Own a smart TV? These 13 features can dramatically improve your performance - here's how

2 days ago 11

I usage these 13 features connected my astute TV to dramatically amended its performance

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Quick settings changes tin noticeably amended your astute TV experience.
Basic attraction keeps astute TVs accelerated and much secure.
Privacy controls fto you trim information postulation with minimal trade-offs.

TVs are nary longer conscionable displays that you link to a cablegram container oregon streaming instrumentality to marque them smarter.

Also: 21 hidden Netflix settings and concealed codes everyone should know

They're full-fledged computers now, implicit with operating systems, app stores, inheritance services, and net connections. As a result, they travel with a ton of hidden settings, permissions, and features that astir radical ne'er cognize astir oregon use.

It's unfortunate, really, due to the fact that implicit the years I person learned that a small tweaking tin dramatically amended a TV's quality, performance, privacy, and adjacent security.

These are the apical smart TV hacks, tips, and tricks I deliberation everyone should know.

1. Turn disconnected question smoothing

Many astute TVs person a question smoothing feature, which you should spell up and crook off. Often called a "soap opera" effect, it makes movies and TV shows look unnaturally creaseless by inserting artificial frames betwixt existent ones. This tin distort question and cinematography. By turning it off, you tin reconstruct your movies and shows to the mode they were intended to look.

Also: I changed 6 settings connected my Samsung TV to importantly amended the viewing experience

Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Roku TVs from TCL, Hisense, Sharp, and others each connection a question smoothing feature. ZDNET has a usher that details however to disable it for each manufacturer.

2. Change the representation mode

Most astute TVs vessel with overly bright, oversaturated modes by default. But chances are your acceptable besides includes options specified arsenic Filmmaker, Movie, oregon Cinema, which usage close colors and tin amended representation quality.

Also: Watching football? Change these 5 settings connected your TV for amended show instantly

Movie and Cinema modes are typically tuned for watching films successful darker rooms. They usage warmer colors and little brightness. Filmmaker mode disables other representation processing and preserves the director's archetypal colour grading, framework rate, and contrast.

You tin usually find representation modes nether Picture settings, and astir each manufacturers connection aggregate options for you to take from. You whitethorn besides spot a Game mode, for example, which reduces input lag by disabling other processing and tin marque controls consciousness faster and much responsive. I did a speedy hunt and recovered the steps for immoderate of the apical manufacturers:

Hisense: Press the Settings fastener connected your distant > Picture > Picture Mode.
LG: Press the Settings fastener connected your distant > All Settings > Picture > Select Mode.
Samsung: Press the Settings fastener connected your distant > Picture > Picture Mode.
Sony: Press Quick Settings connected your distant > Picture oregon Picture Mode.
TCL: Press the Settings fastener connected your distant > Picture > Picture Mode.
Vizio: Press the Menu fastener connected your distant > Picture > Picture Mode.

3. Connect your TV with Ethernet

You whitethorn beryllium thinking, huh?

Also: Slow Wi-Fi? I recovered 10 proven ways to hole your net this play (most are free)

Yes, Wi-Fi works conscionable good for galore households, but a wired Ethernet transportation is much unchangeable and little prone to interference. If your TV supports it, utilizing Ethernet tin trim buffering, amended streaming quality, and escaped up Wi-Fi bandwidth for different devices.

While galore TVs person built-in Ethernet ports, they are often constricted to 100Mbps. If you privation adjacent higher speeds, specified arsenic 1Gbps, a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter tin beryllium used.

4. Keep your TV bundle updated

This 1 mightiness look obvious, but adjacent I person to punctual myself to bash it. I usage a Samsung TV with a Roku soundbar, and adjacent though I regularly cheque for Roku updates and support it current, I precocious dug into my Samsung TV settings and realized the TV's ain bundle was much than 2 years aged due to the fact that auto-update was not enabled. Whoops.

Also: Your TV's USB larboard has a forgotten diagnostic that tin revitalize an aged strategy for free

Smart TV updates are not conscionable astir caller features. They often see information patches, bug fixes, and show improvements. Enabling automatic updates, oregon checking manually each fewer months, helps support your TV moving smoothly and safely. Trust me.

You tin usually find the bundle update fastener straight successful Settings connected astir astute TVs.

5. Clear the cache

If your TV is acting dilatory -- specified arsenic apps crashing, freezing, oregon lagging -- clearing cached information tin help. Smart TVs store impermanent files, overmuch similar phones and PCs, and those files tin go bloated oregon corrupted implicit time. Many TVs person a dedicated "clear cache" enactment successful Settings. ZDNET has a usher that explains however to find it on Samsung, LG, Google TVs, and Roku TVs.

Also: How to wide your Roku TV cache (and wherefore it makes specified a large difference)

Some sets, including Fire TVs, adjacent fto you wide cache by app. You tin besides uninstall seldom utilized apps to escaped up retention and inheritance resources. This tin beryllium particularly adjuvant for apps that are behaving oddly. You tin ever reinstall them aboriginal if needed.

6. Restart your TV occasionally

Did you cognize astute TVs seldom unopen down completely? On my Samsung TV, for example, pressing the powerfulness fastener connected the distant simply puts it into a low-power standby mode. To bash a afloat restart, which clears impermanent representation and tin hole sluggish menus, audio glitches, and app bugs, I request to property and clasp the powerfulness fastener until the Samsung logo appears.

Also: Is your Samsung TV slow? This 5-second 'cold boot' instrumentality should hole it

You tin effort this connected your ain TV remote, oregon conscionable unplug the acceptable for 30 minutes to execute a acold boot.

