I find your post interesting, since I have used both the AVIA Guide, and the Video Essentials DVD, and thought the picture quality on my Sony 36" WEGA-XBR TV was much better after calibration. I have also used both of these guides to adjust direct-view and rear projection sets belonging to friends, and there was a noticeable improvement in the overall video quality.
I'd be interested in knowing, in more specific terms, what made the picture quality seem "terrible" following the calibration process with the AVIA Guide. For example, was the color rendition (hue and tint) inaccurate to your eye?; did the lowered sharpness setting make the picture seem too fuzzy?; were the contrast and brightness settings unsuitable for your room when ambient light levels were higher?; etc.
It's possible that the "temperature" settings on your set need to be adjusted by an ISF technician. If the "temperature" settings are set too high (as is often the case with the factory settings), then you may find it advisable to have an ISF check the set. However, if you like the factory settings, I have a hunch that you will NOT like the picture you get following calibration by an ISF tech, since the adjusted picture will seem much more subdued (although accurate by NTSC standards).
From my experience, I have found that many people have become so used to the high contrast, high sharpness, and heavily satured colors on most TV's that it takes some time -- a week or more -- to become adjusted to the correct settings.
If you can provide us with more info, maybe the videophiles on the forum can offer some useful suggestions.
I'd be interested in knowing, in more specific terms, what made the picture quality seem "terrible" following the calibration process with the AVIA Guide. For example, was the color rendition (hue and tint) inaccurate to your eye?; did the lowered sharpness setting make the picture seem too fuzzy?; were the contrast and brightness settings unsuitable for your room when ambient light levels were higher?; etc.
It's possible that the "temperature" settings on your set need to be adjusted by an ISF technician. If the "temperature" settings are set too high (as is often the case with the factory settings), then you may find it advisable to have an ISF check the set. However, if you like the factory settings, I have a hunch that you will NOT like the picture you get following calibration by an ISF tech, since the adjusted picture will seem much more subdued (although accurate by NTSC standards).
From my experience, I have found that many people have become so used to the high contrast, high sharpness, and heavily satured colors on most TV's that it takes some time -- a week or more -- to become adjusted to the correct settings.
If you can provide us with more info, maybe the videophiles on the forum can offer some useful suggestions.