To make the absolute most of any television, there are more than a few things to consider. Not only do you want to make sure the resolution is good and that the screen is suitably sized. You also want to make sure that movement on the screen looks just right. One common problem that often affects on-screen movement is motion blur.
But it can often be a little difficult to tell exactly what TV motion blur actually is, and how you can solve it. In fact, that’s likely what led you to this very page. Luckily, the Reliant tech experts are here to help!
In this guide, we’re going to explore everything there is to know about TV motion blur. From what it is, all the way down to how to solve it. So let’s get right into it!
What Is Motion Blur?
At its most basic, motion blur occurs whenever an object on-screen moves too quickly for the camera. The fast motion leads to a blurred image.
Motion blur is a result of fast on-screen motion. If an on-screen object moves too quickly for the camera to capture, it results in blurring. For some content, it can be detrimental. For other content, it’s just right!
Let’s say you were watching footage of a live football match. If a player were to speed up upon gaining possession of the ball, then the higher speed might result in motion blur. Motion blur causes the offending image to become unclear and fuzzy looking. In some cases, this can be very unsatisfying. In others, it’s just right!
Why Does Motion Blur Happen?
Before we talk about the impact that motion blur can have on your TV experience, it would be worth mentioning why it occurs.
When motion blur occurs on your TV, it’s often because the screen is not able to refresh its image fast enough. The more times a TV can refresh its image every second, the smoother on-screen motion appears. If your TV has a particularly low refresh rate, then content that should appear smooth might appear very blurry!
Motion blur also occurs as a result of how content is produced. Without getting too technical, film and TV cameras capture images by exposing their lenses to light. If an object in the frame is moving too fast, then the light bouncing off of it also moves too. If the object is too quick, then it results in motion blur! Of course, the faster a camera is, the more it’s able to keep up with fast-moving objects.
As such, if you find that motion blur is a problem when watching content, then it’s worth not only looking at the capabilities of the TV but also how the content you’re watching was produced. Your TV might have a great refresh rate, but the content you’re watching might just be filmed in such a way that it appears slightly more blurry!
Why Does Motion Blur Matter?
The amount of motion blur displayed on your TV screen can have a direct impact on your enjoyment. As such, it’s worth paying attention to.
If you’re watching content that’s fast-paced and exciting, then you might want to make sure motion blur is kept to a minimum. For instance, if you’re watching live sports then motion blur can make it incredibly difficult to keep up with the action.
However, it’s worth noting that in some cases motion blur might actually be preferable. For example, if you’re watching a film, then it’s likely that any instances of motion blur are actually a stylistic choice. This is because movies and many TV shows are actually filmed at around 24 frames per second. So, motion blur is a result of how the content was produced, and not due to any shortcoming within your TV itself!
How Do You Avoid Motion Blur?
Motion Smoothing
Of course one of the most popular ways to account for motion blur is to activate motion smoothing. Motion smoothing is a post-processing effect found on many smart TVs, and is specifically designed to prevent motion blur.
When motion smoothing is activated, your TV is able to interpolate frames to go between the existing frames. So, if you were watching a piece of content that played at 30 frames per second, for instance, then motion smoothing would insert new frames between each of those frames. This results in smoother motion!
Motion smoothing is great for live TV or regular broadcast content. However, it’s not good for film. As we mentioned, films are made to display at slower frame rates. Motion smoothing artificially bumps up the frame rate, ruining the look of the original content.
Up The Refresh Rate
Some smart TVs allow you to choose a refresh rate that matches specific content. If content is appearing slightly jittery, then it’s worth playing around in the settings to see if you can improve the refresh rate!
If you want motion blur to be a thing of the past, then it’s worth upgrading your TV to a new model. Look for one with a high refresh rate and one with plenty of built-in motion-smoothing technology!
It might also be worth investing in a new TV, especially if your TV is particularly old. Newer TVs have much smoother refresh rates and all manner of motion-smoothing technologies.
Account For Your Content
As we mentioned earlier, motion blur can actually occur as a result of your content in some cases. For instance, motion blur is often an intentional choice in film. Motion blur can also commonly be found in triple-A games, as a post-processing effect designed to closely emulate the look of film.
If you find that motion blur is impacting your enjoyment of a game, then it’s worth checking the settings, to see if you can toggle motion blur on and off!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Motion Blur?
Motion blur occurs when an object in a piece of content moves at a high speed, and thus creates a blurry image. Motion blur can occur as a result of your display. For instance, if your TV’s refresh rate is too low. It can also be a result of how content is produced. For instance, many films are produced at 24 frames per second. Thus, motion might sometimes appear blurred!
