Motion smoothing, also known as motion interpolation or the soap opera effect, is a feature found on many modern televisions. It is designed to reduce motion blur and create smoother motion in fast-paced scenes by inserting extra frames between the original frames of a video or film. This technique aims to enhance the clarity of motion and make it appear more fluid.
However, motion smoothing has become controversial, and many people dislike it for a few reasons:
- Artificial Appearance: Motion smoothing can make movies and TV shows appear unnaturally smooth and hyper-realistic, resembling the look of soap operas or live broadcasts. This effect can be jarring and detract from the intended aesthetic of the content, especially for films and TV shows shot in a traditional cinematic style.
- Loss of Filmic Quality: Motion smoothing alters the original film or video by adding interpolated frames, which can result in a loss of the film’s original intended look and feel. It can diminish the cinematic quality, depth, and texture that filmmakers and cinematographers intended to convey.
- Artefacts and Motion Artefacts: In some cases, motion smoothing can introduce visual artefacts or glitches into the video, such as odd warping or blurring around moving objects. These artefacts can be distracting and negatively impact the viewing experience.
- Incompatibility with Certain Genres: Motion smoothing is particularly problematic for certain types of content, such as movies, TV shows, and sports broadcasts. These forms of entertainment are often meant to be viewed at a specific frame rate or with a particular visual style, and motion smoothing can alter that intended experience.
Due to the backlash against motion smoothing, many TV manufacturers have started to provide options to disable or adjust the feature. If you prefer a more traditional, film-like viewing experience, you can usually find settings in your TV’s menu to disable motion smoothing or reduce its intensity. This allows you to watch content as it was originally intended, without the artificial smoothing effect.