Samsung is one of the largest manufacturers of TVs that are designed for almost any budget and needs. On the one hand, most of these LCD TVs provide excellent picture quality. On the other hand, Samsung has a reputation for not shipping TVs with perfect factory picture settings.
5 mistakes when setting up Samsung TVs
Over the past couple of years, this defect has been almost corrected by Samsung. Despite this, there remain a number of settings that most Samsung TV owners will mistakenly use, even if it can seriously degrade picture quality. The problem is that most people do not know how to set up Samsung TV correctly.
Therefore, they do not even try to change the factory settings. In this article, we will cover a few simple key settings that you can change to get a more accurate image. After completing them, Samsung TVs will really begin to use all their capabilities. Below are common Samsung mistakes to avoid.
Selecting a picture mode
One of the biggest problems with Samsung TVs over the years is that they don’t have as many picture presets as they should. For example, there are no multiple “Cinema” modes, like many competitors. Also unlike Sony TVs, Samsung TVs don’t have any equivalents to Sports or Animation modes.
However, it is highly recommended to switch to different presets for different content. In particular, it is recommended to use the Standard mode for most TV shows. If you have a relatively new Samsung TV, it is recommended that you use Cinema or Filmmaker mode to watch movies.
Personally, we’d prefer the Movie mode over the Filmmaker mode . This is because Filmmaker mode disables many of the TV’s picture quality enhancements. The only thing I would like to add in this regard is that in Samsung TVs of 2020 and earlier models, Cinema mode did not work particularly well even immediately after purchase.
Therefore, with these models, you should stick to the “Standard” preset. However, depending on the content, you can change certain settings such as noise reduction and motion processing. More on this later. You should also always put your Samsung TV into game mode while playing.
This way you can take advantage of the lightning-fast response times that these TVs are equipped with. Note, however, that Samsung tends to place the Game preset in a different part of its menu (under General) rather than alongside other picture presets. In most cases, the TV will automatically switch when the console is started. If you do not see any signs that this mode has switched, then you should definitely turn it on yourself.
Motion processing
While the picture of Samsung TVs has benefited from increased use of “AI” neural network analysis in recent years, these TVs still tend to create quite erratic motion in most of their picture presets.
The main problem is the unwanted side effects of image processing such as flickering, twitching and flickering around or over fast moving objects. The best solution is to either disable motion processing or choose a custom setting. On older Samsung TVs, Samsung’s Motion Clarity processing can be found in the main picture menu. In later models, you will need to enter the menu and select “Image Clarity”.
If judder in movies seems a little excessive with motion processing turned off completely, then a custom setting with blur and judder reduction levels should be set to about 3 or, on cheaper TVs, 4. This setting will reduce judder without creating unwanted processing effects.
Dynamic Mode
Probably the biggest criticism of Samsung TVs over the years is that these TVs love to show off. In other words, Samsung TVs tend to use settings that showcase the full range of brightness, color, contrast, or sharpness.
That is, everything that is physically capable of reproducing a television display. In fact, this does not always benefit the image quality. This issue is especially noticeable with Samsung’s dynamic picture preset. In this mode, colors look highly exaggerated, and contrast is forced and excessive.
What’s more, on some premium TVs, the brightness will look almost “radioactive”. Therefore, if the Samsung TV is initially set to this mode, then you should try to select another preset mode. Setting it to a different mode will help you get a much better idea of what your TV is capable of and save your eyes from retinal burn.
Power saving mode
Samsung ships its models with the power saving features enabled. Unfortunately, while they provide a (slight) reduction in power consumption and some cost savings, this mode also degrades image quality.
This is because the Ambient Light Detection feature continuously adjusts the brightness of your Samsung TV’s picture based on the amount of ambient light in your room. All this leads to inconsistent and inaccurate image reproduction and, as a rule, to a rather serious lack of brightness.
This becomes even more noticeable when watching a movie in a darkened room. A simple solution to this problem is to go from the General menu to the Eco Solution section and turn off ambient light detection. This should be done immediately after purchasing the TV. After that, the image will become more accurate.
Also Read: 5 classic mistakes when setting up LG OLED TVs
Noise suppression
For some reason, almost all TV manufacturers have the noise canceling feature enabled at the factory. When watching 4K content, this option is not only considered unnecessary. Moreover, it can damage the image quality, not improve it. As a result, what should be ultra-clear will look softer.
Movement will look delayed, and the picture as a whole will be less natural. Attributes such as the texture of clothing or human skin will lose sharpness. In this regard, regardless of the manufacturer or model of Samsung TV, if you regularly watch content from high-quality 4K, 4K Blu-ray or even HD Blu-ray sources, it is recommended to turn off all noise reduction modes.
