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Calman Home for Samsung Walkthrough

The Samsung AutoCal workflow for Calman Home provides all the tools needed to ensure color accuracy on your AutoCal capable display. It is designed so users can automatically adjust their color settings for accurate image presentation with confidence.


Each step of this workflow has been optimized to display relevant information, and automatically configure common settings. Both Pre-Calibration and Post-Calibration measurement steps are included for comparing pre- and post-performance.

Note: For best results, the workflow steps should be performed in order, as many steps include automation designed to be performed in order


  • Calman Required Version
    • Calman Home for Samsung 2019 v5.10.0 or newer
  • Required Hardware
    • HDR Compatible Pattern Generator
      • A hardware pattern generator like the VideoForge Pro must be used for HDR  Calibration
      • Other generators, such as MobileForge can be used to SDR ONLY
    • HDR Compatible Meter
    • Calman Compatible Samsung TV
      • 2015 SUHD
      • 2016 SUHD
      • 2017 QLED
      • 2018 QLED Q9 and Q8
      • 2019 Q900R, Q90, and Q60
      • 2020 UHD QLED and 8K QLED models

Serial Connection Information

To connect the Calman calibration computer to a Samsung SUHD TV:

  1. Connect an ExLink adapter (3.5mm headphone jack to DB9 serial cable) between the 3.5mm jack on the side of the Samsung OneConnect box labeled “External Sync” and an RS232 port on your PC or to a USB to serial converter.
  2. If you are using a USB to serial converter, in Windows Device Manager, under “Ports (COM & LPT),” look for a “USB Serial Port (COMx)” listing.
  3. Note the listed COM port (COMx) of the serial converter.

3.5mm Headphone Jack to DB9 Female Serial Cable

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USB to RS232 Serial Converter

For connecting to a Samsung TV with a computer that does not have an RS232 port, we recommend the FTDI USB to RS232 converter. Extensive testing has determined that this FTDI converter, which includes a data buffer, is the most reliable adapter to use for Calman device control.

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USB Driver download for FTDI converter

Or, Calman Device Driver Pack


Step 1

  • From the Calman Menu in the top-left, choose Open Workflow Template and then Samsung AutoCal
  • On the introduction screen, choose the Colorspace Target (SDR/HDR)
    • This pre-configures the workflow for the desired targets.
    • At the end of the selected workflow, you will have the chance to proceed to another colorspace target

Step 2

Connect your Colorimeter and Pattern Generator to Calman. And, confirm your calibration targets, which have been pre-configured based on your colorspace choice in Step 1

  • Plug your meter into a USB port on the computer and press the Find Meter button on the left
    • When your meter is connected, select your display type from the dropdown (this will vary by meter)
      • Samsung Q Series displays use a Quantum Dot LED Display. For C6 Meters, choose LCD LED Quantum Dot as your meter mode
  • Connect Pattern Source to your computer
    • Click the Find Source button then select your source
    • Select the pattern window size
      • SDR:  Full 100%
      • HDR: Window 10%
  • Confirm your Calibration Targets
    • Colorspace
      • SDR: Rec.709/sRGB
      • HDR: Rec.2020
    • Gamma
      • SDR: BT.1886
      • HDR: ST2084
    • Whitepoint
      • D65

Step 3

In this step, you’ll take readings of your display before the calibration. These will be used to compare your calibration results

  • To take Pre-Calibration Measurements click the Read Series […] button to measure the display’s grayscale and ColorChecker response
    • This will provide a point of reference to compare your calibration results

Step 4

Connect to, and prepare your Samsung TV for calibration

  • Connect to Samsung TV
    • Connect an ExLink adapter (3.5mm headphone jack to DB9 serial cable) between the 3.5mm jack on the side of the Samsung OneConnect box or side of TV, labeled “EX-LINK” and an RS232 port on your PC or to a USB to serial converter.
    • If you are using a USB to serial converter, in Windows Device Manager, under “Ports (COM & LPT),” look for a “USB Serial Port (COMx)” listing. Note the listed COM port (COMx) of the serial converter.
    • Click on the Find Samsung TV button, select model year of Samsung TV you are calibrating. Then select the COM port your TV is connected to. Then Click Connect on the Find Display dialog.
  • Select Picture Mode to Calibrate.
    • Using the picture mode dropdown menu to the left, select which picture mode you would like to calibrate. Calibration Options are:
      • SDR: Movie, CAL-Day*, or CAL-Night*
        • *Note: CAL-Day/CAL-Night are locked after calibration.
      • HDR: HDR – Movie
  • After selecting your picture mode, click the Full DDC Reset button.
  • NOTE: Via your TV settings, confirm that your CMS Adjustment Point is set to 100%(Settings -> Picture -> Expert Settings -> ColorSpace Settings (Custom) -> Color Adjustment Point)
    • This item will be greyed out on some models.

