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Monitor got darker after trying enforcing color profile

904 views 30 replies 4 participants last post by  Terepin 
#1 ·
So I tried this app http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=386325 to force color profile for my monitor and it worked. At least I think it worked because it god a bit darker. I didn't like it though, so I exited game, closed application, started game again and... it was still darker. Nothing helped. So I went as far as reinstalling Windows. And to my disappointment it's still darker. But everywhere. Tried different monitor and it was the same. How is this even possible?
 
#2 ·
The only way it is possible is that program says it can also load gamma profiles into your monitors LUT.
So if you did that somehow, at least the first monitor, it could have that profile loaded directly into the monitor itself. Depends on if your monitor is capable of that though, not a lot are.
The other variable is the second monitor is darker than the first by default so comparing them is futile. Even if they are the same exact monitor type.
Another is, when you reformatted Windows your monitor is using a default Windows generic profile, and you were previously using one that you created some time in the past after you installed Windows the first time when you built your machine, or if you bought pre-built system they did it for you.
And lastly it's likely that it's just your eyes.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for answer!

I can assure you that my eyes are a-OK. I am very sensitive to even subtle changes. And not only I did notice it, but also my friend. Not to mention it's unpleasant to watch it, because in dark areas the details are lost, so I really need to focus to see things.
As a proof, I checked color calibration tool. Gamma is obviously wrong:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DCeJ5fCMGjpKa_41KJsAp3Je2V9SfnAkxA/view?usp=sharing
I couldn't get rid of dots inside properly just by changing gamma value. But I came to two solutions:
1. Changing monitor's contrast shows perfect gamma picture.
2. Changing brightness, contrast and gamma in nVidia Control Panel also shows perfect gamma picture.
Now, since I am complete n00b in this matter, which of these solutions are better?

As to why or how. I have Eizo Foris FS2333-BK, so I highly doubt you can do that. But I can be wrong. But graphics card also has its own LUT. Could it be that changed? I was thinking about re-flashing its BIOS. I'm always using color profile from manufacturer, si this didn't change across installments.

So far I tried getting rid of said software, reinstalling Windows, changing monitors, cables (from DVI to HDMI), graphics cards, even PCI-E slots. Nada.
 
#5 ·
Reset the monitor to factory defaults.
 
#8 ·
Use your monitors settings. Not really advised to use the Nvidia stuff and you should never need to unless your monitor has no osd.
Using other peoples profiles is also not advised. Yes internet forums do it, but it's not the right way to go about it. You can get away with it, it might help a little, or you can have problems. The right way is to calibrate your monitor on your machine with a calibrator. And if you don't have a calibrator http://www.quickgamma.de/indexen.html is the next best thing.

First set your preferred panel brightness and color settings as close as possible by eye on the monitor, and then fine tune it with quick gamma ( if you feel you need too at all ) and then load the profile in Windows and set it as your default profile.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marios145 View Post

Is the 4:4:4(full RGB) option enabled in display settings?
Not available via DVI.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KGPrime View Post

Use your monitors settings. Not really advised to use the Nvidia stuff and you should never need to unless your monitor has no osd.
Using other peoples profiles is also not advised. Yes internet forums do it, but it's not the right way to go about it. You can get away with it, it might help a little, or you can have problems. The right way is to calibrate your monitor on your machine with a calibrator. And if you don't have a calibrator http://www.quickgamma.de/indexen.html is the next best thing.

First set your preferred panel brightness and color settings as close as possible by eye on the monitor, and then fine tune it with quick gamma ( if you feel you need too at all ) and then load the profile in Windows and set it as your default profile.
Color profile is provided by Eizo on monitor's support page.

But I am clueless at this point. I changed nothing. The only thing I tried was that software.
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terepin View Post

Not available via DVI.
Color profile is provided by Eizo on monitor's support page.

But I am clueless at this point. I changed nothing. The only thing I tried was that software.
Eizos profile is meaningless. Anyone elses profile is meaningless. It may get you in the ballpark if you don't have a calibrator, but it's still not going to be accurate for everyone if at all. You still have to calibrate your monitor to your system. And if your gamma is messed up in your video card somehow then it's certainly not going to work at all. It sounds like you have messed up your gamma somehow. Just try what i said, it should fix it if you do it right.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terepin View Post

So I tried QuickGamma and frankly I don't see much of a difference. But still, how can a software mess up with cards's gamma?
Changing the gamma should make a huge difference. Are you sure the profile is enforced in Windows?
When you say everything is darker it sounds like your gamma is off, i'm sure you know about your contrast and brightness, so it's probably not that i'm assuming.

The more likely thing is you are overlooking something simple. Or that you have some slider in NV control panel off, or it is in the right spot but not actually engaging. Or a setting in your monitors osd.
Since you stated it's on two different monitors we lean towards the target machine.

