I have a 20" LCD TV that requires I crank the BRIGHTNESS beyond the level indicated in the PLUGE bars. I usually adjust it until the 11.5 bar is just visible but I find that too dark for normal viewing. I know LCD suffers from poor blacks but I was wondering what everyone else is doing? Right now I have it set quite a few notches higher and it is based on looking at shows that are dark and adjusting it until I see some detail in dark scenes. I have DVE but its BRIGHTNESS pattern usually arrives at the same value as the standard PLUGE pattern.

Yeah, you will find this a lot with inferior signals like those from SD Cable and Satellite. I usually save the setting from DVE and then just adjust by eye if I'm watching TV. Normally, high def signals, and DVDs are fine, it's just TV that varies.

You should really have settings saved for TV, High Def, and DVD, as the settings will be different for each source. Your DVD should be fine since that was done with DVE, TV you will probably have no choice but to go by eye unless you stay up late for the test pattern, and High Def would be the same although in my experience it requires very little calibration because the source is so good.

Thanks Jimmy. The TV is being fed digital cable but here is the kicker I discovered. The color bars are analog. Not sure why. Maybe they will get around to changing or adding a digital one. On my HD DVR I recorded a 1 minute HD version of the color bars (thanks CBC) . So anytime I need to calibrate I have one in the can.

I guess clipping the blacks is not going to be a bad thing on my LCD since they were non distinct before. Next project, proper Contrast ... to be continued.

Yeah, tint and contrast are the two biggest issues when switching between sources. You can live with a tad color variation but any variation in tint or contrast seems to drive a person crazy.

If you get real picky, even after you calibrate for an HD signal, you will probably find the need to change settings based on whether you're watching HD Movies and Sports. To me anyway, it always seems like the whites are too bright on HD Sports, so I tone it down accordingly.