Step 5 – 2019 MODELS HDR ONLY

In this step, you will raise or lower the contrast to best match the EOTF. Depending on your Samsung model and physical size, you will have different maximum luminance capabilities. This variability will cause each individual unit to track along the EOTF slightly differently.

  • First, press Read Series […] to take an initial reading of the EOTF
    • If the EOTF is tracking above the yellow line, lower contrast until the lines best match.
      • If the display is particularly bright (1800-2300nits), this value may need to be lowered to as much as 30-35
    • If the EOTF is tracking below the yellow line, raise contrast until the lines best match.
      • If the display has a lower peak luminance (450-700nits), this value may need to be raised to the maximum of 50
  • Once the best contrast is found, proceed to the next step


Step 6

On this page, Calman will adjust your display’s White Balance

  • Click the AutoCal button to perform the 2pt greyscale AutoCal

Step 7

In this step, you will be able to adjust the Luminance of your display to match your desired target. Luminance is a subjective target. SDR reference luminance is 100cd/m2, but you may need to target higher to account for the ambient light in your environment.

Note: This step is not present in HDR for 2019 Samsung models

  • Click the Measure Luminance button to measure your TV’s light output at 100% white and adjust the display’s peak white to the desired luminance.
    • Luminance is a subjective target. SDR reference luminance is 100nits, but you may need to target higher to account for the ambient light in your environment.
  • Adjust your TV’s backlight control so your TV is about 15% brighter than your final target to account for a reduction in luminance when calibrating the multipoint greyscale in the next step
  • Press Stop when luminance adjustment is complete

Step 8

Here Calman will adjust the Multipoint Greyscale of your display.

NOTE: This step is not present in HDR on 2019 Samsung models. Due to panel variability across various configurations of the QLED based TVs, the factory baseline EOTF settings can change the point alignment by model and panel size. Samsung 2019 QLED HDR calibration support has been updated to add in EOTF matching and remove MultiPoint Grayscale because of the variability. A combination of EOTF matching and a 2pt white balance produce excellent results across the range of supported 2019 QLED TVs and can be achieved quickly.

  • Press the AutoCal button and select the correct data points that correspond to the colorspace (SDR/HDR) you’re calibrating to auto-calibrate the Grayscale/Luminance response on your display.

Step 9

On this page, Calman will adjust the Colorspace/CMS controls on your display

  • In the OSD on the Samsung display, change the Color Space Settings to Custom
    • Settings > All Settings > Picture > Expert Settings > Color Space Settings > Color Space
      • If Color Space is set to anything but Custom, Calman will be unable to control the CMS
  • Press the AutoCal button to open AutoCal dialog
    • All options are preconfigured
  • Click OK to begin colorspace AutoCal process

Step 10

Here you will be able to manually adjust your Brightness and Contrast to ensure the display is not clipping away any RGB values near white

Note: This step is not present in HDR

  • Adjust the display’s Brightness and Contrast controls to set dynamic range (black to peak white).
  • In most cases, the default brightness and contrast values are appropriate for calibration
  • Click the Brightness button to display the brightness pattern then adjust brightness manually.
  • Click the Contrast button to display the contrast pattern then adjust contrast as high as possible without blending the brightest gray bars together and without shifting their color.
  • In the Datapoint levels drop-down, select Clipping with Peak White (90-109%), unless your pattern source does not generate patterns over 100% white, then select Clipping (90-100%).
  • Click the Read Series button and view the clipping detector graph chart to verify the Contrast adjustment.
  • If the RGB signals plateau at peak levels, reduce the Contrast slightly and retest.
  • Select the 100/235 pattern, click the Read Continuous button, and adjust the display’s peak white to the desired luminance from Step 6

Step 11

In this step, you’ll take readings of your display after the calibration. These will be used to compare your calibration results

  • Measure the display with a combination of a grayscale and X-Rite/Pantone ColorChecker patterns. This provides an accurate assessment of the display following calibration and will be represented along with the pre-calibration readings on the next page
  • Click the Read Series […] button to measure the display’s grayscale and ColorChecker® response.
  • Click Next to review calibration.

Step 12

  • Pre (top) and Post (bottom) calibration information will show the calibration results.
  • Click Calibrate HDR/SDR to return to the introduction page, where you can choose to calibrate a new picture mode and/or colorspace
  • Click Save Data to complete this calibration.

Tags:  Calman Home, Samsung