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The default TV setting you should turn off ASAP - and why even experts do the same

Published on: 2025-08-04 13:52:00

Kerry Wan/ZDNET For many people, motion smoothing on TVs is only appropriate for gaming and watching live sports; enthusiasts typically prefer turning off the feature to watch anything else because it can detract from the filmmaker's original intent, making on-screen images seem artificial or hyper-realistic. This is what's called the "soap opera effect." Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why it makes such a big difference for privacy) It's a perfectly descriptive metaphor that probably requires no explanation. You can see it all too well: the cinematic film should not look like a daytime soap; you shouldn't feel like you're on the set with the actors. But it is appealing to feel like you're in the stadium watching your team with thousands of fans. The soap opera effect makes sense for live sporting event broadcasts. How to turn off motion smoothing (and why you should) Another name for motion smoothing is "motion interpolation," and it can go by many names depending on a T ... Read full article.