Monoprice 9497 User Manual
Step-by-Step OptimizatiOn Guide
W O R L D O F W O N D E R
GET READY TO EXPERIENCE
THE WORLD OF HIGH DEFINITION AT ITS VERY BEST!
You’ll learn all about HD Home Theater along with Goofy and get guidance from the
pros on how to fine-tune your system for maximum performance. Then, sit back, relax,
and experience all the excitement of Disney WOW World of Wonder — the ultimate fun
and easy guide to getting the most from your HD Home Theater.
IT’S EASY!
This handbook will explain how to use the WOW A/V Tools. You will find both beginner and
advanced sections to choose from along with simple step-by-step instructions. A/V Tools
in the Beginner section are designed for ease of use in the proper alignment of your Home
Theater Equipment. The Advanced section contains A/V Tools that address professional
evaluation and calibration tasks for specific monitors, displays, and projectors.
GETTING STARTED
When calibrating your system, it is recommended that you make the adjustments in the
same type of viewing environment in which you typically watch TV. Some televisions
feature settings that might affect the proper calibration of your television. If you encounter
difficulties in calibrating your TV, try changing these settings first and then re-calibrate
using the on-screen guide.
The labels for controls used in this booklet may be different from the names used in the
menus on your television. Please refer to your owner’s manual if you have any questions
about how your controls are labeled.
Throughout this booklet, you will see Test Patterns marked with an Asterisk (*). These are
Digital Reference Standard (DRS) images. These DRS images are a basic representation of
how the correct or optimal settings should appear on your TV. Please note that the images
in this booklet are for reference only. Printing limitations prevent Test Pattern images from
being an exact representation of how they appear on your TV.
Under no circumstances should you open your system to expose electronic circuitry or attempt to
adjust internal controls. You may cause serious damage to your equipment and endanger yourself.
W A R N I N G
BEGINNER
QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO
Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Aspect Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Viewing Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
ADVANCED
PREMIUM CALIBRATION TOOLS
MONITOR SELECTION
Advanced Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Advanced Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Aspect Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Convergence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
DISPLAY EVALUATION TOOLS
MONITOR SELECTION
Purity Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Scaling Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Advanced Scaling 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Advanced Scaling 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Sharpness / Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Hyperbolic Zone Plate . . . . . . . . . . .39
AUDIO SET UP TOOLS
SPL METER NOT REQUIRED
Speaker ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Polarity Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Noise Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Buzz & Rattle Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A/V Sync Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
EXPERT
HD Shootout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
PIXEL FLIPPER
Pixel Flipper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
AUDIO
Speaker ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Polarity Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Noise Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Buzz & Rattle Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chroma & Hue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Sharpness / Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Overscan Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
A/V Sync Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
White-Black Clipping . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Viewing Angle Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Gamma Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Grayscale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Compound Test Chart . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SPL METER REQUIRED
Speaker Level Adjustment . . . . . . . .48
Subwoofer Level Adjustment . . . . 49
Video Encoder Stress Test . . . . . . . 50
A/V Tools Direct Access . . . . . . . . . . 51
BD-LIVE™ EXPERIENCE
Making The Connection . . . . . . . . . . 51
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO
GENERaL INFORmatION
BRIGhtNEss
BLACK LEVEL
VIDEO
CONNECTIONS
First, you need to know how your display is connected to
your system. For High Definition systems, you may be digitally
connected with HDMI or DVI. This will provide the most accurate
signal to your display.
For analog systems, you may be connected with VGA or Component
cables. These are capable of HD resolutions but will not provide the
best HD image accuracy or experience. If you are unsure of your
connection, please consult your owner’s manual.
AUDIO
Audio connections from your playback equipment may be either
digital or analog. Digital audio connections include HDMI, Fiber
cable or S/PDIF copper cables. Analog connections are typically
copper cables utilizing RCA Phono Pin connectors. If you are unsure
about your audio connections, please consult your owner’s manual.
CALIBRATION
2 3
The A/V Tools on this WOW disc will allow you to calibrate your
system in order to get the best possible picture and sound. The
Video test patterns can be used to calibrate CRT based TV sets,
flat-panel displays and projection equipment. Audio test signals
are selectable for a variety of sound formats from Stereo to 7.1
Channel Surround.†
The calibration test signals will enable you to adjust controls on
your equipment to achieve optimal settings. Other tests are
designed for evaluation only, intended to measure general system
performance. This will allow you to identify whether or not your
system needs attention from a qualified technician.
The Brightness PLUGE (Picture Line Up GEnerator) pattern contains
two groups of vertical strips. The left group of strips are three
steps slightly darker than ideal black and the right group are three
steps slightly brighter than ideal black. These strips will assist in
the adjustment of the Brightness control. Room
lighting and type of display will affect where this
control is adjusted. Use lighting representative of
your viewing situation to adjust the monitor.
