Do you want to make sure your display is properly calibrated and color-optimized? Today’s HDR features help a lot, but not every device is compatible with HDR (high dynamic range) technology, and many people prefer to make their own custom adjustments.
Enter test screens, the digital color swatches that you can use to dial in your color settings (such as the hue, saturation, contrast, and temperature). More advanced test screens can help you match your color decisions to your current framerate and resolution so that you don’t miss anything.
However, finding multipurpose test screens like these can prove surprisingly challenging in the modern entertainment world. Still, Netflix has a solution. Here’s how to use it.
What do you need for Netflix screen testing?
First, you need a display with color and performance settings you can adjust. That adds some limitations.Android phones, for example, may have a few color modes to choose from but may not offer much more. Your PC or Chromebook display has more options to work with, especially if you use a dedicated GPU on a desktop. Your TV has plenty of color settings, but you need to know how to use them. A little bit of research may be in order.
Second, know the max resolution and framerate of your screen. That can help you dial in the right adjustments.
Third, have anavailable Netflix accountyou can access on your display. Netflix restricts access to 4K and higher resolutions through higher-tier accounts. However, these restrictions do not appear to affect the test screens, which are available at UHD resolutions, so you may still test your 4L TV without worrying if resolution makes a difference.
How to calibrate using Netflix screen tests
When you’re ready, turn on your device, log in to Netflix, and get your fingers ready to tweak your settings!
You can make other slight adjustments to different color settings, but these are the primary steps to help your image look its best. If necessary, save these primary settings as a profile that you can return to for that display. If you like, you can stop now and test the new settings on your favorite show to see if you notice a difference.
Now your image is ready
Features like HDR will yank around your settings depending on the instructions written into the format. That’s not a bad thing, but it affects your experience between different content and displays. However, it’s also important to have a baseline that’s always ready, regardless of whether you use HDR or not. That’s where the Netflix test pattern can help out.
If your display doesn’t have any color settings, you may be able to switch color formats onyour connected devices. The latest Apple TVs, for example, allow you to adjust the color balance. However, your best options will always come from the display settings.
