Do these devices still have a limited life-span? I bought the old Eye One for my plasma, used it once, then left it sat in a box for a couple of years, then went to use it again and it was wrecked. I didn't realise they deteriorated even if you don't use them!
From what I understand, no, as the filters are sealed to prevent this. If you are doing this professionally/semiprofessionaly, I would send to Calman for cert every few years, but for average user, nah.
From CurtPalme:
"The X-Rite Display 3 (the official name is 'i1 Display PRO III') is the newest meter from X-Rite, first introduced on June 21, 2011 where it surprised consumers and professional calibrators alike with its high performance at a low price. The Display 3 reads about three times faster and to lower light levels than the Chroma 5, and costs less! In fact, the read speed above 10 cd/m2 is similar to the approximately 10 times more expensive Hubble!
The main advantages of the Display 3 is that it reads much more accurately, consistently, and lower (closer to black) than the lower end meters. It even reads better than some of the other higher end, more expensive meters. For example, the more expensive Chroma 5 is rated to read down to 0.01 cd/m2 light output while the Display 3 is able to read down to 0.003 cd/m2 (0.001 fL), or about one-third as bright. This is due to the Display 3 lens system which is able to capture and focus more light onto the filter diodes, providing much better low-light sensitivity and much faster readings (similar to the Hubble).
Colour accuracy is also excellent: The stock Display 3 shows errors no higher than xy0.006 for both color and white relative to a $10,000 reference spectroradiometer. This is performance comparable to a stock Chroma 5.
The Display 3 does not require temperature compensation as it is a non-contact meter (like the Hubble) so the temperature of the display does not come into play. It does however come with a counterweight so that it can indeed be used in contact mode if desired or when ambient light cannot be controlled easily.
The non-contact design means that the readings will not be affected by the heat a display might emit (older plasmas are especially prone to this), nor is there any danger of damaging the delicate surface of a flat panel. There is no laser aiming device built-in to the unit however such as with the Hubble. We're sure some intrepid DIY'ers will manage to somehow attach a small laser pointer of some sort. Wink
Because the filters on the Display 3 are installed in a sealed environment, they are not subject to the same type of degradation in performance over time that is typical of less expensive contact meters. This means that the Display 3 needs to be recalibrated less often than a typical colorimeter.
The Display 3 is also one of the easiest devices to use because, like the Chroma 5, it requires no dark reading calibration. Some meters require that they be covered up and a reading taken either when they're first connected or every 10-20 minutes as you calibrate. It only takes a second but it annoys a lot of people! For comparison sake, the Display 2/LT, EyeOne Pro / EyeOne Pro 2, and Hubble requires a dark reading when the meter is initially connected. The EyeOne Pro / EyeOne Pro 2 and the Hubble then also require periodic dark readings throughout the calibration session.
A tripod mount is not required with the Display 3 as one is built in, which helps reduce upfront costs. "