The top sample on the right (figure 1) shows the
Brightness control set too high. Notice the black
area is slightly grey instead of jet black and all of
the vertical test strips are also visible. Lower the
Brightness control until only the brighter right
hand steps are visible.
The middle sample on the right (figure 2) shows
the Brightness control adjusted too low. All of
the test strips are extinguished; this condition is
called “black clipping.” Clipped blacks will display
shadow areas as solid black where there should
be subtle detail. The Brightness control should
be raised until the brighter test strips on the right
side come into view.
The bottom sample on the right (figure 3) shows a
properly adjusted Brightness control. Only the right
hand vertical steps are visible while the left hand steps
are not. The black area in between is ideal black.
Too High. (figure 1)
Too Low. (figure 2)
Correct. (figure 3)*
*Digital Reference Standard† For 7.1 Demo clips, access The Nightmare Before Christmas
OVERVIEW
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO
The visibility of the brighter steps indicates that subtle detail in
shadow areas will be visible while the absence of the darker steps
shows the monitor’s ability to display true black is being fully
utilized.
A monitor adjusted in a dark room will appear too dark when
the room is lit. A monitor adjusted in a lit room may appear too
bright in a darkened room. Perform these adjustments in lighting
conditions typical of the normal viewing environment.
CONtRast
WHITE LEVEL/PICTURE
OVERVIEW
The center area of the white box represents ideal video white with
two groups of vertical strips. Set the Contrast control so the center
area appears as a fully white object would, like a white shirt, white
clouds or piece of white paper. On either side of center, you’ll see
vertical strips that are three steps brighter on the right and three
steps darker on the left (figure 6).
The top sample on the right (figure 4) shows the Contrast control
adjusted too high. The white strips on the right are washed
out, called “white clipping.” The video signal has exceeded the
capability of the monitor to show detail in the brightest whites.
Lower the Contrast control until you see at least one of the three
lighter vertical strips on the right.
center of the white box appears as a fully white
object with at least one of the right hand vertical
strips still showing. At this setting, the monitor is
showing whites near the maximum performance
capability of the display.
The bottom sample on the right (figure 6) shows
a proper maximum contrast setting with two of
the brightest vertical strips blending together.
This means the upper limits of light output from
the monitor have been reached.
Brightness and Contrast adjustments are
affected by room lighting in the viewing area.
If your room lighting is relatively dark such that
these settings create an image that’s too bright,
you may reduce the Contrast setting to create a
more comfortable picture. The Contrast control
actually sets how white the whitest object is on
the screen and may be adjusted downward to
prevent an overly bright image. You may need to
touch up the Brightness control after setting the
white level to ensure shadow details are not lost.
Too High. (figure 4)
Too Low. (figure 5)
Correct. (figure 6)*
The middle sample on the right (figure 5) shows the Contrast
control adjusted too low. The whites are dull and all the vertical
test strips are visible. At this point, the monitor is not showing all
the detail it can in the brightest areas. Raise the Contrast until the
4 5
*Digital Reference Standard
aspECt RatIO
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO
Native television aspect ratio is set to 4:3 for older SD (Standard
Definition) displays and 16:9 for common HD (High Definition)
systems. This means that no
matter what the screen size, the
display area will be 4 units wide
by 3 units tall for SD monitors
and 16 units wide by 9 units
tall for HD monitors. The units
can be anything: feet, inches
or meters. The relationship
between height and width will
remain constant no matter what
(figure 7)*
LETTERBOX
SIDE BARS
*Digital Reference Standard
6 7
All widescreen video material destined for Blu-ray™ distribution
assumes a 16:9 display system. Modern players and displays
AND
connected with an HDMI cable have the ability to communicate
with each other and perform preliminary setups. However,
monitors, Blu-ray players and DVD players allow these settings to
be overridden, allowing for mismatched video components.
For example, if you connect your Blu-ray player to a 4:3 television
receiver with analog cables, the Blu-ray player will continue to
output 16:9 aspect video because it has no way of knowing that a
4:3 display is connected. The images will be squeezed sideways by
the television and the pictures will look tall and skinny. To remedy
this, you will need to set the Blu-ray player’s output to format the
delivered video for a 4:3 display. With 16:9 video content, it is likely
that the Blu-ray player will squeeze the image vertically and apply
the screen size (figure 7).
black bars to the top and bottom of the image,
creating a 16:9 image within a 4:3 display area.
This is the “letterbox” method of preserving a
16:9 image on a 4:3 display (figure 8).
