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The brightness sensor

This system allows you to vary the backlighting on the panel, or if not the brightness of the image, then in function to the brightness of the room. This setting is of course not available on projectors as they must be used in a dark room, pitch black if possible.
Even if the idea of automatically setting brightness seems a good one, it is difficult in practice. The sensor often has trouble adjusting it precisely enough to the brightness in the room. Moreover, it annuls any calibration that has been carried out previously. We prefer to disactivate this system, but of course you’re free to do as you like.
In fact, we prefer to move between two different modes, one of which set for a light room and the other for a dark home cinema style room. Some TV models even allow you to move rapidly from one to the other using the remote.

Colour space

This setting is not included in all menus but has various names: colours, colour space… Don’t choose spread out modes which denature colours and make them artificial. Always opt for original mode or any other similar setting.

Dynamic contrast

This mode allows your TV or projector to adjust the contrast of the scene displayed dynamically. Although it does give flattering measurements it also makes for some strange results in the final image. Detail goes in the lightest or darkest areas in the image. This gives you an altered image that does not correspond to the source. We obviously suggest you to disactivate this option.

Noise reduction

NR, DNR, MPEG-NR... video noise reduction filters (NR for Noise Reduction) exist in different forms. They aim to reduce parasites and effects linked to digital compression (TNT, DVD, Blu-ray…). Although the effects of noise reduction can always be noticed and are pretty effective, they are not without side effects. You often lose some sharpness along with the artifacts. We advise you to disactivate these filters and not to activate them unless you really need to, starting at the lowest setting and going up until you get a satisfactory image.
Another disadvantage of these filters: they scrub the granulation that some directors deliberately use in their films for style reasons.

"Fluidification" of movements

Motionflow for Sony, TruMotion with LG, Movie Plus with Samsung, HD Natural Motion (Philips), or even 24p Real Cinema for Panasonic, are the different names for this setting: reduction of jerkiness in the films. These systems allow you to fluidify movements by adding images to the 24, 25 or 30 images of films. There are however two problems with this:

- they sometimes give too “video” an image and give you the impression of watching a TV series rather than a film. This fault is to be found less on the most recent models.

- pushed to a maximum, they cause faults on the image. You’re better off going for the minimum level. Some fluidification settings find it hard enough to cope with the parasites even at that level.

Although the use of these systems can seem difficult at first, you’ll notice the difference if you take the plunge and make a bit of an effort. We advise you to activate them for a minimum of two weeks, even if the image results shock you, then to disactivate them and see if you can do without.