One of the first things I tell people to do to improve the viewing experience on their TV is to disable motion smoothing. Almost every TV has this feature and it almost always makes whatever you’re watching look a little unnatural or soap opera-like (that’s why smooth video is called the “soap opera effect”). You should turn it off when you want to watch most shows and movies. However, you should Turn it back on If you plan to stream NFL games or watch other live sports. For instructions on this, skip to 1:04 in the video below, which we created as a reminder to enable the setting before the Olympics last summer.
How to Streamline Movement for Sports
What is smooth motion?
Motion smoothing is a video processing feature found in most TVs. It works by injecting new frames between frames in the video signal to make the image motion less jerky. These frames interpolate, calculate halfway and process the image to keep the video even and consistent (often combined with backlight flickering patterns to enhance the effect). It works, but the result is a video that looks unnatural. This is often called the “soap opera effect,” and it makes the movies and shows you’re watching look like they were recorded for daytime TV.
Depending on your TV model, the motion smoothing interface may look something like this (this is for Roku TV) (Credit: Will Greenwald)
Film content is usually recorded at 24 frames per second, and TV content is usually kept at 30fps. Motion smoothing bumps these numbers up to 60, 120, or even (depending on the TV manufacturer) 960 with different moves. Most of the content was created, edited and mastered at 24 or 30 frames per second, so it’s a pain to make it look smooth. So, you should turn off motion smoothing if you are watching a TV show or movie. You can find the option in your TV’s video settings (check this story to find the setting based on your TV brand, although the steps may vary slightly as manufacturers update their software).
The best big screen TV for sports
Why motion smoothing is good for sports
On the flip side, motion smoothing is a useful feature when you’re watching live sports, especially sports that involve a ball being passed, kicked, thrown, or shot. Because of how TVs produce images, camera movement wreaks havoc on the image. If you’ve ever seen a video strike, you’ve seen that if you’ve seen a video strike. It fine-tunes motion smoothing without adding more hassles to the experience.
Also, depending on your cable provider, sports feeds may be transmitted at 60 frames per second. This means that the soap opera effect is less of an issue, as viewers want a more realistic image. After all, a movie or TV show doesn’t have a masterful, artistic vision of games. Just remember to stop moving when you look at something else.
How to fix common TV problems
If you experience other TV problems, these simple fixes will help you get your picture straight, bright, and crisp. And if you’re curious about our TV review process, check out How We Test TVs.
TV Tips for New TV Buyers
Get our best stories!
Your daily dose of our top tech news
By clicking Sign Up, you confirm that you are 16+ years of age and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your membership has been confirmed. Watch your inbox!
About our expert
Will Greenwald
Principal Author, Consumer Electronics
Experience
I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your source for information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, sound bars, TVs and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I’ve served as a judge for the CES Innovation Awards, and while I’m not officially certified by Bandai, I also specialize in making Gundam plastic models up to the MG class. I also enjoy writing genre fiction, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Extraordinary Technical Support, Currently available on Amazon.
Read full bio