Conversely, connecting a standard definition
DVD player with analog cables to a 16:9 monitor
may induce the opposite problem. The DVD
player may be delivering letterbox images or
full 4:3 images to a display not formatted to
either, creating short, fat pictures. To remedy this condition, either
the player or the monitor (or both) need to be set to agree on the
type of video to be displayed. In the case of 4:3 programs on a 16:9
display, the player (or the monitor) will add black vertical bars on
either side of the image, allowing the 4:3 image to be displayed at
the proper aspect ratio in the center of the screen.
As you might guess, these settings can become confusing,
particularly when both the player and the monitor have the ability
to battle each other for proper display formats. The aspect ratio
test chart will assist you with this setup. The
following examples show several states of
improper aspect ratio settings.
The appearance of the aspect ratio chart is
considered “normal” when played from a Bluray™ player through an HDMI cable to a 16:9
digital display (figure 7). The circles should
appear round instead of oval in any direction.
Letterbox 16:9 video on 4:3 display.
Incorrect Aspect Ratio Settings.
(figure 8)*
(figure 9)
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO
PLAYER SETUP
DISPLAY SETUP
MISMATCHED
EQUIPMENT
8 9
The arrows on the sides
should be uniformly visible
and there should be no
black bars on either side of
the chart nor on the top and
bottom (figures 9, 10, 11).
If this is not the case, find
the controls on your Bluray™ player that affect the
display type. Set this control
to match the connected
display, in this case 16:9
(figure 7).
If the display still appears
improper, find the controls
on your monitor that affect
display sizing. Many flat
panel displays provide easy
access to settings that allow
for several basic aspect ratio compensations, intended for use
when 4:3 SD video is present. All of these compensations should be
disabled to bring the test chart into compliance. Check that your
monitor is set to accept a 16:9 video source as opposed to a 4:3
source. The most important use of these settings is to make both
the player and display system agree on the native format of the
display.
Manufacturers of players and televisions generally provide
settings to allow for a variety of equipment to be connected with
mismatched native aspect ratios. Using these same aspect ratio
controls, it’s possible to connect your Blu-ray player to a 4:3 display.
Incorrect Aspect Ratio Settings.
Incorrect Aspect Ratio Settings.
(figure 10)
(figure 11)
Set your Blu-ray™ player’s aspect controls to output a 4:3 image
instead of 16:9. The Blu-ray player will likely apply a “letterbox”
correction to the images. Similarly, a DVD player may have aspect
ratio controls as the DVD format was introduced just as widescreen
televisions were becoming available.
If your primary video source is 4:3 and there are no aspect controls
on the player, set your 16:9 monitor to expect 4:3 video. The
monitor will apply aspect ratio corrections that avoid fat or skinny
pictures. The inverse of a “letterbox” correction is the “windowbox”
or “side panel” that allows a 4:3 image to rest in the center of a 16:9
display. The source image is narrower than 16:9, so the extra screen
real estate on the sides is unused. The unused area may be filled
with black or some shade of grey.
The images in the Beginning Color & Hue Test have been
specifically selected for color and tone. These pictures can be
used as a reference for adjusting your monitor. Please adjust the
controls affecting color and tint so the images appear accurate on
your monitor. For more precise adjustment
of color and tone, please use the Chroma
and Hue calibration tools in the advanced
section of the disc.
Beginning with the first image shown on the
right, adjust the color until the flesh tones
appear slightly saturated or artificially high,
then reduce the color level until flesh tones
appear normal and lifelike (figure 12).
(figure 12)*
*Digital Reference Standard
COLOR
SATURATION
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO
In the image below (figure 13), the blue sky should appear deep
and natural. If it appears to be washed out, bring the color level up
slightly.
This image should be colorful and lifelike. If the color and tone are
set properly, then the variety of colors should be clearly different
and complementary (figure 14).
You may wish to move between these images making small
adjustments to color until you are satisfied with the picture’s
accuracy.
(figure 14)*(figure 13)*
shaRpNEss
ARTIFICIAL EDGE ENHANCEMENT
SHARPNESS
ADJUSTMENT
10 11
If your equipment has an electronic adjustment for “sharpness,”
use the black and white box patterns and the text to assist with this
setting (figure 15a). The sharpness adjustment is not a substitute
for incorrect optical focus. Sharpness adds a white line around dark
areas to artificially define object edges. This creates the perception
of additional resolution. If used improperly, it can severely impair
the image quality. Observe the chart’s sharpness blocks and the
text while adjusting the sharpness control. The samples below show
some of the effects of adjustments. The
left sample is uncompensated as seen
on the chart. Adding a slight amount
of sharpness will add some desirable
definition to the image as shown in
the center sample. Adding too much
sharpness will begin to add undesirable
edging artifacts as seen below in the
sample on the right (figure 15b).
Uncompensated Mild Sharpness Too Much Sharpness
(figure 15b)
(figure 15a)
VIEWING aNGLE tEst
This pattern (figure 16) should
appear as a solid color. The
pattern is intended for use with
flat panel displays and may not
be useful for front projection
equipment. On direct view
CRT equipment, this pattern
will also be useful for detecting
magnetic interference.
