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Can I Calibrate My Monitor or Screen?

YES! The Service Bureau has a Datacolor Spyder5Pro calibrator you can check out! Stop by the SB and check out the Spyder, then follow these instructions.

(The point of calibrating your monitor is to set the optimal color and brightness settings for your workspace. Changing where you work (thus changing lighting conditions) will negate or negatively impact your calibration settings.)

-Download and install the Datacolor software

    -Go to www.datacolor.com

    -Click on Photography & Design

    -Click on Support

    -Click on Downloads

    -Click on Display Calibration

    -Click on Spyder 5 Downloads

    -Click on Spyder5PRO 5.2 MacOS (or whatever the latest MacOS version is)

    -Click on the download link

    -Double-click on the disk image and follow download instructions

-Go into System Preferences/Displays and turn OFF the Auto Brightness feature

-Plug in Spyder5

-Launch Spyder5Pro software

-Enter license code when prompted  2F02-1FB1-EAC0-E68B

-Follow software wizard instructions and setup. Most options will be default.

    -Choose Laptop and then LCD for display type (Backlight is White LED)

    -Under calibration settings use default settings

-Gamma 2.2

-White point 6500K

-Brightness - do not adjust (software will set)

-Room Light - On (or off if you’re planning on working in the dark but helpful to measure ambient light)

(For classroom and lab spaces in MCAD the light level is ‘very high’ and you will probably get a 200 cd/m^2 suggestion)

-Accept suggested settings (prob 200 and 6500K)

-When prompted, place the Spyder5 on your screen. You will need to detach the puck from its base and drape it over your screen. You can adjust the length of cord between the two to get it to hang properly.

-First it will find the optimal brightness setting. You want the measurement bar to sit between the two white lines - this is the ‘acceptable’ brightness range. Adjust your brightness if it is not within this range:

-Click back to System Prefs

-Go to Displays and adjust the brightness slightly

-Click back to the background/Spyder software and click Update

-You may need to do this a few times to get it right

-Click Continue when done

-Then the calibration will run. When done give your profile a name and save it. You can compare your new profile with an uncalibrated view to see the difference.

-Make a note of your brightness setting (or take a screen cap).

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