Modern TVs are truly amazing. However, sometimes the best TVs of 2024 can be a bit overwhelming for some people. Ever heard of the Soap Opera Effect?
What is the Soap Opera Effect?
The Soap Opera Effect, also known as video interpolation or motion smoothing, is a feature found in many modern TVs. It was introduced to address the issue of motion blurring in TVs like LED, LCD, OLED, and QLED displays. These displays struggle with fast motion content, leading to excessive blur that can obscure details. To combat this, TV manufacturers increased refresh rates to 120Hz and introduced motion smoothing to create extra frames when displaying content at lower frame rates.
While motion smoothing works well for sports and video games, it can make movies and TV shows appear unnatural, especially content shot at 24 frames per second. Some viewers find this effect unsettling, leading to the term “Soap Opera Effect.”
The benefits of motion smoothing
Motion smoothing enhances the viewing experience for sports and video games, providing smoother action. Some viewers prefer it for certain TV shows, while others may not even notice it. If you enjoy motion smoothing, there’s no harm in leaving it on.
How to disable motion smoothing and fix Soap Opera Effect
To disable motion smoothing on your TV, you need to locate the setting in the picture settings menu. Each manufacturer names this feature differently, such as TruMotion, Auto Motion Plus, or MotionFlow. Disabling motion smoothing can vary based on your TV brand and model.
Follow these steps to disable motion smoothing on popular TV brands:
- Samsung: Navigate to Picture > Expert Settings > Auto Motion Plus, then toggle the setting off.
- LG: Go to Picture Mode > Picture Options, and switch TruMotion from smooth to off.
- Sony: Access Picture Settings > Advanced Settings > Motion Settings, and turn Motionflow off.
- TCL: Press the * button on your TCL remote, go to picture options > advanced options > advanced picture settings, choose Action Smoothing, and turn it off.
- Vizio: In the settings menu, go to picture options > Advanced, select Smooth Motion Effect, and turn it off.
Once you’ve disabled motion smoothing, you may notice some blur in fast-moving scenes. Higher-end TVs offer technologies to reduce blur without relying on motion smoothing, providing a smoother viewing experience.
