fiddly

October 17, 2005 3:03 PM

Adobe Gamma makes my laptop screen really dark. Um, should it do that? Is there something I should be using instead?
posted by Pretty_Generic to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

If you don't need it then just take the entry for Adobe Gamma out of your Startup folder. Depending on your video card in the laptop you probably already have an adjuster available for gamma if you need it, somewhere in the video properties.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 3:12 PM on October 17, 2005

Response by poster: Is Adobe Gamma an accurate tool for displaying accurate colours? Have I been spoilt by a lifetime of bright unstandardised screens?
posted by Pretty_Generic at 3:14 PM on October 17, 2005

Without speaking specifically to the accuracy of Adobe Gamma, I will say that in my experience professional designers have a much darker screen than I (and most people I know) use for everyday computing stuff. A standardized screen will most likely take some getting used to and likely will have to be used in a darkish room without a lot of glare.
posted by Justinian at 3:25 PM on October 17, 2005

Response by poster: Isn't it somewhat anomalous that these designers are designing things that will be displayed on brighter screens? :)
posted by Pretty_Generic at 3:27 PM on October 17, 2005

No, because they're probably designing for print rather than for screens. Besides, they may be on Macs which have a brigher gamma setting than most PCs anyway.
posted by willnot at 3:38 PM on October 17, 2005

When you calibrate with Adobe Gamma, you should be able to choose a target gamma. I think you want 2.2 for "standard" PC gamma.
posted by kindall at 4:32 PM on October 17, 2005

To answer the designer question as best as I can - I have three settings on my computer for different tasks.

Print, which is not necessarily darker, but less intense with a yellowish, mucky kind of tint.

Web, which is set to standard PC gamma.

Then I setup a personal one, brighter than print but not as dark as PCs, not quite as wishy washy as the macs standard either.

To answer your question - You can either just disable it or run through the adobe gamma assistant, something like that. It'll help you setup your display to your preference.
posted by twistedonion at 4:50 PM on October 17, 2005

I apologize for not having any advice, but I thought this comic was appropriate to your situation.
posted by breath at 12:21 AM on October 18, 2005