SETTING up a home theatre system is probably child’s play for most AV enthusiasts, getting easier by the year with the calibration tools provided by manufacturers.
The layman, however, is usually at a loss, and to take the guesswork out of it is a new app called THX tune-up. It allows the user to correctly adjust TV, projector and amp/speaker settings and elicit better audio and video performance from his system.
The app includes custom video test patterns, and carefully selected photos and tutorials to help you dial in the best picture settings on the display screen, based on ambient lighting. The special test sounds let you check the speakers for correct phase and connectivity, both for stereo and 5.1-channel audio.
What you will need, though, are an iPad (2 and later), iPhone (4 onwards), iPad Mini or iPod Touch (from fourth generation) hooked up to your AV system via the Apple Digital AV adaptor and HDMI cable, or wirelessly via Apple TV.
Then, just download the app, unearth the menus for picture adjustments on your display or speaker settings on the AV amp, and follow the THX tune-up tutorial, which also includes tips and advice on remote control features, room lighting and viewing distance, among other things.
Video adjustment parameters include aspect ratio, brightness, contrast, colour and tint, while for audio, THX tune-up makes sure you’ve connected the speakers correctly for all channels.
The app also offers a few extras, so download and be surprised.
The Android version of THX tune-up will be out soon, we hear, so non-Apple users can stop sulking. What? Did someone say Windows? Really … what cheek!
