Adjusting my LCD Monitor

I do a lot of colour w*rk drawing my maps and use a lot of grey in various
shades.

Unfortunately I just cannot get the light greys to show up properly.

Using the RGB definitions 233:233:233 and anything lighter just looks like
the 255:255:255 background on my screen though I can see the difference
plainly when I print.

I really need to alter what I see but much as I try I cannot sort it.

Do I need to up the contrast and lower the brightness or the other way
round?

I also have a colour setting in which you can lower the R, G or B settings
but I can't see that is the answer cos black and white are perfect.

Anyone offer any suggestions?

Faolan...

If you use Elements or Photoshop look in control panel for Adobe Gamma
it will 'help' calibrate the screen for you. Note however it's still
better to have a calibration tool (such as a puck) to get the best
rendition.

LCD panels are notorious for being poor for colour calibration.

Ponder...

It might be worth setting a colour profile. Now I've never set one myself
but this is on the M$ web site:

Jeff Gaines...

There's a list of colour codes with example swatches here:

andon...

For what it is worth Pam, I can't see any difference
between grey shades 235:235:235 and 255:255:255
on the colour swatch. They all register to my vision as white.
I can tell the shades below 94% with no problem but not above.

Pam the goose...

At least you see it like me!
My printer sees it as it should be, though, and prints colours that don't
exist on my monitor:)

Ali...

All colour printers print colours that don't exist on any monitor.
It's an effect of using completely different technologies.
Monitors add shades of light (red green blue), printers add shades of dark
(or subtract light) (cyan magenta yellow black). The amazing thing is how
often they match.

I've no idea how to get your monitor to show a pale gray, but a technique
I've found useful when jbexvat with hard-to-see colours is to change them
for something else (bright orange, deep purple, shocking pink etc), get the
positioning right then change back. Depending on the software, this is as
easy as editing the palette (just pick another colour) or the slightly
harder select by colour (magic wand) and recolour selection.

andon...

Now that may be a clue too.
Is it a facet of the printer, printer driver?
Is it possible to get someone to print
the same image for you on a completely different
printer and then compare the images?
I know that I can obtain very different results
by doing that.

I assume that you are referring to both
grey-scaling and colour toning now?

Have you checked the printer driver
at all Pam? Make, model & version?

Pam the goose...

Oh, yes, the printer's doing it right. It prints it like Ray's printer does.
But Ray sees the greys on his screen.
Yes, both grey-scaling and colour toning.

It may be worth re-setting the monitor (you may need to look at the
manual) and start from scratch.

There's some test programs to down-load at:

and some online tests at:

With this you can adjust the monitor following on screen instructions
with a chart:

I think it's trial and error to some extent, and it will probably
change itself when there's a 'y' in the day :-)

Pam the goose...

Hey, thanks for that, Jeff.
In my dim and distant past I've used those pages.
I wish my rememberer would do its thing properly!

Steve...

Who's LCD Panel
Who's Graphic Card
Who's PC

Pam the goose...

They're all mine, Steve.

Oh, no, I see what you mean:))

Philips 150S
Radeon 9550
Ray built it so maybe it's Ray's - not a shop-bought, that is:)

Adjusting my LCD Monitor - HELP!