There are a few colorimeter-based monitor calibration products (CBMCPs) that have been available for over a decade. There are a number of differences between these products and TruHu that are worth highlighting.
Colorimetric Accuracy
Monitor calibration software requires colorimetric measurements to create an ICC profile. Colorimeters “see” in colorimetric space natively, so they are well-suited for this application. A mobile phone’s camera is simply an array of image sensors combined with sophisticated image processing software to turn the sensor data into a photo.
TruHu uses the sensor data (bypassing the image processing software), along with some clever algorithms, to convert the RAW sensor data to colorimetric data. The measurements from a colorimeter are likely more accurate, but our testing has shown TruHu to produce profiles very similar in quality to those produced by a colorimeter.
Price
Colorimeter-based monitor calibration packages run in the $170-$300 range.
At $39.99, TruHu is ¼ to ⅛ the price of the competition.
Metamerism
Colorimeters “see” colors differently depending on what backlight technology your monitor is using. This is an example of metamerism. Thus, CBMCPs typically ask the user which type of backlight technology they are using, and then filter the colorimeter’s data based on this information. If the user doesn’t know whether their display is W-LED, OLED, or GB-r LED, they run the risk of getting flawed data from their colorimeter.
Your smartphone’s camera suffers from this same limitation. But TruHu has created a database of over 10K displays, including their backlight technology. The user doesn’t need to know what kind of backlight they have because TruHu does.
Luminance
CBMCPs incorporate a luminance target into their calibration to help ensure a consistent level of brightness over time and between different displays.
TruHu does not do this, instead counting on the user to set a level of brightness with which they are comfortable. While it can be nice to set a specific level of luminance, the reality can actually be different. For instance, the default luminance on most CBMCPs is 120 cd/m2 (or NITS). This is not bright enough for many working environments, which can have significant overhead or natural light. Thus, users can undergo a series of trial and error calibrations to find a luminance level with which they are comfortable, or they can simply grudgingly accept the sub-optimal defaults. TruHu understands this and trusts the user to set the correct brightness level for their environment.
Flexibility
Not too many people keep their colorimeter on their bedside table at night; the colorimeter tends to stay in the office. But in our hybrid-work world, many people find themselves working at more than one location. The best, most flexible colorimeter is the one in your pocket – your mobile phone. In addition, colorimeters use a USB-B cable to connect to your computer. Given that many recent-generation computers come with USB-C ports only, this is not particularly convenient. With TruHu, anywhere you have an internet connection, you have all the connectivity you need.
If you have more questions about TruHu, please check our FAQ page.
