The latest Roku TV update has enabled motion smoothing for some users – and they’re not happy
Roku TV users are discovering that the latest update has enabled the motion smoothing settings on their TV without them having done so – and there doesn’t seem to be a way to disable it, reports Ars Technica.
This isn’t the first update issue to occur in recent months, with some Roku users locked out of their TVs unless they agree to some controversial terms, while video ads make their way onto Roku TV home screens And the possibility of Roku TV showing you ads while your games are paused. Unfortunately, it looks like Roku TV users have been affected again.
On both Reddit And Roku’s community forums pageusers have reported that since the last update, which updates to Roku OS 13, the motion smoothing/interpolation (or as Roku calls it “Action Smoothing”) settings are enabled, even though users haven’t enabled them themselves.
Worst of all, users report that turning off action smoothing, which can be found in the “Expert Settings” section of the Settings menu, has no effect, as shown below:
For those wondering what motion smoothing is, these are settings that can help TVs make fast-moving images, especially sports scenes and fast-paced action scenes in movies, look smoother and clearer. They’re common on the best TVs and can even be seen on premium models with a higher frame rate, like the Samsung S95D, one of the best TVs for sports. However, when activated during slower-moving scenes, especially in movies played at the deliberately slow frame rate of 24 (FPS), the motion settings make the image ‘too smooth’, creating a so-called ‘soap opera’ effect (such as it looks like a cheaply made soap opera, shot in video at a higher frame rate than in movies).
Motion smoothing – controversial as ever
There are some positives to the motion smoothing settings, as it can really help in some cases. Entry-level sets from any brand, like last year’s Samsung CU8000, struggle with motion processing, but blur and judder reduction (two common motion smoothing settings) can make the picture smoother and improve people’s viewing experience. With the 2024 European Championships and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris just around the corner, this could be a real lifesaver for some.
However, motion smoothing remains a controversial topic as many believe it should not be included anyway. This is where picture modes like Filmmaker Mode and Game Mode come in, by disabling all extra motion interpolation by default.
If you think your new TV looks a little too smooth (hey, that movie never looked like that!) take a look at those settings. You’ll usually find them under Advanced or Expert Settings in the Picture Settings section, and another common subcategory is Motion or Brightness. Watch out for blur and judder reduction: these are two of the most common troublemakers.
This latest issue is the last thing Roku needed after the backlash it received from the above list of issues, which actually all started with an announcement that more ads are coming to Roku TV devices as early as January. Roku TV is usually among the best streaming devices for its intuitive and easy-to-use menus, but this could really be the final straw.
Yes, motion smoothing can be useful, but no one should be subjected to it without choice. We’ve reached out to Roku for comment and we’ll be sure to update this article as soon as we hear back.