Can’t watch Netflix in HD or 4K? When you put Netflix on the Smart TV, the image appears with a smoothing effect that breaks with the naturalness and fluidity of the movements that we see on the screen? Are the brightness and colors of the image out of the picture? Next, we explain how do I get better picture quality on Netflix.
How do I get better picture quality on Netflix?
Depending on the plan that we have contracted, Netflix allows us to see its content in different resolutions. If we are subscribed to the Basic plan, the series and movies will be seen in SD resolution. With the Standard plan, we will go up a notch, allowing viewing in HD format, and with the Premium plan, the quality will increase to 4K Ultra HD resolutions.
Now, not everything depends on the type of subscription we have contracted. If we use Netflix from the PC, we are sure that we will know that the web browser has a maximum resolution limit.
Not all web browsers were created with streaming playback in mind, which is quite noticeable in practice. All browsers are capable of playing HD quality video, but very few allow 4K streaming.
Firefox: Maximum resolution of 720p (HD quality).
Chrome: Maximum resolution of 720p (HD quality).
Opera: Maximum resolution of 720p (HD quality).
Safari: Maximum resolution of 1080p (Full HD quality).
Microsoft Edge: Maximum resolution of 2160p (4K Ultra HD quality).
Recommended settings for watching Netflix on a Smart TV
For a few years now, televisions include image smoothing technology, also known as the interpolation technique or “soap opera” effect. This causes the image to have a strange movement effect in some content, such as “unnatural.”
The reason is that most series and programs that are broadcast on TV do so at 50 or 60 hertz (or what is the same, at 50/60 frames per second). However, movies that are released in theaters usually have about 24 frames per second. The interpolation technique tries to “fill in” those missing frames by adding adjacent images, giving dynamism to the image that does not correspond to the original.
This effect causes movies originally recorded for theaters to have image smoothings like that of television series or soap operas. Many modern televisions bring the interpolation activated by default, which undoubtedly affects the viewing of content, both from Netflix and from any other multimedia source that we are playing on the TV.
To solve these types of problems, Netflix published a list of settings that we can apply to our television to enjoy Netflix in the best possible quality.
Recommended basic settings
Regardless of the model of television we have at home, there are certain common settings that we should review:
Turn off image smoothing or interpolation: Check your TV settings and turn off smoothing. Depending on the television, this feature may have different names, such as MotionFlow, Motion Interpolation, TruMotion, Auto Motion Plus or Motion Smoothing.
Normal color temperature: Check the color settings and make sure that cool or warm colors are not turned on, as they apply blue or yellow tones to the images.
Activate HDR: If your TV has HDR, check that it is activated. This will help to provide a greater dynamic range of luminances (black colors will appear blacker and whites appear whiter).
Advanced settings
In addition to these basic settings, there is also another set of settings that we can tweak to make the Netflix image look better. Some Smart TVs that already have Netflix pre-installed at the factory change all these settings automatically when we open the Netflix app. If this is not your case, just check these points:
- Picture mode: Cinema or Movie (avoid sport, dynamic or vivid modes).
- Sharpness: Leave the sharpness at 0%. Some televisions mark this setting at 50% (if you see the image blurry, set the sharpness to 50%).
- Backlight: 100% or maximum setting for daytime use. During the night, you can lower it a little so as not to tire your eyes.
- Contrast : 100%.
- Brightness : 50%.
- Color : 50%.
- Hue : 0%.
- Gamma: 2.2. If the TV does not use the 1.8 to 2.9 range, set this value to zero.
- Hue (Green / Red) : 50%.
- Aspect ratio: Always use the native or original setting of the screen so that no pixels are cut or stretched.
Specific settings according to the Smart TV manufacturer
In addition to all the configuration settings that we have discussed, there are also other aspects that we can review depending on the Smart TV model that we are using.
Sony
Noise Reduction: Off
MPEG Noise Reduction: Off
Dot Noise Reduction: Off
Auto Light Limiter: Off
Clear White: Off
Live Color: Off
Detail Enhancer: Disabled
Edge Enhancer: Off
SBM: Disabled
Reality Creation: Disabled
Smooth Creation: Off
Motionflow: Disabled
CineMotion: Off
Black Corrector: Off
Samsung
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Black Tone: Off
Flesh Tone: 0
Gamma: 0
Motion Lighting: Off
Digital Clean View: Disabled
Smart LED: Off
LG
Super Resolution: Off
Dynamic Color: Off
Clear White: Off
Motion Eye Care: Disabled
TruMotion: Disabled
Real Cinema: Off
Other models
Edge Enhancement: Off
Watching Netflix blurry? Check the resolution in the Netflix settings
If, after doing all this, you still feel that Netflix does not see as well as it should go to the app settings.
At the top left, click on the menu and select “Account. ”
From “Profile and parental control, “select your user profile.
Go to “Playback Settings” and tap on “Change .”
Under “Data usage per screen,” select” High. ”
In this way, all content will be reproduced with the best available quality, consuming about 3GB for HD quality videos and up to 7GB for 4K Ultra HD quality content.
Please note that the playback quality is adjusted per user. If you have several users, you will have to make this change in the profile of each one of them. Note: Image quality settings cannot be changed in a child profile.
