THX – Interview with Rick Dean (Part Two)
THX – Cinema certification process (Part One)
THX – Cinema certification and 3D (Part Two)
THX – Cinemascope constant height Home Cinema examined
THX – From Cinema to Home
THX – Speakers and subwoofer set up explained
THX – In-wall subwoofers and room EQ
THX – Certification testing for TVs and Projectors (Part One)
THX – Certification testing for TVs and Projectors (Part Two)

We spent some time with THX at their San Rafael offices in mid January and shot a number of videos. Here we get an introduction and overview of what THX does from Snr.VP Rick Dean.

Why do some question Calibration to the industry standards?  Phil Hinton gives us his musings on the subject…

One Journalist recently tried to write a Calibration article from his view point that his personal preference was better than industry standards.  Yet for all his talk of personal preference and don’t let people tell you what to do;  his piece then went on to tell people how to calibrate their TVs in a manner that did nothing but confuse the issue.  For someone who had supposedly been reviewing TVs for 10 years or more,  his piece did little more than confirm that he isn’t as knowledgeable as he thinks he is;  and that his reviews are little more than subjective comment.  But he is not alone when it comes to the UK AV Press,  just look at the red top magazines with their four paragraph reviews on TVs and revel at the absolute nonsense they talk about.  Maybe they need some ‘insight’.

Anyone who adjusts their TV to how they think it should look,  is missing out big time on seeing their TV or display work at its best,  and produce the content as it is supposed to be seen.   It’s that simple and it’s a fact.

Now,  nobody in anyway is saying that if you prefer to adjust the image for each and every program or film that you should be shot, hung, drawn or quartered like some subjective reviewers out there try to peddle to cover their own lack of knowledge.   Rather, that you need to know that this approach will not get you the best technical image quality and you will miss details,  colour nuances and the feel for material you watch.

As the whole point of a TV is to watch someone else’s work on it,  should we not at least have TVs that meet and match the material we watch?   Logically this is what every TV should be capable of and the enjoyment factor can be increased by doing so,  knowing that what you are seeing,  is what you are supposed to see.

Where there is a problem with all this is a severe lack of education,  not only with end users and the general public,  but actually with TV manufacturers and almost every hack that turns their hand to writing about the technology.

Let’s look at the manufacturers first.

Well, they have a product to sell you and they want your money.   Very few manufacturers would risk a sale in the name of producing a TV that actually looks correct to the material we watch.   Why?  Because of a human condition to automatically focus on the brightest and most colourful image.   That’s why every TV has a Dynamic, Vivid or standard picture preset set as its default.   It’s to entice your eyes to look at their product over someone else’s. The vast majority of the public and I hazard a guess, a good proportion of members here, will still be using these presets and looking for their images to be bright, crisp and overly colourful.

Bright and colourful - it looks nothing like it was intended..

A simple experiment I have conducted on people shows this to be the case time after time.   Show people a TV in Standard picture presets with high brightness and bold colours and then switch to how it’s supposed to look and at first the answer will always be that the correct image looks muted.   It’s simply because you have been subjected to an image that your eyes in the first instance get drawn to because it’s in your face and vivid.   By then switching to how it should look, with all the controls of the TV set correctly, there is a jump down from the in your face colours and brightness and we automatically assume it’s dull, misty, or whatever other description usually gets used.

However, if we turn the experiment around and have the subjects watching a correctly calibrated image that matches the material for 10 minutes and then switch to the standard mode, it’s amazing how the results change.   This approach doesn’t show the overly bright and colourful images first,  so you start to see the image as it’s supposed to be seen.   It’s still a bright and very natural looking image with bags of depth and detail, but you haven’t had an excessive image thrown at you to start with. Suddenly after watching the material as it’s supposed to be seen and then switching to standard modes, the subjects can see how the colours in the brighter modes are un-naturally boosted and that whites suddenly look blue. Plus image detail is lost because it is too bright.

So, the public are programmed by manufacturers trying to sell them a product and go out of their way to make sure it’s your eyes that are drawn to their TV. It’s a repeat of the first experiment I mention above.

