Q:  My monitor (Dell 1901FP LCD) has no way to set a white point. The RGB on-screen display controls are on an arbitrary scale, with no specified relation to either Kelvin or CIE D values. Nor does the monitor manual specify what is the factory pre-set white point, although I assume that it is a quite high Kelvin value. So, my first question: The OPTIX manual seems to say that it is (helpful? necessary?) to know the white point of the monitor, and to set the monitor's white point to the same as that specified in the profiling software. Since I can't do that on my monitor, can I successfully profile and calibrate it?

A:  You do not need to know or alter the white point of your display in order to profile it. The choice within the software is for an aim white point. Since we are measuring the response of the display directly, we can correct it to meet the aim white point. While some monitors do offer presets or a Kelvin scale, generally these are not accurate and will only get the display "in the ball park." Direct measurement and correction is almost always needed.