The how or why is unknown, but in the end it's not some mystery of the universe that cannot be fixed. If you created a profile in quick gamma, and did it right, you should notice a difference in something, that is for sure.
You can create a profile that's total garbage on purpose just to see exactly what it is doing.

I would just do again, one thing at a time. First unload all profiles, and or just use the Eizo one then for starters or a standard srgb profile which i believe Windows has in System 32/drivers by default. Mines does anyway. Then in your osd of your monitor. Is there a gamma setting? Set it to 2.2 or close to that. Some monitors just give you the choice of gamma 1 , 2 or 3. You may have to look up what that means if so. Some give you nothing and if the gamma is off you need to calibrate it or you will never get a proper picture. Quick gamma allows you to do that, and it should make a big difference in that case. Or a small difference if it was never that bad in the first place. That program has been around for like 10 years, it works.

So set your preferred brightness and contrast in your monitor osd. I generally change brightness but not contrast, or if i change contrast it's usually only by a small amount.
Make sure you have nothing touched in your nvidia control panel, everything is set to default.

How does it look? If it's still dark, like black is encroaching on your color, shadows ect crushing it, adjust the contrast on your monitor a little. If it's dull and or just flat like the screen is greyish and not vibrant. Then it's probably your gamma. Use quick gamma to set your gamma and make sure the profile is loaded in Windows properly. If it doesn't work 99.9% you are doing something wrong.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terepin View Post

The thing is it only creates color profile. But that profile won't work in games.
Yes it will. Some games won't but not all. I think you used program without knowing what or why you even need it. But at the moment it seems the more important issue is fixing the problem you somehow created.

After that read up on the what and why you would even need to bother with forcing profiles in some games in the first place.
https://pcmonitors.info/articles/using-icc-profiles-in-windows/
 
#15 ·
I just... I can't grasp the concept of simple utility doing permanent changes to HW. What's even more confusing is that even changing all the things I could think off nothing changed. Here, look at these screenshots. Isn't the light, I dunno, darker?
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=787417422
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=787417430
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=787417436

For comparison:
Before - http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=780841354
Now - http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=783555626
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terepin View Post

Another thing is that no matter which setting I change or where I change, it never looks good.
I wouldn't be able to see anything wrong anyway in a SS if the problem is your monitor.
rolleyes.gif

But i see nothing wrong in these images other than they are all in different spots and there's no way to compare them since i never played that game. Looks fine to me though.
The rest, i linked you your answers. The whole page. Read it. All the way to the bottom.
 
#19 ·
Maybe you just got used to the darker profile and when you did all this process of switching profiles and compared with other screens you can never un-see the difference.
I had no issues with using my 27" TV for the last 6 months, i even tried some simple calibration guide and got it where it "should" be, NOTHING seemed wrong to me.

Then, last week i decided to take my 20" monitor from my second PC and keep 2 screens for easier multi-tasking, my monitor was uncalibrated and suddenly i look at this:


Now, even if i don't turn the monitor on, i still notice the red-pink tint.
I've tried lots of stuff and found that the colour green on the TV panel must be damaged or that it was bad since the beginning, but I wasn't able to notice it, probably because i had no comparison or it happened gradually.
The difference is even bigger if i open this photo on both screens.
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terepin View Post

Even when playing games, dark areas aren't dark, but almost pitch black. Rising gamma or brightness helps, yes, but at expanse making everything else grey. I can't get rid of black places without destroying the rest of the picture.
Seems you may be used to a lower gamma setting. Try 2.0, or 1.9, or 1.8. But try to only use your monitor settings first without any gamma profile loaded. This way even if some game isn't using your system profile, your monitor is close enough so it shouldn't be too much of a difference. If you need to tweak it in quick gamma after that the rest of the way then you can use it.
 
#24 ·
Let me ask you this: monitors are calibrated to gamma 2.2, yes? And Windows is set to use gamma 2.2, yes? If this is true, why color calibration's gamma picture is wrong? In fact it's even worse when I use sRGB standard. That doesn't make any sense.
 
#25 ·
I GOT IT!!!

So I tried to install Windows 7 to see if it will fix it. Well, it did! Same HW, same drivers. Here is two identical scenes from show:
1. Windows 7 (good): https://drive.google.com/file/d/11rnILTzzPFr5vSGAXt7iRyOPowAQ2k38WA/view?usp=sharing
2. Windows 10 (bad): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0GFPMJ7zM7lVnpHS3c0Tjd6STg/view?usp=sharing

On Windows 7 MPC was configured to display it in full RGB range and on Windows 10 as well. But when I change it to limited range on Windows 10 it suddenly looked just on Windows 7. In other words limited RGB on 10 looks exactly like full RGB on 7. My monitor is connected via DVI, so it's always full RGB. This has to be a bug inside Windows 10.
 
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