Uncorrected greyscale controls give a colour cast to images

There’s no doubt that people will initially go for the standard or vivid presets due to a preference or mistaken knowledge that it is supposed to look that way, that animation needs brighter and more intense colours. It’s also an emotive subject as people like to think they know better or what they like is gospel. And that’s fine, if someone is happy (and it appears that the majority of the public are happy in their collective ignorance and encouraged by misinformation being peddled to them) then I’m not going to argue and stamp my feet. However, as a community here and one that aims to help get the best from your equipment, we will always strive to push the correct information and hopefully start to educate in the correct way. Not force feed, but tell people why it’s a certain way and how it could be so much better.

Manufacturers do not normally calibrate their TVs to look correct to the material as it’s difficult, adds expense to the production line, and won’t get those eyes popping in the showroom. Plus it’s very difficult to get an image correct for your room and your sources.

What they can do, if so inclined, is calibrate so the TV can at least try and be accurate enough to how the material should be seen with a picture preset on the TV. The recent introduction of THX mode on some plasmas is exactly that kind of preset and one that follows the standards that the content producers use. It’s a ‘one setting catches all’ and aims to produce colours and white balance in the correct manner. You will never see it being used in a showroom, but it is there to help all consumers start to get closer to what an image should look like – the same as it was filmed, mastered and broadcast. This approach at least keeps everyone happy, those who want to watch in vivid modes can still quite happily indulge in their ignorance and those who want as good as possible an image can select the THX or similar picture mode that tries to be correct.

Again it’s coming back to education. Actually show people what their TV is capable of and most will then want to have the best the TV can produce. Why wouldn’t they?

Calibrated correctly - image depth and skin tones look sublime

And manufacturers (some anyway) are starting to realise this is the case. We can’t say much about it, but some of the biggest have even asked us to consult on what their TVs should have on them and how they achieve the best image for the material people watch. This has come about due to the fact that the review process is objective and performance heavy. The manufacturers in this case get the fact that people will buy a TV not because it’s just bright and colourful, but that it produces the finest picture quality (that shows the entire image as it was supposed to look.)

It’s also surprising that the vast majority of the reviews in magazines and websites do not follow simple procedures in testing TV pictures (yet falsely represent themselves as being qualified to do so). After all in any assessment you need to have a baseline or reference point. As an experienced calibrator and someone who assesses large numbers of TVs for their actual picture quality, I am shocked with what most of these other outlets call a review. But, not that shocked. Having spent time at various press junkets it’s easy to see that the vast majority have no technical knowledge of the subject and blindly follow what the manufacturer tells them. And again it comes down to marketing materials and trying to sell product on the fact that the general public and these writers are ignorant to the full facts. Their excuse again is personal preference and brighter in your face colours are the order of the day. Sorry but the simple facts of the matter are that the material everyone watches on their TV is produced one way and should be shown correctly and ideally one way.  There are standards – and standards exist for a reason.  You can’t argue that – it is a fact.  Why wouldn’t you want the very best image quality from your TV that matches the material you watch?

Now if personal preference is the way that the majority of write ups on TV technology are going to go, then how will you ever know that the TV is any good? It’s a personal picture preference for one person, the writer, and in no way reflects either technical performance or the actual picture performance capabilities of the TV. What is their reference point? The actual quoted and widely followed picture standards? Or is it what they deem to be right to their eyes? It’s an approach that simply follows the status quo with an unsuspecting public and writers with egos to fulfil trying to sound knowledgeable about such things. Sadly the industry as it stands is a boys club full of people who have been doing it (wrong) for so long that they dismiss any question of objectivity. That’s not me being unprofessional either, but rather its time that the status quo was lifted and we started seeing genuinely truthful information and education of the public, so they get the best quality and correct information.

And that’s not AVForums trying to get its ego across either – we are simply trying to get the correct information out there so people can use it as they wish. We review and report on what we can gather as facts and evidence, not a hunch or copy from a press release. But when you have so much factually incorrect drivel coming not only from some manufacturers but the AV Press as its stands in general in this country, it gets depressing. And let’s not even go near the subject of sales advice in most stores in this country – that’s an entire feature on its own.

