I am getting a NEC 2490 WUXi monitor and I'm interested in buying a monitor calibrator. I am a keen amateur but I don't particularly want to go overboard buying a product which has more features than I would possibly need, so I am looking at getting a Datacolor Spyder 2 Express.............. any suggestions/ advice?
When I first bought a monitor calibrator I bought the Spyder 2 Pro, absolutely hated it and I could never get the desired result on my Spectraview panel. The Spyder software at the time I found to be rubbish. Sold it, bought the Gretag MacBeth Eye One Display 2 and been happy ever since. This integrates with with the Spectraview software of my NEC and even if I calibrate other non Spectraview panels the GM Match software is very intuitive. Personally, buy once, buy right, get the GM product. My 2p worth.
I use the Spyder 3 Pro and find it does a good job and the software is easy to use. I've heard that the previous version, as Mr. Watson has indicated, was not as good or easy to use. I would skip the Spyder 2 and buy a good calibrator once.
I also have the NEC 2490Wuxi monitor since January 2008. When it comes to calibration of this monitor the best combination is Eye One Display and Spectraview. The software that comes with Eye One is very good, but Spectraview is for the NEC monitors and this program makes it very easy to calibrate the monitor.
You input the setting for your monitor and Spectraview does the rest. No fooling around with the contrast, brightness and color temperature settings of the monitor. Spectraview changes them.
I was all Monitor Calibrator programs were as simple.
Unfortunately, to get reliable results you can spend almost as much on a calibrator as an inexpensive monitor. I tried a cheap Spyder and wasted my money. Then I bought the BasicColor (with the the x-rite hocky puck that comes with it) for 4300=reliable, accurate calibration of my 5 monitors.
The Eyeone Display 2 is what NEC ships with their monitor, so why not just get the SVII package from them? The only other possibility might be the new Colormonki from Xrite, but I'm a little wary of new products until they've been vetted...
Bob, if you want to do some research on calibrators, check this site. http://www.colourconfidence.com/ I get all my colour stuff from them. Even though they are UK based, it is still worth a read.
Nec Spectraview II software is the preferred calibration utility for that monitor. It will work with the DataColor Spyder3 and the Colorvision Spyder2 Pro as well as the Xrite hardware.
Thanks for your replies, in Australia NEC only supply the 20" and 26" monitors with Spectraview software.
I'm thinking of going with the Gretag MacBeth Eye One which I think will do the job....... any comments?
You can use the Eye One Display 2 (or other Eye One sensors) with Spectraview II (if available in Australia) to calibrate the 2490. NEC has different calibration software in different geographical regions. I'm not sure about Australia, but USA is Spectraview II and Europe is another package. I think that the monitors to each region are setup to use software for that region. I have some links to more info that I can post if you are considering picking up the software. It would be best to see which package NEC supports in Australia.
