Graphic Arts Workstations - Part Two : DreamColor Calibration Solution Kit

Now that the DreamColor Calibration Solution is working I'll provide a few snapshots of the process. The starting screen gives the option between  Easy or Advanced seen only if you happen to be running dual displays. You don't get those options if you are running the zBook without a second monitor. I would suggest not having a second monitor attached during your first run of the calibration software.

The image below is what you will see if you have only the native LCD as part of the mobile workstation.

There are several Display Presets you can choose from (sRGB, rec709, rec601, Native, and DCI-P3). I chose AdobeRGB and did the same for RGB Primaries, but for the primaries there is a custom option allowing you to chose your own RGB settings. White Point gives you the options of D50, D55, and D65, and custom where you can set it to your preference. Luminance and Gamma are also adjustable and X-rite has a nice tutorial on the standards for those settings found here. You will need to register an account and logon. If you're a beginner to color calibration and the total issue of color control you will find the videos interesting. Some of the videos are free.

I was concerned that in the left side panel it said HP ElieteBook instead of zBook, but apparently that is OK. After you have set the values you want that's just about all there is to it. Mindless... just like my right brain likes it :)

The image above is the last before calibration begins. It is simply telling you where to put the DreamColor colorimeter. The calibration process takes about four minutes and finishes with asking to name and save the profile. That's it.

This is a very simple process and does not have all the options that you will find in more advanced color correction software and hardware options... but then again, unless you're a professional with a very large and costly project in your hands this HP solution may be all you need.

For example, the unit does have an ambient light diffuser as seen in the white spot in the image below. However, the software does not take advantage of that. I suspect maybe future upgrades will, or, it is just an artifact of the colorMunki heritage which will never be used in the HP variant.

That's it for now. I may show some of the performance differences between the Asus ProColor which was/is considered a decent monitor, and the DreamColor monitors.