And finally the cost of ISF calibration.

In an ideal world there would be no need for the professional calibrator as every TV would come with one setting – accurate and that’s that. However, we know that’s not the case. Besides, if every TV was manufactured to show images correctly how would they sell any TVs? It would then come down to issues like picture processing and black levels, things they can hide with aggressive shop floor viewing modes.

Hiring a pro is expensive for a number of reasons. Travel costs, insurance, equipment costs and the time of the calibrator. Plus you are also paying for experience and that is the most important factor.

If you have a £400 LCD TV then I agree that the cost to get a decent image from a calibrator is not economically viable.

There are other options like learning how to do the basics yourself, or even get some enthusiast level training at one of AVForums Calibration workshops. You are then set for life in being able to calibrate all the displays you will ever own. But that doesn’t help the mass market.

The ideal goal would be that the cost of calibration would be included in the purchase of your TV – but the logistics of that would be massive and quality control would be hard – again we are talking about experience.

The final thing and one we keep pushing for – would be for more manufacturers to implement accurate presets in their TVs that just require a little adjustment by the user (through a basic set up procedure for brightness and contrast). That way, those who want perfection can calibrate or hire a pro, and others can have an image that gets as close as possible to how the material should be seen. And modes like Dynamic and Vivid are moved to the store settings and not available in home mode. Not only would that move people towards picture quality that matches what they watch, it is also a power saving option that would cut consumption.

And that brings us back to the basics. The TV image should be the same as what is on the disc or broadcast and not one that is messed around with by super bright and in your face presets.

And if you want to set things as you think they should be – fine, nobody will stop you, its your money and your TV, but be safe in the knowledge that what you will see is not what was intended and will not match the entertainment and experience that was intended. I’m willing to bet that even the most staunch of critics of correct image quality would soon be won over if they actually saw and knew what they were missing and how good their TV could be. And if it was free?

We will keep pushing our message of presenting the correct facts and for the best quality images available. We will also question manufacturers and the industry on what they say and produce and try and focus that on getting the best quality of image.  Winning over the general public is a pipe dream unless the manufacturers start to move towards producing accurate TVs.

Blog by Phil Hinton.

Phil is a fully trained and certified ISF Calibrator and THX Level 1 Professional.  He is the content manager for AVForums.com and lead reviewer for the site.  His opinions here are not those of AV Enthusiast or AVForums.

We have just received the first full production sample of the new JVC DLA-HD950 DILA projector and are prepping the review room as we write.  This is JVC’s latest high-end DILA machine that comes with a new clear motion drive frame interpolation technology and is THX and ISF Certification.  Native contrast claims put it at 50,000:1 and we are itching to fully test just how good this new projector is compared to our resident reference HD750.  Stay tuned for updates and the full review which will be published soon…

AVForums Editorial Manager and reviewer Phil Hinton asks some questions of the  industry, journalists and consumers when it comes to display calibration.

Why should we calibrate?

This is a valid question and one we would like people to consider fully. There are a number of reasons why we need to calibrate and these range from inaccurate displays to the environment they are used in. We should calibrate so the TV or Projector we are using as a source is transparent to the material we watch on it. So this brings us to the most important reason for calibration and that is to adhere to the industry standards for Film and TV production. So why is that, why don’t we calibrate to an image we like?

The whole point of display calibration is not to show an image that Joe Bloggs thinks looks nice, but to produce an image that displays content as close as possible to the actual material we watch on it. This allows us to see exactly what the Film or TV material was supposed to look like. The colours and colour of white are then correct to how the material was mastered and as such we see the full picture. This is the simple premise of calibration and the main reason people like myself push for industry wide calibration when it comes to consumer displays.

Of course I have also heard many reasons why we shouldn’t calibrate or that it is some fault of the industry that we find ourselves in the position we do.

I have heard comments from end users that suggest they know how to set up their TV or projector to how they like to see things.  Magazine journalists have told me it’s a waste of time because the public doesn’t care, so why should those who review these products bother with industry standards. And of course there are dealers out there telling the public that their display is calibrated out of the box so they are getting the full picture already.

So let me cover those points first.

