Your smart TV is great, but there’s always room for improvement. These six simple tweaks will help you get the most out of your viewing experience.
Smart TVs are great, but often not optimally set up as soon as you take them out of the box. Many users don’t even notice this and just start watching, when their device could be performing much better.
Fortunately, with a few simple tweaks you can greatly improve image quality, speed and user experience. And at no cost to you. We’ve listed the six best free upgrades to help you get the most out of your smart TV right away.
6 ways to take your smart TV to the next level
These simple ways will make your smart TV much better.
#1 Turn off motion smoothing and 120 Hz
Do you ever feel like movies and series look too smooth, like you’re watching a soap opera? That’s because of motion smoothing, a feature that adds extra frames to make images smoother. This can be useful for live sports, but not really for movies and TV series. Go to your TV’s picture settings and turn this off for a more natural image.
#2 Use the right HDMI Cable for your smart TV
Not all HDMI cables for your smart TV are the same. If you are using a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, make sure you have an HDMI 2.1 cable to enjoy the highest resolution and smooth gameplay.
When buying, pay attention to certified cables and avoid overpriced “premium” versions. These are often no better than cheaper alternatives.
(Image: Unsplash)
#3 Connect to the Internet via Ethernet
Wi-Fi is convenient, but if you want a stable and fast connection for 4K streaming without buffering, use a wired Internet connection. In fact, many smart TVs have a built-in Ethernet port.
And if yours doesn’t have one, you can use a USB-to-Ethernet adapter. You’ll find that Netflix and YouTube run more smoothly without hiccups.
#4 Use USB ports smartly
The USB ports on your smart TV are much more versatile than you might think. Plug in an external hard drive to instantly play your favorite movies and series without streaming. Or use the port to power a Chromecast or Fire Stick so you don’t have to use an extra outlet.
You can even plug in accessories like a wireless keyboard or a USB stick with photos and videos. Experiment with them and discover how handy they can be.
You plug it into your television very easily. (Image: Google)
#5 Enable automatic updates
Smart TVs are basically big computers and thus need regular updates. These updates not only improve performance, but also fix security vulnerabilities. Therefore, check in the settings if automatic updates are turned on, so that your TV always stays up-to-date without you having to think about it yourself.
#6 Clear cache for a Faster smart TV
Notice that your TV is more responsive? Just like your phone or laptop, a smart TV stores temporary data in a cache, which can cause slowdowns over time. Go to settings, find the option to clear the cache and your TV will feel like new again.
