# Looking through the camera of your iOS-enabled device, THX wants to help you tune-up your home theater experience



## keithlock (Feb 5, 2013)

Available right now in the Apple store, is the THX tune-up app, that walks end users through a series of video and audio tests in an effort to calibrate home theater systems.

While not intended to replace the THX Calibrator system provided to THX Education graduates, this interactive tune up app will assist consumers in optimizing their existing home theater equipment, regardless of the value or brand of the equipment.

It does this by way of "specifically custom designed video patterns and audio tests", and will make certain speakers are connected correctly and working in phase, as well as work on various video adjustments and attempt to optimize picture quality based on lighting conditions and the existing equipment's feature set.



> "THX tune-up is an easy-to-use, interactive app that lets the general consumer use an iOS device to adjust their TVs, projectors and speakers, to get the best performance and enjoyment from their entertainment system – regardless of brand and price."


To ensure skin tones do not have too much greens or reds and other colors are accurate, a built-in color filter is used in conjunction with the portable iOS device's camera.

http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/mzl.ntodrimq.320x480-75.jpg*Video and audio settings that THX will tune-up*

A lot of TV viewers have very few distinctions of what is involved in getting a good quality picture on a television, projector or other screen. Getting a crisp sound is more than meets the ear as well.

Here are some of the different settings that can be "tweaked" for optimal viewing and listening.

*Aspect ratio* - looking at the shape and size of the TV display

*Brightness* - adjustments made for night scenes and shadows

*Contrast* - this factors in the distinction of the white detail

*Color* - makes certain colors are not over saturated but remain vivid and bright

*Tint* - natural (not too red or green) for skin tones

*Speaker assignment* - checks that sound is coming from correct speaker and the speaker is connected to the proper AVR (audio video receiver) output

*Speaker phase* - refers to the polarity and makes certain that speakers are working properly with each other and not canceling each other out and are not producing sound that is dull and that lacks ordinary imaging

*Device requirements for use with the THX tune-up*

Connecting the device running the app to the system requires Apple TV, or a Lightning Digital AV adapter and HDMI cable, or an Apple Digital AV adapter.

Coming in Spring 2013 THX intends to release their tune-up app onto Android devices, but at the moment, the app is only available in the Apple store (at the low price of $1.99). Current device compatibility includes the iPod Touch Gen 4+, and iPads & iPhones, all requiring iOS version 5.1.1 or later (the iPad Mini requiring version 6 of the Operating System).

Please see our THX tune-up Review


----------