One of the reasons why I turned my hand to professional calibration and reviewing display products was because of the lack of any objective testing in any reviews published either online or in print in the UK.  I have been involved in the AV industry in one way or another for the last 20 years and have always classed myself as an enthusiast.  Speaking to these journalists who still review TVs completely in the subjective way they do,  I am always amazed by the ignorant and somewhat stand offish attitude when you try to cover the whole subject of correct testing and calibration.  There seems to be this view point that what we do at AVForums reviews is only for the die-hard enthusiast and therefore not of any use to them  or the public at large.

That’s all well and good but exactly who are they trying to please here? And how do they know that the display they are reviewing is showing exactly what it is capable of in terms of picture quality?  And of course who is to say that the picture they like once they have finished playing with settings is anywhere close to what it should look like?  Or even close to what Joe Bloggs thinks is a good picture?  Is this where we get that age old excuse in return?  You know the one about the public being unaware of what its supposed to look like,  so why should they bother…

Displays are not calibrated by manufacturers to any industry standards (apart from THX displays). So the out of the box settings most people use their TVs in, even after some messing around with the front panel controls, are standard or vivid modes to attain the brightest and most vivid images. This usually includes the colour temperature set to natural or cool modes.

And as for those who say they know what kind of image they like and that’s what they are going to have on their TV, well fine I am not going to argue with them. What I will suggest though is that they at least try and get the best possible performance from their display. One that shows the material as it is supposed to be seen.

Standards exist for a reason

Unlike sound design and recording – which have no real industry standards to say how things should be recorded, mixed and played back – video has every aspect of its production nailed in stone.

The standards are clear and concise and laid down so what was filmed for the cinema or TV is produced using a set of picture standards that are upheld all the way through the chain.  This chain includes every step of the process including the production of the 8 bit video signal to be mastered to DVD/Blu-ray or broadcast.  This 8 bit video standard is set in stone and of course contains the co-ordinates of what colours should be set at and what the reference white point is.  It is a simple system that is let down in one area.

The consumer display

Since the introduction of consumer grade TVs there has been no acceptance or adherence to the standards by manufacturers. The simple reason for this is that these manufacturers are constantly trying to out do their competitor and produce TVs that have a picture quality that grabs attention on the showroom floor.  Ask a TV manufacturers engineers what they think makes a good picture and I doubt they will talk about the standards laid down.  In fact I have had some very interesting conversations with such engineers and the lack of knowledge about what standards exist is stunning and shocking at the same time.

Is it their fault?  Well no, not really.

They work for manufacturers who want to listen to focus groups and public surveys about what Joe Bloggs thinks is a nice looking image.  And of course the majority of manufacturers also come from countries that have culturally gone for extremely bright and glaring images.

So, is it any surprise that we have an industry where overly saturated colours and blue whites are the pinnacle of picture quality?   Or,  that those so called TV experts follow this trend by reviewing such TVs in all their vivid glory?  You start to see the problem that exists,  or maybe you don’t and you agree with the types of images these manufacturers are feeding us.

So,  let me ask you a question.   If you were to visit the Musée du Louvre in Paris to see the ‘Mona Lisa’ would you grab some crayons to colour it in with more vivid colours and whiter whites?  Or would you stand there and admire the art and craft of the masterpiece?

Let’s ask that question another way. You are watching a documentary on the ‘Mona Lisa’ and the camera lingers on the painting for you to see. Now, do you honestly think you are seeing it correctly? If your TV hasn’t been professionally calibrated the answer to that is no, you are using those crayons to colour it in.

[Now that is maybe an example that some will say is not really accurate, and in real life we are depending on the camera being correctly calibrated as well. And this is where my point about the production chain becomes valid. If it’s a broadcast quality camera and suitably trained cameraman that has filmed it, then the image will be in 10 bit form as close as possible to showing that image as it should be. So when the documentary is broadcast in 8 bit video we can safely assume that it looks correct and on a professionally calibrated display is will look as it should. No crayons added.]

So how should that Movie or TV show look?

