Datacolor User to User Support Group.

In a message dated 4/4/08 8:33:00 AM, phil_rowlinson@... writes:


> I have the exact same issue, albeit with a different graphics card
> (NVIDIA Quadro 140M) in a Thinkpad T61P and Advanced docking station).
> My problem could well be that I am using the VGA and DVI outputs
> instead of a dual head PCI card. Apparently there are issues with
> finding a working PCI card with my configuration.
> 
Yes, the fact that there are analog and digital outputs on a card does not 
necessarily indicate it is a fully dual headed card...   many Windows laptops 
are in this situation; you can color manage one screen or the other, but not 
both at once.
> 
> I used the Windows applet to calibrate and set each monitor
> seperately, and while you can clearly see the colour configuration
> change as you choose the appropriate profile, they in no way match
> each other.
> 
This can be a confusing situation, as many people are not clear on the 
difference between applying calibration data to the videocard, and assigning 
profiles at the OS level. If both screens flash when you choose a profile for one of 
them, than the same videocard corrections are being applied to both. If both 
screens show as one device in Windows, then you can't assign different profiles 
to each. But even if you can see both, and flash both seperately, that does 
not guarantee that your OS and driver are both coordinated to keep two seperate 
profiles assigned, and the matching calibrations flashed to both. Windows 
does not automatically flash the calibration corrections to each display on 
startup, as the Mac does, so a thirdparty startup utility must be running, or you 
must run the XP Color Control Panel. Vista is supposed to have incorporated 
this Color Control Panel into the OS, but it does not have the same feature set, 
as far as I can see... and certainly does not automatically flash the right 
video corrections to the videocard; if anything it may actually impede the 
process.

C. David Tobie
WW Product Technology Manager
Digital Imaging & Home Theater
Datacolor
CDTobie@...
www.datacolor.com/Spyder3


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