I'm using a 20" Flat Screen and the DVD picture quality is really grainy via the S-Video out on my computer. The picture was never like this on my 13" round tube connected via composite. I'm not sure why this is the case but I'm going to get a stand alone player and connect it to my T.V. via component, which may or may not fix the problem.

How good is the Fight Club THX video software for calibrating T.Vs? I don't know if it would be worth if it I picked up the $50 packages like Video Essentials - it seems that would be for those who have 50" HDTVs and the like. Is the Fight Club calibration decent enough for most setups?

the THX setups on dvds are onlly good for that particular dvd that they are on. i'd get the video essentials disc.

Huh? It shouldn't really matter from one disc to the next, the right settings are the right settings.

The THX setups are not the best way to calibrate a set, but they're decent and will get the job done.

sorry guys, the THX optimode press release backs up what i said about the optimode being good for that particular release:

http://www.thx.com/press/optimode.html

and another: http://www.technofile.com/articles/thx_optimode.html


the optimizer is probably a good setup for every disc, but it is intended to be used only for the disc that it comes on

And what about the Video?

Dyerjp is right. THX Optimode is designed to optimize the picture quality on that particular disc.

If you can't afford Video Essentials or Avia, try the Sound & Vision Home Theater Tune-Up disc. It's sort of a beginner's version of Avia and is $15 at Amazon (around $18 at Best Buy if you prefer a brick & mortar retailer). It's not as comprehensive as Avia, but is a good place to start.

The THX Optimode on Fight Club was the very first Optimode released and it was off a bit. The Optimode patterns on other releases would be a better choice.

You will need to send away to THX for the blue filter to use the tests properly.