7. Customize your location surface

Rearranging oregon hiding unused apps tin marque your astute TV faster to navigate and little cluttered.

Most TVs fto you determination apps, pin favorites, and region ones you ne'er use. Start by highlighting an app, past long-press a fastener connected the distant to unfastened its options. You whitethorn besides spot a Settings, Tools, oregon Menu enactment aft selecting an app.

Also: Did Roku rearrange your location screen? You whitethorn beryllium capable to power backmost - here's how

Below is however to determination apps for the apical manufacturers, but cheque your TV's circumstantial enactment pages for details connected pinning oregon removing apps. Those options usually look erstwhile you prime an app and participate determination oregon edit mode.

Hisense: Highlight the app, clasp OK oregon Enter, prime Move, and reposition.
LG: Press Home, item the app, clasp OK oregon Wheel, past determination it.
Samsung: Press Home, item the app, clasp the halfway button, prime Move, and reposition.
Sony: Press Home, prime the app, clasp Enter oregon Select, take Move, past reposition.
TCL: Highlight the app, clasp OK oregon Select, take Move, and reposition.
Vizio: From the location screen, item the app, clasp OK oregon Star, and determination it.

8. Disable automatic contented designation

Many astute TVs way what you ticker done a diagnostic often called automatic contented designation (ACR) oregon viewing accusation services. This information is utilized for advertizing and recommendations. Turning it disconnected improves privateness with small downside for astir people. ZDNET has a usher that explains however to disable ACR connected Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense, and TCL TVs.

9. Limit advertisement personalization

Although you cannot region ads wholly connected astir TVs, you whitethorn beryllium capable to trim however personalized and targeted they are to you. Resetting oregon disabling advertisement IDs helps bounds semipermanent tracking crossed apps and services.

Also: Does your TV way you adjacent done the HDMI port? Short answer: Yes

I did a speedy hunt and recovered the steps for immoderate of the apical manufacturers:

Hisense: Go to Settings > Privacy (or System > Advanced Settings) > Ads, past reset the advertizing ID.
LG: Go to Settings > All Settings > General > System > Advertisement, past reset the Ad ID oregon crook connected Limit Ad Tracking.
Samsung: Go to Settings > All Settings > General and Privacy > Terms and Privacy, past prime Reset PSID.
Sony: Go to Settings > Privacy > Ads, past reset the advertizing ID.
TCL: Go to Settings > Privacy > Ads, past prime Reset advertizing ID.
Vizio: Go to Menu > Admin and Privacy > Advertising, past reset the TV Advertiser ID.

10. Check HDMI ports and cablegram prime

Not each HDMI ports are created equal. Some enactment higher refresh rates, gaming features, oregon enhanced audio return. Using the close larboard and a certified HDMI cablegram volition assistance you get the champion show from consoles and dependable systems. I person a usher that explains how to archer HDMI ports apart, arsenic good arsenic different usher that covers several HDMI tips and tricks I use.

11. Use an outer streaming instrumentality

Hear maine out: Most astute TVs are not precise fast. They whitethorn not person capable built-in processing powerfulness to grip aggregate streaming apps smoothly. They besides whitethorn not person predominant bundle updates oregon enactment each app you want. External streaming devices, specified arsenic Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV, person regular updates, execute better, and connection broader app support.

My parents and mother-in-law each person astute TVs and balk astatine the thought of adding different device. They accidental they bought astute TVs truthful they would not person to -- and I get that. But past they kick that apps instrumentality everlastingly to load oregon that definite features bash not work.

Also: Your Roku has hidden settings and paper screens - here's however to unlock them

My reply is ever the same: get a streaming device. They hatred that answer, but it is true. Maybe 1 day, for a day oregon Christmas, I volition conscionable bargain 1 for them and hook it up myself. I personally similar Roku. Amazon's Fire TV and Apple TV person incentives to steer you toward their ain streaming services and content. Roku does not.

12. Enable accessibility features

Many TVs see accessibility features specified arsenic captions, audio guidance, and dependable controls.

These tin beryllium utile adjacent if you bash not trust connected them each day. For instance, audio guidance tin supply spoken descriptions of on-screen menus oregon video scenes for viewers with ocular impairments. Voice controls alteration hands-free operation, allowing radical with visual, motor, oregon cognitive impairments to navigate menus, hunt for content, and set settings utilizing dependable commands.

Also: 6 reasons TV captions are a must-have for radical nether 45 now

Some Samsung TVs besides connection a diagnostic called Gesture Interaction, which lets you power the TV utilizing manus gestures, though it requires a compatible USB camera. It is worthy exploring your TV's accessibility paper oregon manual to spot what is available. You whitethorn find caller features that marque your astute TV easier and much enjoyable to usage daily.

13. Don't hide your USB larboard

Ever announcement your TV has USB ports? You person astir apt plugged devices into them, but did you cognize you tin besides update your TV's firmware utilizing a USB thrust alternatively of an net connection? USB ports tin besides play media and slideshows, enactment basal workstation setups with peripherals, powerfulness streaming devices to modernize older TVs, and complaint tiny devices.

Also: Your TV's USB larboard has a forgotten diagnostic that tin revitalize an aged strategy for free

ZDNET has a usher that details the hidden superpowers you tin unlock with your TV's USB port.

How often should I update my astute TV?

If an update is available, instal it. Software updates tin hole bugs, amended performance, and spot information vulnerabilities. If possible, alteration automatic updates truthful they instal arsenic soon arsenic they are ready.