X-Rite EODIS2 Eye-One Display 2 Reviews

• Great, easy to use and learn product.

  
  By A2V0387TN0IQW1 on 2007-06-05
  There isn't much to really say about this product other than it does exactly what it say it will, does it relatively quickly, and potentially has nothing for you to learn before initial use. I had five monitors to calibrate; all LCDs except for one laptop display, four of them associated with dual monitored systems, mixed on both Windows XP and Windows Vista. I had all five calibrated within 20 minutes of opening the package, and reading nothing more than the quick start flyer; the software wizard in Easy Mode literally did everything in 4 steps without much input from me. On the monitor I perform a lot of graphic work on, I switched to the advanced mode and found the software to be just as intuitive and complete as it was in easy mode. Great product.
  
  

• Easy to Use

  
  By A2UP9D0QULEE72 on 2006-10-27
  I bought the Eye-One recently since I was having trouble seeing shadow details on both my monitors.
  
  I am not sure if they changed packaging since the last reviewer, but mine was simple. Open the flap, fold the front down and everthing is right there for your use. It folds back up nice and easy to store everything until later use.
  
  As soon as I got the package, I brought it to my work computer and plugged it in. I used the "easy" method for this computer. It walked me thru each step (not many in the "easy" method). I was done in a few minutes. One great part is it shows you a comparison of before and after. It is amazing how bad the monitor was calibrated before.
  
  I also brought it home for my laptop. I used the "advanced" setting for this computer. It was just as easy. There is an explaination on each step of what you need to do. The process only took a few minutes and I was done.
  
  It feels good to have a nice and consistant view between both computers.
  
  I have never used calibration equipment before, so I do not have a basis to compare this system against. But I am happy with what I got and its ease of use.
  
  

• Eye One Display 2

  
  By A23GO5PNY2S6FL on 2006-08-26
  They say that first impressions are lasting......... The box it came in was ridicously complex and poorly designed. Please note this is the first time in my 65 years of buying anything that I have commented on the packaging but this company (or their vendor) takes the cake. Once you get the product out of the box there are so many pieces of the box left that it's impossible to reassemble. The product arrived in two pieces. I mentioned this in the email I sent. You gotta read their reply.......
  
  "Q6. What's with the box? It's like a puzzle! I want to store the product
  for future use, and I certainly don't need a box 5 times bigger than it
  needs to be. Please consider including a small plastic box that can be
  used over and over again for storage/use purposes. Who ever designed
  your box must be obsessed with puzzles or layers of cardboard.
  
  A6. This is typical Swiss/ German enginering."
  
  Makes you wonder that if the Tech Support guy can't spell "engineering" you might be in for trouble. (but I don't think spelling really counts in emails, I just thought it was humorous).
  
  The top of the device had seperated from the bottom as a result of inadequate or poorly placed glue.
  
  I emailed the company and told them about it and they gave me a phone number to call for a replacement device. I called, gave the information asked for and that was on July 24th and I'm writing this on August 26th. No instructions or replacement yet. Perhaps I missed another deadline?
  
  The on-screen instructions are NOT user friendly and confusing.
  
  When you're finished the color calibration part you're presented more options. However; the options are not usable because they refer to other products you haven't purchased or don't even know about. It would seem to me that a capable programmer could have hid from view any products that are not installed. The rating given (2 stars) was given because I was successfully able to hold the top and bottom of the device together with a piece of Scotch tape and complete the calibration. I had purchased the Eye One 2 in the first place because I use 2 screens and since photography is a hobby and an occasional source of income it's important for me to see the same colors on both screens. Had I not been able to complete that task, the rating would have been a 0 star, because of all the bureaucracy involved.
  
  Although these folks are very friendly and give the impression of wanting to help, their followup is sorely lacking. I'm sending this review to them in hopes of helping their customer satisfaction and retention ability.
  
  Finally - This is the response sent to me on July 27th......
  
  
  "On Jul 27, 2006, at 2:12 AM, GretagMacbeth Support wrote:
  
  
  We have not heard from you concerning your request for support in the
  48 hours since we sent you a response. Consequently, we have changed
  the status of your question to SOLVED."
  
  Can you believe that? Like I'm supposed to be waiting at my computer just to make sure I don't miss a deadline (48 hours) that I didn't know about or agree to in the first place. NICE!
  
  

• It works great!

  
  By A291XTI6NO7DEG on 2008-02-11
  I used this to calibrate a three year old 19" Viewsonic LCD with a TN panel, a Hanns-G HX-191DPB 19" LCD, a Dell D400 and a Dell D410 laptop. Each one took about a half hour to set up the software and calibrate. All screens look amazing. I did, however, find the need to employ a 3-foot USB extension cable for my desktop, being that the box is rather far from the monitor. Most people will not need the extension.
  
  I chose to do the "easy" method and the "advanced" method to see the difference. After viewing both, I have to say that I find no need to do the "advanced" method again. In the future, I will use the "easy" calibration choice.
  
  NOTE: At the end of the process, be sure to un-check the box that states it will remind you daily or weekly to recalibrate your monitor. That sure is annoying.
  
