What's up with NEC's Spectraview software?

sanaka

I just got myself a new NEC Multisync LCD 2090UXi. My now 6 year old version 1 Colorvision Spyder seems to have stopped working, and in any case was, along with EZColor 2.0, probably not up to the task of adequately profiling this superb display (It always seemed just OK on my old CRT, a Mitsubishi DiamondPlus 91).

So NEC's own SVII-Kit looks perfect: An iOne Display 2 colorimeter with NEC's own SpectraviewII software.

But this package is out of stock everywhere, including at the NEC web store. They also show even the Spectraview software alone is 'out of stock'. NEC could just sell their software as a download, obviating the 'out of stock' issue. And the XRite branded iOne Display 2 device is available all over the place. IOW, Spectraview appears to be gone, discontinued by NEC.

What happened?

Is the iOne software (Eye-One Match 3), just as good as SpectraviewII? The big draw with Spectraview was that it is NEC's own software, and definitely uses the monitor's internal 12 bit LUT directly. Does anyone know if the iOne Display's software will also do this?

Because, hey, if I've got a 12 bit internal LUT, you know I want to use it! 8 bit LUTs are so last-year, man!

Peace,
Sanaka

arodney

sanaka wrote:

But this package is out of stock everywhere, including at the NEC web store. They also show even the Spectraview software alone is 'out of stock'. NEC could just sell their software as a download, obviating the 'out of stock' issue. And the XRite branded iOne Display 2 device is available all over the place. IOW, Spectraview appears to be gone, discontinued by NEC.

What happened?

Its VERY popular. It was out of stock a few months ago on the NEC site (for the CD) but they got it up again in short order. Hold out, you want this software to drive the SpectraView line of NEC's. And if you can, toss the Spyder, not recommended by NEC but it is supported.

arodney

sanaka wrote:

Because, hey, if I've got a 12 bit internal LUT, you know I want to use it! 8 bit LUTs are so last-year, man!

Do you realize what this is doing for you in terms of calibration of this device without the effect of banding due to an 8-bit pipeline? Its kind of a big deal if you're in the market for this kind of reference display.

sanaka

Do you realize what this is doing for you in terms of calibration of this device...?

Sir,

Andrew Rodney is a name I have esteemed for years. Just last night I enrapturedly read all 115 entries in this thread: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=82126
In short, I have some idea who you are and what you are capable of. Hence, your question is baited if ever a question were baited : What should I say if Stephen Hawking asked me: "Do you understand gravity?"?

I can answer with rare confidence: NO! My only wisdom is that I know that I don't know. Fortunately, I am not a professional color scientist, so I think all I really need is to appreciate that 12 bits should make better results possible, and maybe even easier, than 8 bits (Gravity = good. Less precise gravity = not as good.).

In the digital audio world, where I've logged more work time (and seem to perhaps have more talent) than in the digital imaging world, we edit in a 32 bit floating point environment (some operations even at 64 bit), and only when finished downsample to 16 bit to burn CDs. This seems alot like capturing an HDR photograph at 32 bit, then tone-mapping down to 16 or 8. So I assume similar principles are at play with 12 vs 8 bit LUTs for a display. It's all about dynamic range. And rounding errors. 32 bit audio on a good system is quite glorious. So I'm hoping to experience some of that snap and verve and elbow room in my imaging endeavors also.

So, you are saying that NEC has not abandoned Spectraview? That would be awesome. Is there a downloadable version? Is the NEC branded iOne Display device necessary to take adantage of Spectraview? If not, I could just get iOne Display LT from wherever, download Spectraview, and be in business.

You the Dog!

Peace,
Sanaka

arodney

The software is still available. The NEC site occasionally shows out of stock. You have to purchase a serial number, the software can actually be downloaded on the NEC site (but without a serial number does squat). But you do have to purchase a physical CD with a serial number, that's out of stock currently.

The one true branded i1 is for the LED dispaly, discontinued using special filter matrixes for that unit, everything else they sell is an EyeOne Display-2.

sanaka

Awesome. Thanks!

sanaka

orderable by phone
I noticed this thread has a few views, so I thought I'd share that I was able to order the SVII-KIT (Spectraview software plus iOne Display colorimeter) from NEC by phone.

Call 800.836.0655 x 4 x 1

They have them, just don't have their website up to snuff on it.

Peace,
Sanaka