Calibrating monitors is the first step in accomplishing accurate color throughout a newspaper. I receive more requests for help with monitor calibration than for anything else other than software-related issues. Getting colors to appear accurately on monitors is of supreme importance to many newspapers, who are willing to spend whatever it takes to get their monitors calibrated. Fortunately, you shouldn?t have to spend too much. I've recently taken some time to research color calibration systems and have found a product that will meet the needs of many newspapers. ColorVision?s Spyder2Pro Studio features precise calibration and highly accurate ICC profiles for CRT, LCD, laptop displays and digital projectors. The software and graphical user interface is so easy to use that just about any computer-savvy staff person can install and use the system in minutes. The Spyder2Pro Studio comes with: - a Spyder2 Colorimeter to examine and adjust monitor colors - Spyder2Pro software - DoctorPro, a Photoshop plugin to edit printer profiles - Pantone Colorist software to help with colors in Web site design - nik Color Efex Pro 2.0, a selection of filters and effects for enhancing and transforming images in Photoshop Spyder2Pro Studio works like this: After a quick installation of the software, the user places the colorimeter against the monitor screen, with the help of a counterweight attached to the USB cable. This keeps the colorimeter from moving during the process. There are help screens to assist throughout the process. After prompting the user to place the colorimeter on the screen, a decision must be made to determine the appropriate gamma settings. Gamma is the parameter that describes the nonlinear relationship between image pixels and monitor brightness. Let?s just say it plays a major role in getting colors to come out right. After a little research, I determined that a gamma of 2.2 is the best setting for most computer monitors. A few years ago, Mac users became accustomed to setting their gamma to 1.8, but 2.2 seems to be the best setting for most PC and Mac monitors available today. With the click of a button, the colorimeter begins checking colors on the screen. In a process that takes about ten minutes, the screen changes from black to shades of red, green, blue and gray. At the end of the procedure, the program prompts you to create a name for the new profile. Before closing the Spyder2Pro utility, you have the opportunity to see a before and after view of the monitor. I?ve calibrated several monitors using Spyder2Pro Studio during the past week. It has performed very well in most instances. I did have a problem with a color cast on two monitors, but a quick call to Colorvision's technical support led me to a solution to the problem. Apparently, it's important to plug the colorimeter into the USB port on the back of your computer. USB hubs and front ports often don't have enough resources to power the colorimeter sufficiently. The next step in moving toward accurate colors is to calibrate printers, presses and scanners. I plan to address these issues in future columns. For now, the first step in this process is to purchase a copy of Spyder2Pro Studio. The MSRP is $299 (USD). More information can be found at www.colorvision.com.