  The colors on my monitor are now warmer and more true. Being that I have TN panel on all screens, I am very happy that I have the colors I do, for I am only seeing about 72% gamut.
  
  Before the calibration I used the Color Index 2: Over 1500 New Color Combinations: For Print and Web Media: Cmyk and Rgb Formulas to see how far out my colors were. I chose a brown-blue-orange-red mix and typed in the numbers from the page. I wasn't even close! After calibration I typed in the same numbers and held the book up to the screen: now I was very close on all but the brown, which was only slightly out. Not bad for a 30-minutes process that required little to no input from me.
  
  Now, the other reviewers that complained about the instructions are right: it expects a lot from you as a user. You must have a general understanding of what you are doing in order to make it happen. That's not to say it is completely lacking or impossible to figure out, but I could see where some people may have a problem or two. The manual is very basic. VERY basic. Ultra-minimalistic is a better way of putting it.
  
  I highly recommend this product to everyone that has a monitor and USB port.
  
  

• Excellent Product

  
  By A2IXM17K0UDE5A on 2006-11-24
  This product is extremely easy to use - despite what you may read below. It offers both an easy and advanced mode, both of which providing on-screen instructions as to what to do. It really could perhaps include some printed instructions, but I didn't have any problems. If you can't get a handle on how this thing works then perhaps you'd be better off sticking with film.
  
  In terms of efficacy, I have noticed that if your monitor is up to snuff, you'll have no problems getting spot-on colour correctness which will save you plenty in printing costs as well as frustration!
  
  I highly recommend this product!
  
  
• Does well with laptops too....
  By A32NJ01I4P3J6M on 2007-01-11
  Great if you only want to profile a monitor, there is NO PRINTER PROFILING FUNCTION HERE, but they are clear about that. There are just so many Gretag Macbeth products that I got plumb confused. Of course, at $700.00 I wasn't about to get the package that profiles the printer anyway.
  
  Intuitive to use, the directions are a little screwy but easy enough to get through, and the monitor looks great. Now If I could only get the new 2400 Stylus Pro profiled for less than my car payments.....
  
  
• DO NOT PURCHASE FROM AMAZON
  By AXI31MHMFQ8CM on 2008-05-03
  I ordered the EODIS2 display from amazon and like the other reviewer received the EyeOne Display 2 LT version (EODLT). In addition to being the wrong item it was clear that the package had already been opened. I assume from a previous return. The previous reviewer has the same problem on 2/26/08 and as of 5/2/08 it has not been corrected. Do yourself a favor and purchase it from a more reliable vendor. I have included a photo of the box showing the inventory tag clearly as a EODIS2 product over the Eye-One Display LT package.
  
  
• Great monitor calibrator.
  By A1BSXXZTE66P6B on 2007-01-18
  This is a great product if you need to calibrat your monitors.(LCD, CRT or laptop) The software is simple to use and has a basic and expert mode (depending on how accurate you need the colors to be. You dont even have to place the calibrator in a certin spot on the monitor like or cheackers, the software will find the location you placed it. Highly recomended for digital photographers or anyone how sends photo quality thing out to be printed.
  
  
• I finally found one that worked!
  By A1F5R3FKY0V3YM on 2008-02-11
  I started out with another companies calibrator (Hint: Dewey and Louie's brother) and found that one did not work on my Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop with the high-definition glossy screen.
  
  I researched more and found the X-Rite had worked on other Dell laptops. So, I decided to give it a try. It worked like a charm.
  
  I must say that this device has made all the difference in my photography post processing. I do not print my own photos but use a National camera chain store to do all of my printing. Everything looks more like the printed photos than before.
  
  Using it was easy. I installed the software and ran it. Answered a few questions and waited. It took all of about 15-20 minutes to install and run the calibration. I have it set to remind me every four weeks to run the calibration again.
  
  I love it and would recommend it anyone, but primarily to all Dell laptop users, especially those with the glossy screen.
  
  
• WARNING: Amazon is shipping the wrong thing!
  By A1NHOD7LX9DTTS on 2008-02-26
  I guess this is a review for the product Amazon sent me as opposed to the product listed on this page . . . unfortunately they were not the same thing.
  
  Amazon twice sent me the cheaper and discontinued model EODLT eye-one display lt (light) instead of the model EODIS2 that is pictured and described. They then issued a refund and temporarily removed the listing so that they could check stock, or at least that's what I was told. I am not sure they actually have the EODIS2, and Amazon is charging a lot less than this for the EODLT in other listings. If you look at the discussion below you'll see this has happened to a few of us. So use caution ordering this directly from Amazon.
  
  (As for the i1 display 2 itself, I got one from a different online retailer, and it seems to work quite nicely, I'd give it 4 or 5 stars.)
  
  Update: At the time I bought this it was listed as the display 2. Since then it's twice been merged into other listings, along with the reviews and comments from those listings. I do see a recent review in this listing saying the same thing is still happening, so take a good look at the box that arrives from Amazon.
  
