Calibrating a Dell U2410 Display

[Astral Cars]

I recently got the Dell U2410 and I felt like out of the box the color and everything was way off, and certainly no where near matching how things looked on my MBP screen. I went through the little calibration process in the system preferences (with the advanced options) and it's somewhat better (I don't think the gamma was at 2.2 before), but it still doesn't seem so great. The brights look kind of blown out, the shadows are a bit too black, and some of the colors look off. Also, if I look at a solid color I can see moving lines (almost like a much more mild version of when you record a computer screen with a camera running at a different refresh rate).

Did I get a crappy one, or do I need to do something different? I had heard so many good things about this monitor and now I'm considering returning it for a 24" ACD.

 

[Fishrrman]

"The brights look kind of blown out, the shadows are a bit too black, and some of the colors look off. Also, if I look at a solid color I can see moving lines (almost like a much more mild version of when you record a computer screen with a camera running at a different refresh rate).
Did I get a crappy one, or do I need to do something different?"

It sounds to me like you're having a problem with the _intensity_ of the colors on the monitor itself. As if the colors were "too saturated" for your personal tastes.

I'd like to suggest some "alternative approaches" to adjusting them, that deal with the controls on the monitor itself, and NOT "through software".

I realize that you may be connected (as most users are now) through a "digital" connection (computer-to-monitor), rather than through an "analog" connection like "VGA". With my own monitor (Dell 1905FP), I tried accessing the color controls through a DVI connection first, and couldn't "get to them". I then switched to a VGA cable, and could fully access the color controls on the monitor itself.

I will assume you are connected "digitally". If the U2410 won't give you access to its color controls using a digital connection, I suggest that you try a simple VGA connection IF you have the connecting cables and adapter available to you.

In my case, I found the Dell 1905's overall appearance "a bit too bright" for my own tastes. I wanted to "tone it down" a bit. So once I found I had access to the color controls, I "dropped each color down" EQUALLY from 100% of strength to about 85% This didn't change the overall balance between the colors, but it did reduce the overall brightness of the monitor a bit. I left all the other settings alone.

After that, I did a custom calibration in the OS X "Displays" preference pane.

To me, the final result is BETTER THAN _ANY_ Apple display I've ever looked at.

And that's using a VGA type connection, too.

 

[dimme]

Are you using one of the presets, like srgb or Adobe rgb. Did you try the profile that cam with the monitor? I just purchased one and set it up this weekend. I use a Xrite dp-94 color meter and monico software and the colors are great. My only complaint is there is a slight density difference between the right and left side.

 

[Astral Cars]

I currently have set both my MBP and the U2410 to the sRGB option in the Display System Preferences. I also set the U2410 to sRGB in the onscreen monitor settings. After changing it to this, I'm liking it a little bit better, but am still not 100% satisfied. Can you send me your calibrated color profile?

I'm currently using VGA, as that's the only adaptor I've had my hands on, but I'm planning on switching to DVI. Is there any reason to believe that switch will help anything? Specifically I was hoping maybe it'd resolve the scanning lines that seem to run across solid colors as I described previously.

 

[circularforward]

I currently have set both my MBP and the U2410 to the sRGB option in the Display System Preferences. I also set the U2410 to sRGB in the onscreen monitor settings. After changing it to this, I'm liking it a little bit better, but am still not 100% satisfied. Can you send me your calibrated color profile?

I'm currently using VGA, as that's the only adaptor I've had my hands on, but I'm planning on switching to DVI. Is there any reason to believe that switch will help anything? Specifically I was hoping maybe it'd resolve the scanning lines that seem to run across solid colors as I described previously.

The DVI should help with the scanning lines. When I've had to run my 26" with vga, the scanning lines were noticeable. As for the colors, it could help, but I don't think too much. For that, you should run a color calibration with a puck so that your specific monitor can be calibrated as every monitor is slightly different and using presets or someone else's settings don't necessarily work well.

 

[dimme]

Can you send me your calibrated color profile?

You are better off using the profile Dell created for your monitor. But still that is not as good as one you can create yourself. The profile I made is for my monitor / video card combo. I also have my brightness turned down to 9 for photo editing. Also the I changed the white point.
If you can find someone in your area with a screen calibrator who can profile it for you that may help

 

[3282868]

You are better off using the profile Dell created for your monitor. But still that is not as good as one you can create yourself. The profile I made is for my monitor / video card combo. I also have my brightness turned down to 9 for photo editing. Also the I changed the white point.
If you can find someone in your area with a screen calibrator who can profile it for you that may help

I'm thinking about getting two of these to flank my 24" LED, using the display port connections. I've read some on MacRumors complaining about calibration issues and such, but some were using VGA/Analog connections. Would using the display port connection make a difference? Is it a good display? It's a CCFL IPS (I'd prefer LED IPS but not many on the market) with a ton of input and output options, and hooked up to me 2008 Mac Pro's ATI Radeon HD 4870 and GT 120 cards a three display system would be perfect.