(figure 16)*
*Digital Reference Standard*Digital Reference Standard
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
VIDEO/AUDIO
VIEWING
ANGLE
CRT PURITY
Observe the screen for color purity deviations. The entire screen
should be a solid magenta color that is mixed from pure red and pure
blue. Change your viewing angle to see whether looking straight
at the screen, sitting off axis, standing or changing the viewing
distance affects the appearance of the pattern. Ideally, there will
be no change in hue or intensity within reasonable viewing angles.
On displays with viewing angle deficiencies, you may see parts of
the screen turning red and other parts of the screen turning blue
as you move around the viewing area. Below is an example of what
a color change may look like (figure 17). A slight change in color
is common on some consumer monitors. A large change within
the reasonable viewing area indicates viewing angle deficiencies.
You may need to modify what is considered an acceptable viewing
position. If the pattern shows
stationary deficiencies that do
not change as you move around
the viewing area, it may indicate
a defective display or improper
mounting. Check the mounting
system on flat panel displays
to ensure the cabinet is not
being twisted or subjected
to pressures that distort the
(figure 17)
Direct view CRT systems are sensitive to magnetic interference. If
you see areas of this pattern that favor a different color (figure 17),
check the electronic equipment or other objects around your
monitor for a possible source of magnetic interference. Alter the
position of the monitor to see if the pattern changes. If nothing
seems to help, consider calling a service technician in order to
display system.
improve the color purity. Do not attempt to open the monitor as
CRT systems contain high voltage components that will injure you,
even after the power is disconnected.
spEaKER IDENtIFICatION
The Channel ID test allows you to ensure that your speakers are
connected to your system correctly. This section is invaluable for
multiple source systems.
The Channel ID test consists of an announcer identifying the left
speaker as left, and the center speaker as center, and so on. If
the announcements do not match the correct speaker, first check
the connections between the receiver and speakers. If they are
connected correctly, check the connections between the Blu-ray™
player and receiver for proper channel assignment.
If the Blu-ray player is connected to your receiver or monitor via
a digital optical, digital coaxial or HDMI cable, it is not possible to
change the channel assignment from the player.
pOLaRItY tEst
A Polarity test allows you to determine if your speakers are
connected correctly. Each speaker has a positive and negative
wire connector as does the receiver. The positive and negative
connections on each speaker should be wired to the corresponding
connection on the receiver.
12 13
BEGINNER | QUICK & EASY CALIBRATION
AUDIO
The Polarity test will begin using the left front and right front
speakers only. It will advance around the system in a clockwise
pattern. Each test will involve two speakers only. The test will end
with the left front and center speakers.
A test signal will emanate from each pair of speakers. The signal
uses a broadband energy that covers the entire audible frequency
spectrum. This type of signal is called pink noise and will be used
on most of the tests on this disc.
The signal will be in-phase for the first ten seconds for each pair of
speakers being tested and then switch to being out-of-phase for
6 seconds. When the signal switches to out-of-phase there should
be an audible drop in level and the sonic image or noise will shift to
an undetermined location in the room instead of centered between
the speakers. If the audio level decreases when the signal is outof-phase, your speakers are in-phase and you may advance to the
next set of speakers.
Remember that all speakers in the system must work together so
you have to check the connections on every speaker to determine
if any are out-of-phase.
For best results, before you begin the Polarity test adjust the
volume of each speaker so they are approximately equal in level.
The test signal consists of several different bands of pink noise
recorded at successively lower volumes. The test signal starts at
minus 20 dB full scale and decreases in 5 dB steps with the last
signal recorded at minus 60 dB full scale. The noise floor for a
particular frequency band is the point at which you can no longer
hear the test signal.
This test can help you identify how the noise generated by
household systems and appliances, such as air conditioners and
refrigerators, affects your listening experience. For instance, try
turning off the heater or air conditioner to see if you can hear a
lower volume test signal in one of the low frequency bands.
BUZZ & RattLE tEst
The Rattle test is intended to trigger sympathetic vibrations in
objects such as lamps, tables and windows that will vibrate in
response to the audio emanating from your speakers and subwoofer.
The sweep tones in the rattle test are also used to check for speaker
resonances.
The first tone of the test covers the entire audible frequency
spectrum. Each subsequent tone is set to a particular frequency
range, which will help you identify which objects are affected at
certain frequencies.
NOIsE FLOOR tEst
If objects do vibrate, you should either move these objects or alter
Dynamic range is the difference between the loudest undistorted
signal and lowest audible signal of your home theater system. This
test will help determine the noise floor of your listening environment.
14 15
them so they do not interfere with your listening experience.
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