Q: We ordered a new 52-inch LCD HDTV at a big-box store and were talked into signing up for the calibration service. They said the picture is more realistic and the life of the set is extended. What is your opinion? Should I keep this service or cancel it before the TV is delivered?

PHYLLIS BISHOP,Cranberry

A: Most TVs have default picture settings detrimental to picture quality and screen lifespan, so changing them is definitely recommended. Whether you need to pay for a calibration is another matter. My recommendation hinges on how serious of a video enthusiast you are, what kind of calibration is being performed, and how much you are being charged for the service.

Dedicated videophiles often have their high-end televisions and video projectors calibrated by a certified Imaging Science Foundation technician at a cost of $500 or more. The technician accesses hidden service menus containing supplemental picture settings and uses sophisticated electronic equipment to analyze the picture and set the television as closely as possible to theoretically perfect specifications.

There is no way to perform this calibration without a lot of training and specialized equipment, so the fees involved are fully justified. While an Imaging Science Foundation calibration may be as close to technically perfect as possible for a given TV, subjectively many ordinary consumers find the resulting picture to be less bright and colorful compared with what they are used to seeing.

If you are paying for a calibration, be sure you are getting a true Imaging Science Foundation calibration and not a faux calibration featuring an hourly employee tweaking the regular picture settings by eyeball or with a setup disc. You can do that yourself for free!

With any calibration you also must insist that the calibration is done on every single video input, including the antenna. Modern TVs have separate picture settings for each input so if your antenna reception needs a little more brightness than the cable box or disc player, you can bump up the antenna input's brightness and the other inputs will be unaffected.

While many videophiles won't settle for anything less than an Imaging Science Foundation calibration, most consumers don't need one to be happy with their TV's picture. I recommend getting the setup disc Digital Video Essentials and using it to set the picture. It sells for under $20 and is available in Blu-ray, DVD and HD DVD formats. You can learn more at www.videoessentials.com.

You also can try setting the picture using the following settings as a starting point. Picture mode should be Standard or Normal. Vivid and Sports modes should be avoided. If your set has them, turn off contrast enhancement and noise reduction features.

Most TVs have the Contrast or Picture setting maxed out. Try turning it down to between 50 percent to 90 percent of maximum, observing the picture as you change the settings.

Set Color Temperature to the lowest possible setting, usually called Warm, Low, or NTSC Standard. Finally, bump up the color one to three clicks to bring up the color saturation.

Remember, these are a starting point and may vary depending on the brand and type of TV you have. It won't be Imaging Science Foundation-perfect, but it will look a lot better than the out-of-the-box picture and will satisfy much of the general public.