To Set up a Video Monitor or TV for NTSC

procedure courtesy Walter Graff Hellgate Pictures NYC

note: This is easier than you might think when looking ahead at all this text.

Allow the monitor to warm up for a few minutes
> Block any reflections on the screen and make sure the lighting in the location is not that bright around the monitor.
>Switch your camera into bars.
> Set the Contrast also called "picture" to its midpoint.
> Turn the Chroma also called "color" on some monitors all the way down until the color bars are shades of black and white
> Notice the three Picture Lineup Generating Equipment bars on the bottom right called PLuGE bars. The left one is below what a black signal is on a monitor. The middle one is set for 7.5 units or black. The 11.5 bar is slightly brighter than what black represents on your monitor. Adjust the Brightness control until the middle (7.5 units) PLuGE bar is not quite visible. The lightest bar on the right (11.5 units) should be barely visible. The left bar (3.5 units) disappears when you do this.
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> Since 7.5 units is as dark as video gets in the US (analog), you should not see any difference between the left bar (3.5 units) and the middle bar (7.5 units). There should be no dividing line between these two bars. In fact both should disappear together based on the 7.5 bar which 'just' disappears. The only division you should see is between 11.5 and 7.5
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> Next we want to set the contrast control on the monitor for a proper white level. To do so, turn the contrast all the way up. The white (100 unit) bar which is the fat brightest white bar in the lower left hand side of the screen will get real bright. Prior to turning the contrast pot down, you will notice that the 11.5 units bar is now brighter than it was when we just set it and that you can see the space where the 3.5 and the 7.5 units were. Adjust the contrast down until the three PLuGE bars go back to the point where the 7.5 is barely visible and the 3.5 is not longer visible. The 11.5 is once again slightly visible.
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> Next we adjust the color portion of the picture. All professional monitors have a blue-only switch. Press it. When you do, you are using only the blue gun in the tube to make an image. On some monitors the bars will turn shades of black and white. On others the bars will turn deep blue.
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> Notice that the four bars visible are either a shade of black and white or are shades of deep blue. Also notice that each column is actually split toward the bottom of the bars making for four tall bars with four little sub bars. If the tint and color are correct, these two elements in each column should appear to be the same color or contrast. Most likely, they may need adjustment.
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> We are now going to make sure all the bars are the same color (as close as
> they can be).
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> Now this next step is a 'two place viewing' procedure. With the blue switch still depressed, turn the chroma or color knob until the split vertical bars on the far left and the bars at the far right are of equal brightness or hue if your monitor shows them as blue, and that the two vertical bars match with the two small sub bars below them. All four bars (two big and two small) should appear to have the same value. Let me say it again. When you have it right, all four of the bars (the left bar with its sub and the right bar with its sub) should appear to have the same hue or contrast.
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Turn the Blue only switch off so all the colors show.

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> For HD video there is no Phase adjustment. For NTSC analog now adjust the Hue control or Phaseuntil the two inner bars are also equal with their sub bars and each other. At this point as you look at the screen all the four vertical columns including the little sub bars should look equal in intensity or brightness depending on what you monitor does when you press 'blue only'.
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> Unless you have a waveform and vectorscope with, your monitor is now the
> only way for you to see how accurate your video is. Don't adjust it!
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