Setting up new ASUS monitor

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Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona
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p.1 #1 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Forgive me for not being a techie in the slightest... Just got my ASUS Pro Art 24-inch up and running, but it is proving to be not intuitive for setting up to edit photos. If anyone knows the settings I should be using on this I'd be most appreciative of your advice. I've read thru the PDF manual it comes with, but it doesn't say why the sRGB and Adobe RGB options are not usable (they are lighter and I can't click on them). What color temp should I be using, which screen mode... I am lost. Next to my Macbook Pro, the colors are warm and muddy... Any tips or where I can go to figure this out, again would be appreciated. I'm new to the whole laptop/extra monitor thing.

Thank you.

Feb 03, 2012 at 01:32 AM

Sarsfield
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p.1 #2 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Your macbook probably does not have the graphics card necessary to drive this large of a monitor at it's native resolution but I could be wrong. A Mac user should be able to help.

Feb 03, 2012 at 02:57 AM

howardm4
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p.1 #3 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

any MBP within the usable memory can do it. I'd guess that the monitor is in some funky factory mode that your non-techiness isn't clicking with like auto or full-gamut. It's kind of a waste to get a wide-gamut monitor and then set it to s or a RGB unless you really want to.

Feb 03, 2012 at 03:23 AM

Sharona
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p.1 #4 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

That is the point. I have no idea "what I want to" set it at. Any books on the subject? Any experts? I am a little frustrated that there is no true manual for this type of thing, but so many people in this forum talk about their monitors, etc., so I can't believe no one can help me out here. Oh well...

Feb 03, 2012 at 04:16 AM

skibum5
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p.1 #5 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona wrote:
That is the point. I have no idea "what I want to" set it at. Any books on the subject? Any experts? I am a little frustrated that there is no true manual for this type of thing, but so many people in this forum talk about their monitors, etc., so I can't believe no one can help me out here. Oh well...

native mode for photo editing/viewing (you will need to profile this)

sRGB emulation mode for most other stuff (set to gamma 2.2 for TV/movies/some games and sRGB TRC for the rest)

something like an i1 Display Pro might be best (although the spyder 4 might be ok)

although macs had weirdnesses of various sorts of which I am not particular familiar since I barely ever use them

Feb 03, 2012 at 06:59 AM

morganb4
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p.1 #6 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

How are you connecting it to your MBP?

Set it to normal gamma = 2.2. Macs went with this years ago.
I suspect that aRGB and sRGB are greyed out because your in native mode.
Profile your display asap using one of the above mentioned pucks but definitely dont use anything less than a Spyder 3 Elite because it wont effectively manage wide gamut.

Feb 03, 2012 at 08:28 AM

Sharona
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p.1 #7 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Thanks for the help - I'll give this a go. I knew I'd need to calibrate the monitor, but I guess I'm so used to Apple displays and this one def. does not have the contrast, sharpness, colors, etc. Of course, this could be more "natural" and a more true representation of my photos, too. Again, at this point it looks very muddy - lacks contrast and when I adjust contrast, it just goes brighter. Obviously I've entered new territory here. I hope I don't regret just going with an iMac desk top and calling it good!

I've connected via a mini display port to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable. This is OK, I trust? Thanks again I'm a little wigged out but will be doing a lot of reading/researching over the weekend.

Skibum - I am not into gaming or anything, just photo editing.

Cheers = Sharon

Edit - Gamma was already set at 2.2...Scenery mode has nice contrast..... what about sharpness, etc.. there are so many options for setting this thing up! (Yes, I will be going to the ASUS site to see what they say. Hope there is some decent info there.)

Feb 03, 2012 at 04:44 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #8 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona wrote:
Thanks for the help - I'll give this a go. I knew I'd need to calibrate the monitor, but I guess I'm so used to Apple displays and this one def. does not have the contrast, sharpness, colors, etc. Of course, this could be more "natural" and a more true representation of my photos, too. Again, at this point it looks very muddy - lacks contrast and when I adjust contrast, it just goes brighter. Obviously I've entered new territory here. I hope I don't regret just going with an iMac desk top and calling it good!

I've connected via a mini display port to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable. This is OK, I trust? Thanks again I'm a little wigged out but will be doing a lot of reading/researching over the weekend.

Skibum - I am not into gaming or anything, just photo editing.

Cheers = Sharon

Edit - Gamma was already set at 2.2...Scenery mode has nice contrast..... what about sharpness, etc.. there are so many options for setting this thing up! (Yes, I will be going to the ASUS site to see what they say. Hope there is some decent info there.)

normal you want sharpness sent to 0 or whatever "do nothing" is

you also want to set your computer to the same resolution that is native for the monitor

i don't have an asus so i don't know what controls you use to switch modes or what modes and options it has

Feb 03, 2012 at 07:54 PM

Sharona
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p.1 #9 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

I just set the sharpness to 0 from what I had set it to, which was 50. Things are pretty fuzzy - text, etc. This is really unnerving.

If I set sharpness at 0 it is like there is a film of fog all over the screen. User mode, as opposed to standard mode, seems to offer the best contrast, text sharpness, etc. (Still at 0 sharpness.)

This seriously taking "phun" out of photography!

Feb 03, 2012 at 08:21 PM

plubbry
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p.1 #10 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

What is the Native Resolution of the Asus? And what do you currently have the resolution set at via your macbook?

From your description of the 'fuzzyness' it really sounds like you have the resolution of the monitor set lower than its Native resolution. I believe the Native resolution is 1920x1200.

Edit:
It looks like it isn't uncommon to have some issues when connecting some external monitors to MBPs. I saw this thread which may lead you to a solution. Good luck.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1111167

Feb 03, 2012 at 09:18 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #11 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona wrote:
I just set the sharpness to 0 from what I had set it to, which was 50. Things are pretty fuzzy - text, etc. This is really unnerving.

