TV setting tips that can make a difference during Super Bowl weekend

Alicia Vitarelli Image
Friday, February 5, 2021
TV setting tips that can make a difference during Super Bowl weekend
Tech editor Jim Willcox says taking a few minutes to tweak some settings on your TV can make a big difference during Super Bowl weekend.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The perfect picture and superb sound on your television are just as important as snacks during Super Bowl weekend.

Tech editor Jim Willcox says taking a few minutes to tweak some settings can make a big difference.

First, sack the obvious preset mode.

"It may sound odd, but don't use the sports mode for watching sports. It could artificially boost the color, contrast, and brightness too much," said Willcox.

Willcox says the presets that look best for sports include natural, cinema, and movie mode.

If you want to take it a step further, adjust your TV settings individually before the game begins.

To change the brightness or black level, Willcox says to find a nighttime scene from a TV show or movie, then get to work tweaking it.

"So, basically, you're trying to turn up the brightness or black levels as high as you can, and that'll show you all the details in the image," he added. "But then you want to turn it down so the black areas look as dark as they can while still preserving some of the detail."

Then there's the contrast or white level, which will affect how bright the field will look come game day.

To adjust it, Willcox says to use an image with a lot of white.

"Lower the contrast so you can see all the detail. Then raise it so you can get the picture looking as bright as you can without losing those details," Willcox said.

Next, adjust the color temperature to make sure your team's jerseys are the right shade.

Choose the warm or low setting, so the white yard lines don't appear too blue.

Then adjust the tint. So the players' flesh tones look natural, usually somewhere in the middle of the range.

Now it's best to consider boosting your TV's sound quality with the help of a soundbar.

A basic option is this one from Creative. It has good sound quality, and it comes with a wired subwoofer and Bluetooth.

While the Eagles aren't playing in the Superbowl this year, you can relive the glory of that win by watching the best of the 2018 victory parade on 6abc streaming platforms.

Just look for the free 6abc app on devices like Firestick, Roku, and Apple TV.