Picture Perfect: Fine Tuning Your TV

There is really no reason to buy a top quality guitar or piano if you don't tune it properly. All those pure notes will be lost if you don't adjust the strings just so, and your instrument will never reach its potential. The same thing goes for a television set, though there are still people who drop thousands on the latest flat screen technology but don't take the time to properly tune it.

The Five Basics
Most TVs have five adjustable settings that will determine overall image quality: color, brightness, contrast, sharpness, and tint (or hue). Knowing how to tweak these will make certain that you're getting the most out of your TV. After a few adjustments, you may even find that the bulky set in your entertainment center can provide all the image quality you need.

Lose the Light
Just like at the movies, TV is at its best in the dark or in very dim light. If possible, place your TV in a dark room and draw the shades during daylight for the highest image quality. It's better to place your TV and entertainment center beneath a window than directly across from one. Whether you do most of your viewing in the dark or in bright rooms, adjust your settings in the corresponding environment. It is also a good idea to let your television set warm up for fifteen to thirty minutes before calibrating.

Color
This also called Saturation or Chroma on some sets. Adjust this setting to get accurate skin tones and natural looking environments. When in doubt, opt for a lower setting. This will lighten the color and prevent inaccuracies.

Brightness
This will set your TV's black level. Deep blacks are ideal for nighttime scenes and will enhance the overall effect of watching in the dark or in dim light. Conventional Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) sets offer the best blacks. Even the latest plasma and LCD technologies can only match these tones at best and are often inferior.

Contrast
Also called Picture on some sets. This is the white level. This should be set as high as possible without compromising the overall picture. This will help flashes, starkly bright winter scenes, and other outdoors settings seem more authentic.

Sharpness
Also called Peaking or Detail. This creates the illusion of cleaner, crisper images through artificial detailing. To see the real picture that is being sent through your signal, turn this setting all the way down. This artificial detailing will enhance your picture up to a point before compromising it.

Tint
Similar to color, though the tint does not affect intensity. Adjust this properly to get natural, authentic looking hues in your picture.

Hardware
This is another way to easily improve your picture without spending thousands on a new television. Connect the components in your entertainment center with the highest quality cables available.

When connecting your DVD player to your TV, use a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) or a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable for maximum picture quality. Though not quite as good, a three-wire analog cable is still superior to the single coaxial antenna cable.

Calibration is Key
Whether you want to get the full potential out of a new set, or you simply want to stick with the one you've got, making these adjustments is a must if you want the best possible picture.

There are also calibration DVDs sold just about anywhere TVs are sold. Spending thirty dollars on one of these is a good way to get the most out of your investment or, perhaps even better, to figure out that the TV already in your entertainment center is good enough.