For Illustration only. Top row LCD in cinema mode, bottom Pioneer Calibrated

Well that’s simple;  it has been mastered to the industry standards so as long as our TV follows and shows the same standards when replaying that movie, we see exactly what the director and DOP wanted us to see.   The whites are correct and colours look as they were intended.

So,  to put it in simple terms,  you are not getting the full picture as it was intended to be viewed if your TV is not calibrated to the industry standards.  It is that simple and even though that £3000 Plasma TV you have bought looks nice,  it will still be set up wrong,  never mind a £500 LCD left in vivid mode.

Do those TV owners care that they are not seeing things as intended or at the best settings available on their TV?

Well that’s an interesting question.  Quite frankly do they even know that what they are watching is wrong?  For all they know it looks fine to them and they are happy.

But, just supposing we were to show them a correct image,  one that was set to the industry standards,  what would the reaction be?   The most likely reply would be that the image looks slightly dull to what they were watching and the colours are not as vivid and bright.   And they would be right.   Because they have been watching their TV with settings to enhance the colours and image brightness,  they don’t see what is wrong with that image,  after all what do they have to compare to it?  But leave someone with a calibrated image to watch movies on for a day and then switch back to what they were watching and the gasps of disapproval will be pretty loud.  They suddenly see that white is actually blue in their chosen set up and they were missing so much of the fine details in shadow and black areas of the image. I have run such demonstrations myself at last years Bristol Show.  The gasps after watching calibrated images all the way through, to switching to standard picture presets were loud!

It’s a complicated subject and one that usually puts people off as soon as you mention that it is science – but show them the results and most will be hooked.

Being Objective

Before I end this first blog in what I imagine will be a large series of rants about calibration and getting the best from our equipment – I just want to turn back to the review side of things. Now that we know there are standards and displays can be measured to show their performance against those standards – AND those standards say what an image should look like and the producers make their content to that.  Why are the majority of TV and Projector reviews in the UK nothing more than a journalists personal opinions on what he or she thinks is a correct image in under 6 paragraphs of text?

Are they suggesting that we should change the content materials look and feel to suit their own tastes?     So ask yourself why this may be the case,  is it in the too hard box?   What is so difficult about doing the job correctly, repeatedly and objectively?

I’m sure at this point the old excuse about the public not caring will raise its head.

In my next blog we will look at exactly what calibration is and how we can possibly improve the displays we own or buy in the future.

Blog by Phil Hinton.

Phil is a fully trained and certified ISF Calibrator and THX Level 1 Professional.  He is the content manager for AVForums.com and lead reviewer for the site.  His opinions here are not those of AV Enthusiast or AVForums.

AVForums Calibration Workshop 2009

The first Display Calibration training for enthusiasts has taken place at LG’s London HQ over the 17th and 18th of September 2009.  Organised by the team at AVForums in association with LG, AV Doctor and Spectracal the event has been proclaimed as a huge Success!

The full extent of the training course and the subjects featured were;

The Workshop

The training instructor for the AVForums Calibration workshop was Neil Davidson.Neil has years of experience working in the high-end AV world and is a display calibration expert. He is also an experienced industry trainer with courses such as CEDIA’s advanced home cinema technician training.

The two day course was well attended with 15 students taking part in this first of a kind enthusiast’s training. The course instructor Neil Davidson was assisted by AVForums reviewer Phil Hinton and CalMAN’s Joshua Quain. Joshua had flown in from the states as a representative of Spectracal and he is also an experienced Calibrator. A good indication of the pull this training had, and of course the uniqueness of such an event being held for the first time, drew in international students from Holland and Sweden.

The event was hosted by LG who provided the venue and the displays to be used on the training (and of course the lunch on each day). Some may ask why would you use LG displays. Well the simple answer is that the LG panels offer the most comprehensive calibration controls on any available consumer TV. This gave the opportunity to cover every possible area of advanced calibration – right down to 20 point greyscale adjustment.

Theory is an important part of any subject and Calibration is certainly no different in this regard. The students were taught the basics of each subject from how the human eye works, to complex issues surrounding colour reproduction and everything in between. However, the training was specially designed so that nobody attending would be overwhelmed with theory and complex subjects that would confuse them or allow the training to become stale and boring. There was a large part of the course dedicated to practical demonstration and hands on experience for the students.