 

[dimme]

I'm thinking about getting two of these to flank my 24" LED, using the display port connections. I've read some on MacRumors complaining about calibration issues and such, but some were using VGA/Analog connections. Would using the display port connection make a difference? Is it a good display? It's a CCFL IPS (I'd prefer LED IPS but not many on the market) with a ton of input and output options, and hooked up to me 2008 Mac Pro's ATI Radeon HD 4870 and GT 120 cards a three display system would be perfect.

I using the dvi connection. I am not having issues calibrating except for all the choices and settings. But no matter what setting I use the colors are fantastic.
I read somewhere that as of now LED IPS displays do not offer as large of a color gamut as CCFL IPS. I don't know if this will be a issue for you. If you are going with a 3 display system you may want to think about having the same display across all 3 screens. The one gloss and 2 matt screens would drive me nuts.

 

[3282868]

I using the dvi connection. I am not having issues calibrating except for all the choices and settings. But no matter what setting I use the colors are fantastic.
I read somewhere that as of now LED IPS displays do not offer as large of a color gamut as CCFL IPS. I don't know if this will be a issue for you. If you are going with a 3 display system you may want to think about having the same display across all 3 screens. The one gloss and 2 matt screens would drive me nuts.

True about the gloss, especially in the middle, but it's never bothered me. Plus it's nice to have a glossy display and a matte display to compare how graphics and such differ, especially with websites.

I was up till 5 am last night reading up on so much info on displays. I bought the GT 120 512MB card from Apple to add another MDP and DVI card, so I'll have two graphics cards. So I researched for HOURS and found that a lot of people like the 24" Dell U2410. It's an IPS CCFL LCD with Displayport, 2 DVI's, HDMI, 6 USB, a lot. for only ~$450 or so. I can get two of those for the same price as the 24" LED. So I'm thinking I may return the unopened Apple 24", and get two Dell U2410 and have a three display setup.

Only thing is, do I wait for the ATI 5770 (don't need the 5870) or keep the $133 (w/ education discount) GT 120 to add to my system?

 

[linnarsson]

Got my screen today. Colours is nearly great but when I change my background to completely black the screen is not 100% black over the whole screen. It's black where I have my head/eyes but other spots become brighter like "clouding"... If I move my head/eyes to these "clouding" spots its going black at that position..

My MBP 13" is black all over the screen and it's NOT "shifting the colours" like the Dell does...

Can someone with U2410 tell if your screen is completely black all over the screen or if you notice this issue too? I checked this out on my brothers Dell u3011 30" model now and I notice this on his screen too..... it's not completely black all over the screen and it depends on how you sit and have your eyes... It's only a visible issue when looking at a complete black screen...

Annoying since I was going to use this screen for photography/web-design for my studies...

Thanks for the help!

Kind regards
Johan Linnarsson

EDIT: fixed wrong spelling

 

[nutmac]

Colours is nearly great but when I change my background to completely black the screen is not 100% black over the whole screen. It's black where I have my head/eyes but other spots become brighter like "clouding"... If I move my head/eyes to these "clouding" spots its going black at that position..

...

Can someone with U2410 tell if your screen is completely black all over the screen or if you notice this issue too?

My U2410 is completely black. I have profiled the display though. If your's is more or less in sane settings, perhaps you have a lemon.

My U2410's settings are:

• 100 cd/m2 luminance (45 brightness and 31 contrast on the monitor)
• Color profiled using X-Rite i1Display Pro at 2.2 gamma, D65
• sRGB preset

 

[maniac1181]

My U2410 is completely black. I have profiled the display though. If your's is more or less in sane settings, perhaps you have a lemon.

My U2410's settings are:

• 100 cd/m2 luminance (45 brightness and 31 contrast on the monitor)
• Color profiled using X-Rite i1Display Pro at 2.2 gamma, D65
• sRGB preset

Did you manage to get good whites that way?? I have this monitor, have used an i1 Display Pro to profile it... but the white is still a long way off compared to my MacBook Pro's monitor...!? It looks like cream white or egg white... never just white!

 

[nutmac]

Did you manage to get good whites that way?? I have this monitor, have used an i1 Display Pro to profile it... but the white is still a long way off compared to my MacBook Pro's monitor...!? It looks like cream white or egg white... never just white!

Yup, mine is neither creamy (reddish) nor bluish.

Summary of what I did:

1. Run i1Profiler and change user mode to "Advanced"
2. Click "Display Profiling"
3. Select the monitor and its type (DELL 2410 and CCFL).
4. Change Luminance to "Measure..." and "... second Display"
5. Click "Measure" and change brightness and/or contrast on the monitor until they are within your ideal luminance level (mine is 100)
6. Start the normal calibration process
7. Save the profile and make sure it's selected in Display System Preferences panel

 

[DarwinOSX]

Apple calibrates their monitors in the factory.
Using someone else's calibration even from the same monitor will not be useful. There is too much variance between monitors and Dell monitors have striking variation due to poor quality control.
Your best bet is to beg or borrow a calibration device like a Huey or something similar. Or use Supercal if you can't do that.
I find the HP business class monitors to have better color consistency and certainly better customer service. But then pretty much any company has better customer service than Dell.