Glossary A–ZLetter C
Calibration
Calibration is the adjustment of a display using a measuring instrument so that brightness, white point and colours match a defined target.
The instrument is held in front of the picture area and measures test images. Software adjusts the settings until target and actual values agree.
In screen networks, calibration is especially important for video walls and LED walls. There, many individual devices or modules sit side by side, and even small differences in colour or brightness stand out as patches or tiles. Brands with strict colour guidelines and branch networks in which displays should look the same in many places also use calibration.
Operators should know that displays change over time. The backlight loses brightness, and LEDs age at different rates. A one-off calibration at installation therefore does not last forever. A common misunderstanding is that a display calibrated at the factory suits every use; factory settings are often geared to high brightness and strong colours, not to colour accuracy.