Spyder4Elite How To: Getting Started
Since the Spyder4Elite software is entirely wizard-based, we’re able to capture the full sequence of screenshots to show you the process. Begin by opening the Spyder4Elite application from the desktop (OS X users open the main Spyder4Elite app from Launchpad).
The first few windows simply ask you some questions about your monitor and its capabilities.
Welcome
The process begins with a little pre-flight checklist. Warming up any display is important to calibration accuracy, since light sources change as they come up to temperature. At least 30 minutes powered on before beginning any calibration is highly recommended.
If you haven't already, take this opportunity to adjust the room lighting to your preferred level and explore the controls that are available on your particular display before clicking Next.
If this is your first time running the Spyder4Elite software, the next screen will not appear until the second time you run it.
Select Workflow
If you've performed a calibration using the Spyder4Elite at some point in the past, this screen gives you three options: Step-by-step Assistant, Studio Match, and Expert Console.
Studio Match is a simple utility for synchronizing your calibration settings across multiple displays. Expert Console is the Spyder4Elite's "advanced mode" calibration, which contains the entire contents of the multi-screen wizard inside a single window. In order to continue following this guide, select Step-by-step Assistant.
Display Type
Selecting the appropriate display type is also important. Since each screen technology transmits light differently, any meter needs to use special offsets for the type of display being calibrated. The Spyder4 software has options for LCD, CRT, Laptop, and Projector.
Select the option for your display and then select Next.
If you have multiple displays connected to your computer, select the monitor you wish to calibrate in the drop-down menu to the right.
Make and Model
The next screen asks you to identify your display’s manufacturer from a drop-down list, and enter the model number into a text box.
Because the Spyder4Elite software has model information built-in, the next couple of screens will likely appear different than ours, depending on your monitor's options. In order to simplify how the wizard branches out, and to show as much of the process as possible, for the next few screenshots we've chosen an Unknown make and model instead of using the Spyder4Elite's automatic detection of our AOC I2757H.
Display Technology
After clicking Next, you’re asked to specify the native color gamut and what kind of backlight your display has.
The options available for Gamut are Normal (sRGB) and Wide (AdobeRGB 1998), while the options for Backlight include Flourescent (CCFL), White LED, and RGB LED. If you’re unsure of either one of these, both have an option labeled Unknown.
After making your selections, click Next.
Identify Controls
The following screen holds check boxes for Contrast, Brightness, and Kelvin Presets.
Only check the boxes corresponding to the image adjustment controls available on your monitor.
If your monitor has the rare RGB Sliders, you can create this option by opening the File menu and selecting Preferences.
From here, choose Advanced Settings, and a new window will open. Now check the box next to Show RGB Sliders option in Identify Controls screen, then click OK on both the Advanced Settings and Preferences windows.
After answering these questions, click Next. Now it's time to start the calibration process.
