I have a question about calibration

[brian_f2.8]

Not trying to hi jack this thread but I have a question about calibration - In my classroom I have 22 iMacs. Tech support is going to install Lion next week. Basically we are creating one image and duplicating that for the entire lab. The macs will then be shielded(every time they restart, the computer returns to an original image to prevent kids from messing with settings). Should I spend the time to individually calibrate each computer or image the master copy and apply to all?

I will do some printing

 

[KmH]

Not trying to hi jack this thread

I moved your post to it's own thread for you.

 

[kathyt]

Does the lighting in the room stay about the same or do you have alot of windows?

 

[Light Guru]

Not trying to hi jack this thread but I have a question about calibration - In my classroom I have 22 iMacs. Tech support is going to install Lion next week. Basically we are creating one image and duplicating that for the entire lab. The macs will then be shielded(every time they restart, the computer returns to an original image to prevent kids from messing with settings). Should I spend the time to individually calibrate each computer or image the master copy and apply to all?

I will do some printing

Each screen can be different so they would each need their own calibration.

I previously worked at a place where we also had the computers reset to a set state upon restarting and the machines were set to restart themselves each night. We used a program called deep freeze. Each machine was given the same image but there were a few minor things that would be different with each machine. After they were imaged we would disable deep freeze set the minor things that were different and then reenable deep freeze. This is what you would need to do for the calibration of each machine. And because screens need to be recalibrated regularly you will have to un freeze them each time you recalibrate.

What will the students be doing in this computer lab? I ask because critical calibration may not be needed.

 

[brian_f2.8]

Not trying to hi jack this thread but I have a question about calibration - In my classroom I have 22 iMacs. Tech support is going to install Lion next week. Basically we are creating one image and duplicating that for the entire lab. The macs will then be shielded(every time they restart, the computer returns to an original image to prevent kids from messing with settings). Should I spend the time to individually calibrate each computer or image the master copy and apply to all?

I will do some printing

Each screen can be different so they would each need their own calibration.

I previously worked at a place where we also had the computers reset to a set state upon restarting and the machines were set to restart themselves each night. We used a program called deep freeze. Each machine was given the same image but there were a few minor things that would be different with each machine. After they were imaged we would disable deep freeze set the minor things that were different and then reenable deep freeze. This is what you would need to do for the calibration of each machine. And because screens need to be recalibrated regularly you will have to un freeze them each time you recalibrate.

What will the students be doing in this computer lab? I ask because critical calibration may not be needed.

Thats what we use in class is deep freeze. I do a lot with video but my Advanced Imaging is based on photoshop/aperture assignments.

 

[brian_f2.8]

Does the lighting in the room stay about the same or do you have alot of windows?

I have a lot of windows in my room. The class is in the afternoon so the sun is above the school.

 

[Light Guru]

Thats what we use in class is deep freeze. I do a lot with video but my Advanced Imaging is based on photoshop/aperture assignments.

Are these "advanced imaging" things color critical. I know that almost nothing I did in college was color critical.

 

[Light Guru]

Does the lighting in the room stay about the same or do you have alot of windows?

I have a lot of windows in my room. The class is in the afternoon so the sun is above the school.

Lots of windows in the room will cause a LOT more problems then you have windows and computers if you are going for color accurate monitors. This is because of ever changing ambient light that will mess with calibration. I use the Spyder4 to calibrate my monitors and it has a ambient light sensor and there for it MUST be plugged into the computer at all times to provide it with a ambient light reading. With the ever changing ambient light in your computer lab you would need to have a separate calibrator with ambient light sensor connected to each and every machine in the lab at all times. I think this is impractical.

Im betting vary few things will be color critical and for those few I would set up a small windowless room with a few computers that have calibrated monitors, and then not worry about calibration on the computers in the general lab.

 

[brian_f2.8]

Thats what we use in class is deep freeze. I do a lot with video but my Advanced Imaging is based on photoshop/aperture assignments.

Are these "advanced imaging" things color critical. I know that almost nothing I did in college was color critical.

No, but I would like to implement how and why to calibrate a monitor and show kids the difference.

 

[Light Guru]

Thats what we use in class is deep freeze. I do a lot with video but my Advanced Imaging is based on photoshop/aperture assignments.

Are these "advanced imaging" things color critical. I know that almost nothing I did in college was color critical.

No, but I would like to implement how and why to calibrate a monitor and show kids the difference.

Teaching them about calibration and actually keeping all the computer screens calibrated are two vary different things. You can easily teach them how to calibrate a monitor but not try and keep all the displays in that lab calibrated at all times because from the sound of it that would be a nightmare to actually do. After teaching them about calibration ask them what challenges the class room they are in would present when keeping a display calibrated. Use the problems the room present at a teaching tool.

 

[brian_f2.8]

yes i agree - we are on the same page