The feedback from students was that this mix of theory and hands on practicals was aimed at the right level for those attending, and that nobody was left behind due to their knowledge or skill levels. Neil made sure that the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, with plenty of good humour thrown in. There were plenty of questions asked and each student was encouraged to get involved with asking what was happening when they didn’t quite understand anything. There were questions raised relating to other brands of TVs and projectors and their calibration controls, a subject area where Phil’s reviewing experience came in handy to cover those issues and explain why there are such large differences between brands.

The first day of the training saw the sudents learning basic calibration controls and how to get each TV set up with just the front panel controls. This covered Brightness, Contrast, Colour and Sharpness controls. Neil demonstrated how to get the basics just right and it was interesting to see how the students coped with setting controls such as contrast correctly using test patterns. Even the basics can be a challenge to get correctly set up, but plenty of time was taken to make sure the ground work was covered fully and in great detail. After all you need to get the basics right before you can even attempt to cover the more advanced areas of calibration. After the first days class all the students were treated to a tour of LG’s showroom and the new models due later this year.

Once the basics were covered and everyone was happy that they managed to get a good grasp of the theory and practical issues, it was time to move on to the more complex areas of Greyscale calibration and colour management controls. This is certainly the part of the training that really opens the eyes of the students as we explore the real issues of correctly calibrating a display. Greyscale is an often misunderstood area of an image to get right, yet the training made sure that each student had plenty of time to see demonstrations and to try it out for themselves. A nice distraction at this point was the appearance of the Konica Minolta CS200 – a Professional and reference level meter that costs many tens of thousands. The idea was to show the students just what a reference machine can do at the same time as seeing just how good the meters they were using could be.

What did become very obvious to the students was the complexity of the greyscale and colour elements of a calibration and how quality meters and software is essential. Most of those attending opted to buy the i1 pro meter and enthusiasts CalMAN software after getting to use the equipment throughout the course. Most of them will be spending this weekend (and many more to come), correctly calibrating their displays!

So, it is safe to say that the first enthusiasts training event ever held was a resounding success and hopefully the feedback from the students below will echo that. AVForums hope to bring another training course in 2010 and hope that those who couldn’t make this first class can get themselves booked in next year!

THX has unveiled details of it’s recent study into power consumption and calibration of HDTVs. Here are the results of that study…

THX STUDY REVEALS VIDEO CALIBRATION IMPROVES ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF HDTVS

Professional Calibration Reduces HDTV Energy Consumption up to 50 Percent

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – A research study conducted by THX Ltd. suggests that a secondary benefit to video calibration, beyond improving picture quality, is reducing an HDTV’s on-mode energy consumption. The THX study, which evaluated plasma and LCD HDTV performance, revealed video calibration improves energy efficiency by up to 50 percent, depending on the display’s technology platform, screen size and model year.

The THX research demonstrated in all cases that a calibrated viewing mode consumed less energy than Vivid and Dynamic modes. The approximate savings for consumers ranged from 15 – 50 percent. A properly calibrated HDTV, in some cases, can save consumers up to $40 – $50 per year-equivalent to a tank of gas or two movies on Blu-ray disc. The annual consumption and cost calculations are based on four hours of use per day and $0.1136 per kilowatt hours (kWH), which is the average residential rate as defined by the United States Energy Information Administration. Savings will increase or decrease as user behavior shifts.

Plasma HDTVs manufactured prior to 2008 achieved the highest levels of energy savings after professional calibration, followed by LCDs. The research also confirmed that larger screens consume more power.

THX engineers evaluated more than 15 plasma and LCD models, comparing Vivid or Dynamic Modes versus professionally calibrated settings. Vivid and Dynamic modes are typically designed by display manufacturers to demonstrate the capabilities of an HDTV on the retail floor. Most of these modes boost contrast (light output) and color controls to compensate for the overpowering florescent lighting in the retail environment. However, these modes, which are often the default setting for users, can significantly increase energy consumption.

