Tips to get your TV picture in top shape for watching Super Bowl LIV

Nydia Han Image
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Tips to get your TV picture in top shape for the Super Bowl
Getting ready for the big game? Whether you bought a brand new big screen TV, or you're just trying to make the most of the one you've got, we've got some advice to get the best p

Getting ready for the big game on Sunday? Whether you bought a brand new big screen TV, or you're just trying to make the most of the one you've got, we've got some advice to get the best picture.

Consumer Reports said there are three features you should turn off for better picture quality.

The features and settings on newer TVs may sound like performance-boosters, but Consumer Reports said three actually make the picture look worse.

The first setting you want to turn off is Noise Reduction.

"Noise, or "snow," was a bigger issue with older analog TVs. Today, we're getting cleaner, higher quality digital signals. The problem is that when you engage noise reduction, it comes at the expense of fine detail and texture, so images look a lot softer. When you turn off noise reduction, you'll get more detailed-looking pictures and more natural-looking images," explained John Willcox, Consumer Reports Tech Editor.

Next is Sharpness Control.

"Sharpness Control artificially boosts fine detail and texture, and it can exaggerate the edges of objects in the picture. Now, the problem is it may seem like at first that you're getting greater detail, but sharpness control is actually masking fine detail and it can create halos around objects in the picture," said Willcox.

So turn it way down or completely off.

The third setting you should turn off is Motion Smoothing.

"Some movies and a lot of TV shows are shot 24 frames per second, or 24Hz. Video, on the other hand, is shot at 60Hz which is why some programs like game shows, sports, and reality shows have a lot smoother motion than films. The problem is, when you turn on motion smoothing, it makes movies look a lot like video, something people call "the soap opera effect." The good news is that a lot of TVs allow you to turn off motion smoothing," said Willcox.

Don't worry about straying too far with any of these adjustments. Most TVs have a reset option to restore factory settings.

To get all the optimal picture settings for your TV, click here to plug-in the make and model of your TV and get step-by-step instructions.