If I set sharpness at 0 it is like there is a film of fog all over the screen. User mode, as opposed to standard mode, seems to offer the best contrast, text sharpness, etc. (Still at 0 sharpness.)

This seriously taking "phun" out of photography!

on your monitor 50 might be neutral setting then and 0 might be softening it
for many 0 is neutral setting but for some 50 or the midpoint is the neutral setting and it sounds like that is the case with yours

Feb 03, 2012 at 10:26 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #12 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

plubbry wrote:
Edit:
It looks like it isn't uncommon to have some issues when connecting some external monitors to MBPs. I saw this thread which may lead you to a solution. Good luck.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1111167

ugh that sounds like a mess, best of luck....
using W7 they have zero issues and using their MAC the monitor looks a mess of ghosting and blur

Feb 03, 2012 at 10:31 PM

Sharona
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p.1 #13 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Thanks guys. Resolution settings are fine, that I can tell you. I'm not sure my issue is as drastic as those in that link/thread, but it was interesting to read. I guess I simply do not know how this thing should look/behave since it's my first attempt to go this route. There are numerous configurations and I just don't know where to start. You'd thing they'd offer a manual for specific settings for specific users. I mean, there should be some guidelines, somewhere!

I'm connecting with a mini display port adapter with HDMI - is this a bad option? And how are those guys telling if the mac thinks the monitor is a TV? I can't figure out how to find that info. Thanks again....

Feb 04, 2012 at 12:09 AM

skibum5
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p.1 #14 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona wrote:
Thanks guys. Resolution settings are fine, that I can tell you. I'm not sure my issue is as drastic as those in that link/thread, but it was interesting to read. I guess I simply do not know how this thing should look/behave since it's my first attempt to go this route. There are numerous configurations and I just don't know where to start. You'd thing they'd offer a manual for specific settings for specific users. I mean, there should be some guidelines, somewhere!

I'm connecting with a mini display port adapter with HDMI - is this a bad option? And how are those guys telling if the mac thinks the monitor is a TV? I can't figure out how to find that info. Thanks again....

do dark blacks look super, super washed out? if it thinks it is a TV it might compress 0-255 brightness to 16-235 TV range 16=black and 235=white but that monitor expects 0-255 0=b;ack 255=white

Feb 04, 2012 at 01:11 AM

Sharona
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p.1 #15 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Dark blacks in photos look OK.I wonder if it's just a matter of getting used to non-Apple monitors? It is also really bright! I seem to have to turn down the brightness every time I turn it on.

Feb 04, 2012 at 01:31 PM

Sharona
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p.1 #16 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

The monitor has now decided to flick back and forth between my web page and a bright green blank screen. I sound like a loony, I realize but really was excited about getting this thing up and running for photo editing. If ANYONE out there has this monitor: ASUS ProArt 24-inch, and has any input for me on just getting it set up out of the box before I try calibrating it I would be extremely grateful. i.e., gamma, sharpness, color, brightness, etc. Getting ready to send it back to B&H. Cheers all - happy weekend.

Feb 04, 2012 at 03:39 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #17 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona wrote:
The monitor has now decided to flick back and forth between my web page and a bright green blank screen. I sound like a loony, I realize but really was excited about getting this thing up and running for photo editing. If ANYONE out there has this monitor: ASUS ProArt 24-inch, and has any input for me on just getting it set up out of the box before I try calibrating it I would be extremely grateful. i.e., gamma, sharpness, color, brightness, etc. Getting ready to send it back to B&H. Cheers all - happy weekend.

If you have a probe you can try to find out which mode starts out closest to gamma 2.2 and doesn't have any weird stuff like dynamic contrast and so on forced to be on and which basic setting measures closest to D65 and start from there using Native gamut mode for photo editing and sRGB gamut mode for other stuff that is not color aware.

Then you calibrate and profile it with the probe and software.

The one negative I have heard about the ASUS is that it apparently has trouble running less than bright and that supposedly 120-130 cd/m^2 is as low as it likes to get (NEC PA can be run as low as 80 cd/m^2 for most modes although oly down to around 93 cd/m^2 in sRGB mode if gamma is set to 2.2 instead of sRGB TRC AND you also want to maintain max CR and darkest blacks possible). Supposedly cinema screens also preferred to be run a bit bright too though, at least the older ones.

Feb 04, 2012 at 06:24 PM

Sharona
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p.1 #18 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Thanks for sticking with me, ski bum! I just talked to an ASUS guy and it sounds like a have a dud monitor anyway. The green screen flickering just isn't right. I haven't purchased any calibration tools yet, so I have no way to measure all that other stuff. How do all you photographers know/learn all this?

Feb 04, 2012 at 06:30 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #19 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

Sharona wrote:
Thanks for sticking with me, ski bum! I just talked to an ASUS guy and it sounds like a have a dud monitor anyway. The green screen flickering just isn't right. I haven't purchased any calibration tools yet, so I have no way to measure all that other stuff. How do all you photographers know/learn all this?

just sort of picked up some of it automatically along the way or by trying to logic it out and the rest after spending the better parts of two days, hours and hours, of reading through tons and tons of articles about it and trying to shift through all the contradictory information out there on color management and trying to fill in all the often many missing blanks in many online articles on the subject

Feb 04, 2012 at 07:21 PM

morganb4
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p.1 #20 · Setting up new ASUS monitor

I learned by walking into a professional lab with a bunch of crap files. The printer told me about, pointed out my mistakes. I was starting a business and was in trouble already.

You will be amazed at how much you can learn when really have to, when your reputation depends on it.

Plus I never wanted to get on that printers bad side again...

Feb 05, 2012 at 10:00 AM


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