STACK #211 May 2022

LIFE TECH FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

TV Calibration Tips

ESSENTIAL 2022 TV BUYING GUIDE STACK’S continued

Most smart TVs come with picture settings precalibrated for the best possible image quality, largely eliminating the need for further fiddling with colour, contrast and brightness levels. Moreover, many feature built-in AI that will automatically adjust and optimise the screen image according to the video source content and environmental factors like a room’s ambient light. But great picture quality is subjective, of course, so if you feel the need

for further tweaking, an internet search will return a plethora of suggested settings according to your TV model. However, it can also send you down a rabbit hole of technobabble and leave you stressing about things like the right Chroma level. The best and simplest way to refine the picture to your liking is to first select the Picture Mode setting and then toggle between the options to determine which one looks best to your eye – Movie/Cinema mode is a good one-fits-all

setting. Colour, contrast and brightness are the key settings you may want to adjust – ideally, colour and brightness should be set at 50 per cent, with contrast as high as possible. Sharpness should be left under 50 per cent or at zero, while colour temperature/tone is best set to Warm. When you’ve found the right balance, set and forget. But if levels still don’t look quite right, revert to the default/factory settings and start over.

Filmmaker Some manufacturers also offer this mode (endorsed by Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan, no less), which delivers an even more natural looking and cinematic picture that’s as close as possible to what the filmmaker intended. Why it’s important: Preset picture modes instantly tweak specific types of video content to maximise image quality. How good a picture looks is subjective, so experiment with each to determine which looks best to your eye. HDMI 2.1 What is it? A new specification in HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connectivity to support higher video resolutions and refresh rates. – more bandwidth equals higher resolutions. Standard HDMI has a bandwidth of 18Gbps (gigabits per second), HDMI 2.1 raises it to 48Gbps for resolutions up to 10K and frame rates of 120fps. 8K TVs and next-gen gaming consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X) support HDMI 2.1 connectivity. ARC and eARC What is it? Audio connectivity via an HDMI cable, sending the sound from a TV back to a connected soundbar or AV receiver. ARC stands for Audio Return Channel and is supported by most TVs and soundbars/receivers. eARC is Enhanced Audio Return Channel, boosting bandwidth and speed for higher quality audio formats, and is backwards compatible with ARC. Why it’s important: It’s all about the transmission of data

Responsible disposal Fortunately, more and more people are becoming aware of e-waste and the correct way to dispose of old devices, but you still see TVs sat on the nature strip. In short, TVs – or any e-waste – should not end up in landfill where hazardous materials could potentially contaminate soils and water. Instead of sitting your old plasma on the footpath, throwing a ‘free’ sign on it, and hoping it will be collected by someone in desperate need of a 20-year-old TV, put it in the back of your car and drive to your nearest transfer station or e-waste drop-off point. Here it will be disposed of responsibly.

Why is it important: ARC simplifies the connection of audio receivers to the TV. eARC, with its higher bandwidth, brings out the best in Dolby Atmos and Dolby True HD. Be sure to check if the TV has an ARC or eARC HDMI port.

16 MAY 2022

jbhifi.com.au