TVs are usually not optimized from the factory for watching sports; On the contrary, most come with a configuration designed for watching movies or series. That is why if we want to use the TV in the living room to watch the games of our favorite teams, it is recommended it will take five minutes to reach the best configuration it is possible
It’s a simple process that takes just a few steps. What we are looking for, in general, to have More realistic colors, better image fluidity and be able to enjoy the narration and sounds happening live in the stadium.
Here’s how I set up my TV to watch football games
Photo: Xataka.
As we mentioned, most TVs are usually configured at the factory with the idea of offering the best experience (according to the manufacturer) when watching movies, series, videos and entertainment content in general. This type of configuration has significant differences in what it offers compared to the optimal configuration for watching sports because it prioritizes other aspects and parameters.
For example, “Cinema Mode” on TVs usually offers warmer colors and a picture that appears more “cinematic”, and some TVs also offer an “anti-aliasing” mode that promises to improve the sense of motion and realism of the image (however, Hollywood actors and directors often recommend turning off this anti-aliasing).
When watching football matches, a more realistic picture is preferable, not a cinema
Photo: Xataka.
When viewing sports content such as football, we look for a different type of image to enhance the experience. We want another picture realistic and it allows us to detail the colors of the shirts and the ball on the grass. We also want to avoid the effect Ghosts during assists and free kicks and goal kicks.
in short we are looking for an image closer to reality rather than a cinematic image.
To achieve this, we follow the steps below. However, it is important to know that each manufacturer uses different names for some parameters, and the configuration menus may differ.
Disable “Cinema Mode” (or “Cinematographer Mode”)
Disabling movie mode or movie mode is important to enhance your football viewing experience.
First of all. Cinema mode has some features that can be useful when watching a movie or TV series, including a warmer color temperature. But we have to deactivate this mode when watching football to achieve better image quality in a stadium where light colors predominate, including the green color of the grass and the white color of the balls. The required setting is usually found under the Display options in the settings menu.
In general, we’re looking for “cooler” temperatures to prevail, rather than warmer ones, in addition to adjusting brightness levels and contrast levels so that the path of the ball and the players can be better seen on the grass.
Adjust Motion Smoothing
In short, this mode aims to offer a smoother motion experience by including additional frames that in a football match (or any other sport) is harmfulas it creates an effect Ghostsi.e. a “halo” effect around the players due to their fast movements. It’s best to set this mode to a very low value, you might even consider deactivating it if the effect annoys you. However, as a rule, it is enough to set it to a low level.
The mode has different names, depending on the manufacturer. These include Motion Smoothing, Mobile Flow, and Super Smooth Motion. The required setting is usually found under the Display options in the settings menu.
We are looking for a “cool” image temperature, in addition to adjusting the brightness and contrast so that the path of the ball and players can be seen better.
Turn off Power Saver or Economy Mode.
These modes usually limit the brightness of the screen and the intensity of colors, especially if the living room or the room where the TV is located is very bright. That’s not what we’re looking for when we watch football. By disabling this mode, we can enjoy the best colors in games. The setting you need is usually found under Power Saver or System on many TVs.
Turn off Noise Reduction
While this mode can be useful in some cases, I personally prefer to turn it off completely for both watching football and movies. Noise reduction tries to remove imperfections and “grain” in the image, but it does smaller details may be compromisedand in the case of football, it can damage the details of the grass. Other names for this setting are Digital Noise Reduction, DNR, and MPEG Noise Reduction. The required setting is usually found under the Display options in the settings menu.
Finally: sports mode, yes or no?
Many TVs usually have a configuration for picture and sound is called “Sports mode” (or with a similar name). Many times this mode is usually a good option that we can work on. That is, if you want to activate the sports mode, our recommendation is that after that you also consider adjusting some parameters, such as the brightness level and, above all, the contrast level. Otherwise, you can set everything up “on foot” from standard mode, following the tips we’ve already mentioned in this list.
Cover photo | Xataka (with edition)
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