“Newer HDTV models are using less energy than ever before as a result of advances in panel manufacturing,” said John Dahl, director of education at THX. “While the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR standard is driving manufacturers to reduce on-mode energy consumption, both new and older plasma and LCD HDTVs will experience additional energy savings as a result of professional video calibration.”

The primary benefit of professional video calibration is to improve the display’s picture quality for the room in which it resides. While professional calibration is performed post-sale, THX Certified Displays from Panasonic, LG and JVC feature THX Movie Mode, a pre-calibrated setting that achieves studio color, deep black levels and energy efficiencies out-of-the box. This setting may also be tuned by a professional calibrator to further improve picture quality and energy consumption. For non-THX Certified Displays, the research demonstrates professional calibration can improve energy efficiency by optimizing the picture controls.

To learn more about the THX research, THX Certified Video Calibration Training Workshops and THX Certified Displays, visit the THX Learning Lounge at CEDIA Expo 2009. The THX Learning Lounge is located in The Omni Hotel’s Pine Room, just across the street from the Expo show floor.

About THX Ltd.
From the big screen to your screen, THX ignites your passion for exciting entertainment experiences. Recognized by audiences around the globe, THX is synonymous with the design and certification of world-class cinemas, premium audio systems, HDTVs, and blockbuster movies and games. Products featuring THX defy convention and define quality in their class, whether in the cinema, home or on the road. For more information, visit www.thx.com

AVForums in association with LG Electronics have announced a unique Enthusiasts calibration training course for the 17th and 18th of September.

Priced at £350, the two day course will cover the full gamut of calibration theory and practical hands on, for those who want to learn how to calibrate their home cinema displays. You can get the full details and sign up for this unique training course by following this link.

AVForums content manager and hardware reviewer Phil Hinton reports on the THX Home Theater 1 training class at CEDIA 09.

Even though I am not a custom installer and will never likely build or design a professional home theatre, the THX training course has always appealed to me as a way to further enhance my technical knowledge and confirm those areas of expertise I already have a grasp of. The thing about the AV World is, you will never know everything and learning is an important part of anyone’s career connected with the industry. The THX course is rarely available in the UK and people travel far and wide to attend the courses. Indeed, on our course today were students from Scandinavia and India to name just two.

In the past the training courses were held at the famous Skywalker Ranch, but with THX splitting from Lucasfilm those days are sadly gone. However, that doesn’t take away from the prestige of the standards based approach of the THX philosophy. Ask any of the 43 custom installers present about why they were attending the course and the overwhelming answer is to be certified by THX, and gain the right to display their badge. And even though the certified professional home theatre 1 course in an introduction to world of THX, it is pitched at the right level where important information is taught in preparation for the student to go on and complete the remaining 9 days of training courses available.

So what does the THX home theatre 1 training involve and what skills will the student come away with at the end of a long day?

John Dahl, Education Director, THX Ltd.

The course trainer was John Dahl, director of education for THX and someone who enthusiasts and professionals will be aware of. John himself stated that he has been with the company forever and the original tutor for THX classes. John certainly knows his subject and was full of interesting antidotes and masses of information and advice. I guess what John doesn’t know about the subject of home theatre standards and design is not worth knowing. We were treated to some in-depth but easy to follow examples of the technical aspects of sound and vision design and implementation.

The course started out by exploring just who THX are and their goals, standards and technologies. This covered everything from venue certification, product approval and certification, THX optimiser, video product certification program and the main technical learning areas of acoustics and home cinema design. It was a long day and those who attended displayed a real enthusiasm to be present at 9am on a Sunday (fathers day). That and the fact that over 40 professionals had paid for the course gave an idea of how important the course was seen to be. And I think it is safe to say that everyone that did attend came away with more knowledge than they had entered with.

43 UK students take the THX course

Of course its not just a case of turning up and sitting through the one day class, but there is also a 60 question exam that everyone has to sit and pass before they can call themselves a THX professional. We have yet to see the exam as the weblink will be mailed in the next few days and students are given just three weeks to complete it.

So, like any course subject the student gets out of it, what they are prepared to put in and, of course pass the exam. That doesn’t mean that those who pass are instantly experts on everything covered, but it does provide the groundwork for those installers and journalists present to further develop their knowledge and skill base. Plus it gives the student some credibility that they have sat the course and proven that they now have the knowledge base to move to the next level.