  
• Great hardware, but lackluster software and documentation
  By A20RNT0G1NCC3Z on 2008-05-19
  Most of the other reviews here are accurate. This is a solidly-built piece that ultimately gets the job done, but the instructions are non-existent until you finally figure out which of the 4 programs they give you is the "main" program (you have to sift through a messy install CD with way too many folders and icons... it's not evident what's what)... and even then, the instructions and information are weirdly stilted. And the software itself (for Mac) is severely antiquated. It definitely looks like it was in it's prime around OS 8.6, and then (barely) updated for the first round of OS X. And, more importantly, it hung up a few times during the process. And one of the programs, that's supposed to "check" your monitor's health didn't work at all.
  
  Does it get the job done? I think so. The easy mode is darn easy, and the advanced mode, while more time consuming, is definitely better. My monitor is definitely looking a lot sexier, and I'm pretty much glad I got this device over the competition. However, the manufacturer is definitely resting on their laurels, coping a "ain't broke, won't fix it" attitude w/ the software and documentation. When a bit of a spitshine would garner a 5-star review from everyone.
  
  
• Love it..
  By A231BZAXVKQPAE on 2008-05-22
  I was having problems getting photo prints with the colors matching what I had on the screen. I just upgraded my system using a new HPw2408h display and an Epson R2400 printer. The software for the Eye-one is easy to setup. To calibrate place the hockey puck gizmo on the screen, click the calibrate button and watch the Eye-one run thru it automatic routine. On my HP display calibration didn't make a dramatic difference, but for photos enough the make it worthwhile. I'm now getting prints that closely match what I see on the screen.
  
  
• I cann see cleearrly noww...the blue is gonne...
  By A29HLLSMGPT74G on 2008-03-08
  I had a blue hue to my monitor (HP W2207) that I had a hard time completely removing in the months after purchase. Loved the monitor for every other reason but the color temp never seemed to be quite right no matter what I tried. Close but not quite. Bought the eye-one and WHAMMO! within 15 minutes I was done. Monitor is just gorgeous now and matches my prints almost exactly. Very happy with the performance and cost of the Eye One. The downside is I now notice how badly my TV is calibrated after getting off the PC.
  
  
• Are you printing ? Calibrate your monitor!
  By A1C8W0D9AY87SG on 2008-03-31
  If you are printing,,no better yet, if you are printing and complaining about ink costs,,stop...and get yourself one of these!
  
  As they do NOT support duel monitors in Windows, ( MACs do ) I was able to see what I would have expected my picture to have looked like had I not calibrated the screen.
  
  Basically, I used the calibrated screen, printed my pic, and Damn! if they didnt match exactly! Very exciting after having dark/light problems all these years..I was able to see the pic on my duel screen setup, on the screen that was not calibrated..HAD I been using the uncalibrated screen, I would have been expecting the print to have been a LOT lighter then it was. This way, I was able to adjust brightness before printing..
  
  Ok,,BASICALLY...the Eye-one WORKS!
  
  My only complaint is the software loading bit. Not a lot of paper instructions, so I was unsure of what software to load, as some of it looked like the softs for the more expensive setups...no matter, I loaded all of them, and found the correct program after a bit..I'll probably leave the others, as they may come in handy later.
  
  Oh! Yes, I was so excited, I ripped it out of the box, so now I have no where to keep it except on my desk (Where it belongs!) still, they should make the box unrippable and easier to put back together............
  
  
  ( That whole last bit is total sarcasm! heehee..those of you who read all the reviews may understand! ) ITs a FINE PRODUCT!!
  
  COOL: WORKS! Quick calibration. Prints look JUST like the SCREEN!!
  Pretty easy to understand for anyone..Kinda cute in a weird sort of way...
  
  CONS: Not so hot on the instructions. NO Duel support on Windows..MACS DO HAVE duel support. ( Windows,, just calibrate whichever screen you do all your color/tone work on, if you have to bounce between the two, calibration only takes bout 5 or fewer minutes! ( I bounce between a Cintiq Tablet & a regular LCD. )
  
  { Reviewed by Julius Kuziemski }
  
  
• Great tool
  By A3VGPIDQFDVLG4 on 2008-03-31
  I finally decided to profile my monitor to get better color repro when sending images to online printing services. After some shopping I settled on this product based on previous reviews, it coming from a reputable company, and the price being reasonable for this type of product. It did not disappoint me.
  
  Before buying it, I did make sure that my Dell laptop allows monitor adjustments. Similarly make sure that the software supports the OS you run. Everyone buying a profiling hardware/software should do the same.
  
  The monitor profiling worked very straightforward. Install the software, place the sensor on the screen, and follow the on-screen instructions. 20 minutes later you're done. It automatically sets the new profile as the default for the monitor, so it's really hands off.
  
  One nice extra is the ambient light monitoring function. It measures the intensity and temperature of the work light conditions where your computer is. It helped me figure out that I should change my light to have a more neutral temperature. It's one thing to have a nicely calibrated monitor, if your surroudings are bad, it will still make it diffult to create optimal work.
  
  

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