Buy a new TV? Check out these 5 settings to avoid spoiling the picture

They brought home a new TV, turned it on and were happy with the beautiful picture? Take your time to relax. Technology experts, such as XDA journalist Tanvir Singh, warn that factory settings often work at the expense of viewing quality and privacy.

Here are five options to find in the menu and change first:

1. Smoothing

This feature adds intermediate frames, making the picture hypersmooth. In sports broadcasts, this is a plus, but in movies it creates the famous “soap opera effect”, when an expensive blockbuster begins to look like a cheap daytime series. For movies, this option is better off.

2. Automatic brightness

The sensor tries to adjust the screen to the lighting in the room, but often makes the mistake of making the image too dim or making it constantly "jump." Turn off autobrightness and adjust this setting manually to the comfort of your eyes.

3. Energy saving regime

Manufacturers include it by default so that the TV consumes less electricity. Disadvantages are the greatly underestimated brightness of the panel and the loss of details in dark scenes. If you want a juicy and expressive picture, this mode will have to be turned off.

4. Data collection (ACR)

Many modern TVs use Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to collect statistics about what you are watching. This data is used for analytics and targeted advertising. If you value your privacy, find this item in the Privacy section and deactivate it.

5. Virtual surround sound

Software “improvement” rarely makes built-in speakers better. It often only distorts conversations and adds digital noise. And if you already have a soundbar or home theater connected, this feature is completely useless - it only interferes with the clean operation of external acoustics.

Spend ten minutes studying the menu of your TV, and you will be surprised how much better the image and sound can be without unnecessary software interventions.