John Dahl explains acoustics

With Home Theater 1 out of the way, those who attended now have the options to further progress through the THX training courses with Home Theater level 2 and a full video calibration course. And unlike some other courses in the industry, the THX pass marks and examinations are challenging to pass. Indeed the video calibration part of the training requires students to go away and perform 10 calibrations and send the results to THX for checking. This allows the company to make sure that the skills learnt are being put to the correct uses and offers some quality control.

We are hoping that John will be in a position to bring Level 2 and the Calibration courses to the UK in the next 12 months.

The THX Home Theater level 1 training is certainly worthwhile and will add to an installer and journalist’s knowledge base. It gives a better understanding of the THX goals and the skill set that the individual can offer in terms of acoustics, video and home cinema design.

All I have to do now is put my money where my mouth is and pass the exam and hopefully be in a position to take the further extended classes. If you are a custom installer or AV professional looking for an all in one package of acoustics and video calibration training, you should hunt down the next THX Theater 1 course, and look to further not only your skill level but also the potential of being THX certified in your role.

For me this training reinforced that for exceptional sound and vision you have to follow industry standards as laid out by THX (Who follow SMPTE and ITU). Indeed, the THX approach mirrors our technical standards for reviewing products at AVForums so the training certainly was relevant.

My thanks to John Dahl and THX for the opportunity to take this training course and fingers crossed that Home Theatre 2 and the video calibration classes follow soon.

For more information on THX education classes please visit: www.thx.com/training

Blog post by: Phil Hinton.

THX Certified Professional Home Theater 1 Workshop Offered to UK Installers & Dealers During CEDIA Expo UK

THX Ltd. today announced that it is offering its THX Certified Professional Home Theater 1 workshop to attendees of CEDIA Expo 2009 in London on Sunday, June 21 – the day before CEDIA’s own Expo training seminars herald the start of Expo 09. The CEDIA-accredited THX course is designed to advance the knowledge and skills of custom installers, dealers and system calibrators, as well as provide them a means to generate new business by marketing themselves as THX Certified Professionals.

THX is set to offer a 20 per cent early enrollment, ‘early-bird’ discount to those who register online for the course prior to June 12, 2009. THX Certified Professional workshops are highly rated, with more than 80 percent of past attendees stating that the coursework and THX certification are important for attracting new business and a 91 percent overall rate of satisfaction.

THX Certified Professional Home Theater 1 is a daylong course to introduce custom install professionals to the THX theories and principles of home theater design, room acoustics and product certification. The course curriculum provides attendees the knowledge to assist clients with the selection of home audio and video equipment, system setup and basic calibration. THX Certified Professional Home Theater 1 is also a prerequisite for other THX workshops, including the critically acclaimed THX Certified Professional Video Systems Calibration course.

“The current economic climate in the UK requires custom installers, dealers and calibrators to find new ways to stand out from the competition and provide more value-added services to prospective clients,” said John Dahl, director of education at THX. “Education has always served as a means of career advancement and reinvention, and the THX workshops have helped thousands of CE professionals improve their skills and drive business.”

The THX Certified Professional Home Theater 1 workshop will be held on June 21 (the day before the Expo training begins), from 9am-6pm, at the Novotel London ExCeL, adjacent to the ExCeL Centre. Online registration is available at: THX Training: Scheduled Events.

About THX Ltd.

THX Ltd. was founded by filmmaker George Lucas to improve the way movie audiences experience the sights and sounds of feature films on the silver screen. The goal, then and now, is to continually improve the entertainment experience through strict engineering performance standards, innovative product designs and breakthrough technologies. Leading companies from around the globe count on THX to help them create better, more innovative products and services. For more information, visit Welcome to THX Ltd..

THX Training hits the UK

PICCS, the european calibration trainers have annouced their next ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) calibration class for this July in London.

The optional four day course covers all aspects of theory and calibration skills with those passing the exam at course end, becoming official ISF calibrators. Those interested in taking this course can find more details at www.isf-europe.com

Only those who pass the exam get to use the ISF name.