Is Huey a calibration device?

General Color & Graphics Monitor Calibration & Soft Proofing
1

Can someone tell me whether the Huey actually creates a monitor profile (technical calibration) or just performs color correction?

Much appreciated.

There seems to be real debate about this in photography forums. No one seems to know.

I am coming to the experts.

Thanks for any help.

2

I believe that Huey is a calibration device,

and that Gretag-MacBeth is Pantone’s vendor for the monitor profiling software.

3

The Huey does create a profile. the software it runs is very simplified compared to the EyeOne Display, or Optix XR. It runs a few grey patches, a red, a blue, a green. The device itself is again a very simplified piece of hardware compared to the GMB or the Xrite. Support is through Pantone, which from the one person I have talked to, is not up to speed yet. So yes it does profile the display, sort of. You do get what you pay for.
Dana Rasmussen
Seattle

4

Folks;
Here is a definitive answer from the product manager of the Huey (manufactured by GretagMacbeth):

That should clear things up a bit!

oRick Hatmaker, CHROMiX

Post generated from email list

5

Rick, almost clears it up, but still a few questions. You say that the Huey does a monitor calibration (adjusting the video LUT’s of the graphic board to match the user selected calibration settings. Question is does it aid the user in making analog settings with a CRT to the selected settings, or does it just adjust the LUT as it would in a simple (not advanced) calibration on other calibration devices or on an LCD where controls are lacking.

Additionally, what is the explanation that Pantone sells what looks like the exact same instrument on their website (also on Datacolor and Colorvision site) under the Pantone name?

Bob

6

At 10:49 PM -0800 3/8/06, N8535Y wrote:

The latter. In making a simplified tool they have turned off those types of adjustments and the software simply does a basic calibration based on typical default settings.

Not sure what you mean here… the same instrument as… the Huey? As far as I know the Huey is only sold under the Pantone brand right now so I’m confused…

Regards,

Steve

o Steve Upton CHROMiX www.chromix.com
o (hueman) 866.CHROMiX

–

Post generated from email list

7

The Huey is made by (or possibly for) one company (Gretag Macbeth). It is currently sold under the Pantone brand.
Pantone frequently do this. They used to sell the Colorvision Spyder under the Pantone brand.

As I understand it, the Huey attempts to simplify calibration by creating one profile and then modifiying it according to the users choice, from a menu of possible set-ups. For example you can choose - Gaming or Photo editing.
The drawback is that the technical details of colour temperature and gamma and so on are hidden.

8

Correct, huey is a GretagMacbeth product and sold in the US by Pantone.

When the ambient light tracking is on, the LUTs are updated to “compensate” for the changes. It doesn’t modify the profile but alters the display behavior.

Here are the numbers behind the descriptions:

  1. Gaming

Color Setting: Neutral
Contrast Setting: Low

  1. Web Browsing & Photo Editing

Color Setting: Neutral
Contrast Setting: Medium

  1. Grafic Design & Video Editing

Color Setting: Neutral
Contrast Setting: High

  1. Custom: Warm, low contrast
  2. Custom: Warm, medium contrast
  3. Custom: Warm, high contrast
  4. Custom: Cool, low contrast
  5. Custom: Cool, medium contrast
  6. Custom: Cool, high contrast

with:

Cool = 7500K
Medium = 6500K
Warm = 5000K

and:

Low contrast = 1.8
Medium contrast = 2.2
High contrast = 2.5