Integrated sensor technology from EIZO

No matter how perfectly a monitor was calibrated at the factory - it still needs to be recalibrated at regular intervals. This must be done to correct the unavoidable ageing processes of the panel, and to calibrate individual targets suitable for the application andlighting conditions at the workplace.

An external attachment sensor is usually used for this purpose, which always involves extra effort. The user must remember to recalibrate and take the time to interrupt their actual work and perform the calibration process. With a built-in calibration sensor, this process can be automated and moved to a time when the monitor is not in use.

So with CG Series ColorEdge monitors, you can arrange for the monitor to recalibrate itself periodically (e.g. at night) when you're not using it. This means you can always be sure you are working with a consistently accurate monitor.

The advantages of CG Series monitors with their built-in calibration sensors are even greater in companies with numerous monitors: In combination with ColorNavigator and the cloud solution ColorNavigator Network, EIZO offers a complete colour management solution whichmakes it possible to realise complete quality assurance including regular recalibration, the distribution of calibration targets and the control of numerous monitor functions centrally and across locations.

Even if a ColorEdge monitor is delivered perfectly adjusted and calibrated, regular recalibration is necessary. The built-in calibration sensor can be used to automate this recalibration. As a user, you can schedule thisvital procedure for times when the monitor is not in use. The monitor menu or the ColorNavigator can be used to determine when the monitor should calibrate itself. This can be done either at fixed intervals or depending on the time of use. Of course, this calibration does not interrupt the user's work, but only takes place the next time the monitor is put to sleep.

The built-in sensor is integrated inconspicuously and dust-protected in the edge of the monitor. Thanks to DUE technology, a homogeneous image display is guaranteed, which means it does not matter where the measuring sensor is located on the monitor. Each built-in sensor is calibrated and precisely adjusted at the factory with a high-precision reference spectrophotometer. The high-precision mechanics ensure there is only an extremely small distance between the measurement sensor and the monitor panel over the entire service life of the monitor, so ambient light does not affect the measurement.

Many post-production, VFX and television studios specify a particular spectrophotometer as the master sensor for their internal colour management. To avoid missing out on the advantages of the integrated sensor, it is possible to correlate the built-in sensor with an external master sensor. In this way, the built-in sensor adopts the measurement characteristics of the master sensor and retains its specific properties. A consistent workflow with monitors without a built-in sensor is thus guaranteed.

HDR content is becoming increasingly popular in the film industry. Extreme contrasts of up to 1,000,000:1 and brightness values of up to 1,000 cd/m² pose great challenges not only for the panel technology but also for the measurement sensor technology. Nevertheless, EIZO has succeeded in developing an integrated calibration sensor for the ColorEdge PROMINENCE CG3146 that meets the requirements of HDR applications.

While the built-in calibration sensor already means a great increase in comfort for the individual user with corresponding time savings, these time savings are multiplied accordingly in large usage scenarios. In large studios, agencies or publishing houses, people often work on joint projects across locations or even countries. This quickly brings together numerous workstations, on which the same files must naturally look the same. To achieve this, all monitors must be set to the same calibration targets and recalibrated regularly. The room for error is large and the calibration and maintenance effort enormous. To eliminate numerous sources of error and dramatically reduce the maintenance effort, EIZO offers a powerful overall colour management solution: the combination of monitors with built-in calibration sensor, the calibration software ColorNavigator and the cloud solution ColorNavigator Network allows a consistent colour-managed workflow to be centrally monitored, managed and maintained even across continents.

With ColorNavigator Network, a single administrator can provide centralised quality control of all ColorEdge CG monitors with a built-in calibration sensor on the network. The administrator can set colour modes, schedule automatic self-calibration, enable key locks, register or adjust asset management settings, and import and export monitor settings for each monitor. For large projects with multiple production steps, such as games or feature films, this ensures that the correct colour standards are used by everyone involved, and administrators can even assign custom settings for specific projects or jobs. The built-in sensor eliminates the need for a staff member to visit and recalibrate each monitor. This is done automatically. In addition, EIZO hosts the server for data exchange in a secure cloud, so there are no additional investments or ongoing costs for providing a server for the user.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has honoured EIZO with the Scientific & Technical Award for the development of the CG Series ColorEdge monitors with built-in calibration sensors. The jury's citation "EIZO's automatically calibrating SDR monitors increase artists' confidence in the accuracy of image reproduction across the enterprise and reduce disruptions to the creative process and production workflows. They have become indispensable to many major motion picture animation and effects studios."