How to Set Up Your New TV for the Best Picture Quality

Why Default Settings Are Wrong

TV manufacturers ship their TVs with "torch mode" enabled—ultra-bright, over-saturated settings designed to look impressive on showroom floors.

These settings are terrible for home viewing and can cause eye strain. Let's fix that.

Step 1: Choose the Right Picture Mode

Start by selecting the "Movie," "Cinema," or "Filmmaker Mode" preset. These are calibrated for accurate colors and natural skin tones.

Avoid "Vivid," "Dynamic," or "Sports" modes for regular viewing—they boost contrast and saturation beyond realistic levels.

Step 2: Adjust Backlight/OLED Light

Set the backlight based on your room brightness. For dark rooms, 30-50% is usually sufficient. Bright rooms may need 70-100%.

This is different from "Brightness," which controls black level—don't confuse them.

Step 3: Fine-Tune Key Settings

Adjust these settings for optimal picture:

• •Brightness: Adjust until you can see detail in dark scenes without graying out blacks
• •Contrast: Leave at default or slightly reduce if highlights look blown out
• •Sharpness: Set to 0 or very low—artificial sharpening creates halos and artifacts
• •Color/Saturation: Default or slightly reduce for more natural colors
• •Motion smoothing (TruMotion, Motion Flow, etc.): Turn OFF for movies, optional for sports

Step 4: Enable HDR Settings

Ensure HDR is enabled on your TV and any connected devices (game consoles, streaming boxes). Most TVs auto-detect HDR content.

For gaming, enable Game Mode or ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) to reduce input lag.

Pro Tip: Use Calibration Discs or Apps

For the best results, use a calibration disc like "Spears & Munsil" or free patterns from AVS HD 709. These help you dial in perfect brightness, contrast, and color.

Some TVs have built-in calibration tools accessible in the service menu—check YouTube for guides specific to your model.