Smart TVs are computers designed for entertainment, hubs that allow you to watch, stream, listen, game, and even work and work out on screen. But with so many different apps and programs for movies, gaming, and productivity, and so many different ways to personalize and customize your experience, it also means there are going to be a lot of extras and annoyances.
Get rid of ACR and ad tracking
Maintain some privacy and prevent suggestions
Automated content recognition is a fancy, somewhat euphemistic way of telling you that your TV is watching what you're doing. More precisely, it keeps track of what's on the screen, and for how long it's on the screen.
It's a completely unnecessary setting for you as the viewer, and one that only benefits the manufacturer. Watch data is stored and sold so that companies can later sell you on other products and make decisions based on what they think you'll enjoy. That data can make a lot of inferences, including your age, gender identity, religious beliefs, and political leanings.
There will likely be other privacy settings you may want to consider too, such as targeted advertising and additional data tracking. None of these are useful to you; that's why they're typically buried deep within your TV's interface. Check Terms & Privacy or Data & Information tabs to toggle all of these settings off.
Turn off motion enhancements
Software boosts distort visual experiences
Your smart TV is going to come with a bunch of software enhancements, and while some of them may be innocuous, running in the background, some will stand out and likely be more annoying than useful.
Motion boosts can be an issue. These are software that artificially increase refresh rate, which itself is a static, hardware specification. Ideally, your smart TV has a refresh rate of 120Hz or 144Hz; any more is overkill. However, many TVs look to boost that spec two, three, and even four or more times via software.
While there are some cases where motion may appear smoother, it more often leads to the dreaded soap-opera effect, which makes video on screen seem uncanny. Motion boosts are more marketing than anything else. Check your Picture Settings to turn off motion enhancements.
Watch out for brightness presets
Some picture settings destory detail and fidelity
Most smart TVs look pretty good right out of the box, and most of them now do a lot of operations automatically in order to get the best possible picture. However, you want to be sure about one general setting.
You're likely to come across Picture Setting presets with names like Vivid, Theater, Sports, or Natural. Some of these are useful to most people, while others will create a picture that's distracting and unrealistic. Avoid Vivid or Dynamic, or any other preset that boosts the brightness significantly. While the screen may be brighter, colors typically are oversaturated, and contrast is weakened as well. You also risk creates shadows or halos in darker areas on the screen, obscuring detail and ruining the visual experience.
Turn on HDMI-CEC for convenience
This handy feature should be used mindfully
HDMI-CEC is an increasingly popular feature on smart TVs that may not be the most familiar to casual users. Basically, this setting allows you to control multiple devices with the same remote.
Whereas once it may not have been the most useful or practical, with smart TVs now hooked up to a variety of devices, from Blu-ray players to gaming consoles to streaming sticks, all of which have their own remote (or controller), it's now mighty convenient to control all those devices with one remote. It's especially useful if, for example, you have a TV and a soundbar made by the same company; you don't need two similar remotes.
Just be mindful that there can be some unintended consequences. Turning on your TV may also turn on your PlayStation 5 if the source for that device is the first thing to come on screen. HDMI-CEC can be found under Display or Control settings.
Organize your entertainment hub
Customize navigation for easier use
Your smart TV's operating system provides a central hub from which to navigate. Whether it's Google TV, webOS, Tizen, or another of the many competing systems, it's important to make it work for you since it's essentially your home page.
The first thing to do, if possible, is to remove any sponsored ads or promoted content. Many hubs have banners that cycle through images or videos of shows it wants you to watch; turn it off if you can.
The next thing is to sort through apps. Rearrange them so that they are in the most convenient order, and make sure to uninstall any superfluous apps that may have come installed on your TV. You'll also want to consider how you navigate; if you're not someone who is inclined to use virtual assistants, then turn them off as well. Some remotes may allow for personalization as well, with customizable buttons you can set. Make everything you navigate and control as convenient and relevant as possible.