One of Patrick Serrian’s friends is a soccer expert. “I loved watching games with him,” Serrian said, “but I can’t stand his television.”
He would know. The owner of A+ Calibration in Utah, Serrian has been setting up and configuring TVs and projectors for a decade.
“He says, ‘Oh, it’s the cameras,’” Serrian recalled. “I’m like, ‘No, man, I watch this at my house. It looks nothing like this.’”
For some pro calibrators, the World Cup has brought a business bump. Professional Video Alliance founder Gregg Loewen recently returned from trips to New Jersey and Baltimore, where longtime customers wanted to ensure their screens were ready to handle the summer’s action.
With advanced equipment, Loewen calibrates TVs to deliver the same picture that sports producers see on high-priced reference monitors while creating broadcasts. But Loewen and Serrian also had advice for those looking to maximize their viewing experience, no equipment necessary. If you’re considering turning on sports mode, activating motion smoothing, or paying up for a 4K stream, it’s worth reading their thoughts first.
