Have you ever been to a theater? Something worth noting is that movies don’t look the same on a TV or projector as they do in theaters. What is their secret? It's just a simple setting on your TV or projector. Having that setting turned on is why you are seeing the soap opera effect. What is a soap opera effect?
It is your TV that tries to make a movie seem super smooth with motion smoothing. What is the issue with the soap opera effect? It does this by creating “fake” frames in an ongoing frame of a movie that didn’t exist in the first place. You are just seeing fake frames, not actual cinema-quality. But why does such a setting exist in the first place?
What is the Soap Opera Effect?
Motion smoothing, also known as the soap opera effect, occurs when MEMC technology is used; the flow of frames becomes smoother through motion interpolation. Movies are filmed at 24 FPS (frames per second), while most TVs and projectors display images at 60 or 120 FPS. There is no FPS setting to render images at any multiple of 24 FPS. This creates blur or judder.
To compensate for the absence of speed, motion smoothing was invented. Movies now look so smooth; they look like an actual Soap Opera, where every transition frame can be viewed. Yes, those frames are fake. That is why people hate it because it ruins movie quality. Because MEMC technology can’t process complex frames with multiple transitions, it produces a poor, unclear image, and you will experience judder, ruining your experience. Judder vs. Blur, which is worse?
Judder vs. Blur: What is the Difference Between Them?
Judder occurs most often when you try to watch a 24 FPS movie at 60 or 120 FPS, or at any other refresh rate. MEMC technology can’t create so many fake frames to fill in. As a result, noticeable jumps or jerks in movies are common, which didn’t occur in actual film, especially during fast or complex frames.
When comparing Judder vs. Blur, Blur occurrence is due to hardware. When the TV or Projector softens the frame due to hardware limitations, it cannot render it. This results in visible blur behind the moving object in the movie, also known as motion blur. Motion blurs are more common during gaming sessions, while judders are more common during movie sessions. Both of them are bad because they ruin your experience during motion smoothing.
How Does Your TV Achieve Soap Opera Effect?
Can you do simple math? 60 or 120 doesn’t have any cofactor of 24. By default, all TVs and projectors render images at 60 or 120 FPS. To view a 24 FPS film on a 60 FPS display, you would have to double or triple some frames. To do that, fake frames will be added to the original image, and the result will be named 'motion smoothing'. There is technology like Filmmaker Mode in the Valerion motion setting that doesn’t add any fake frames to show content. It further maintains accurate color reproduction and frame rate for an authentic cinematic look. So, how are frames doubled and tripled for soap opera effect?
When filming a movie at 24 FPS, the frame changes 24 times per second, also known as the content's speed. It differs from refresh rate, where a TV renders images 60 times per second. MEMC will use 2, 3, 2 sequences to add smoothness to motion. TV will take the first frame and duplicate it; the second frame will be tripled, and the next frame will be doubled. After that, it will be tripled, and the pattern will continue in a 2,3,2,3,2….
Is Soap Opera Effect Helpful?
Do the viewing circumstances of yours stay limited to movies? No. That’s where MEMC technology is helpful. In sports, motion smoothing is very helpful because it makes the video look smooth without judder or blur. It is also beneficial for slow-paced content, such as panoramic videos of mountains or nature. MEMC will add frames to the displayed frames for slow-paced content to avoid jerks.
How to Disable or Enable Soap Opera Effect?
To adjust judder or blur reduction, it will usually be under advanced settings, then display settings. Some TVs might struggle to render a movie because they aren't compatible with it, even after judder is removed. However, projectors like Valerion’s VisionMaster Pro2, enabled with Filmmaker Mode, let you have true cinema at home. Actual 300-inch IMAX projection is something still missing with TVs and other projects. The Filmmaker Mode in Valerion motion settings is the secret to watching movies and experiencing them precisely as you would in a theater.
FAQs
Does soap opera affect the aspect ratio?
No, it keeps the actual aspect ratio throughout the content.
When should you use blur reduction and judder reduction settings?
Blur reduction will help if frame drops are consistent or blur is visible just behind a moving object. Judder reduction will help if particular objects linger longer, if there are extra frames, or if ultra-realistic smoothness that should not exist in actual video content is present.
Does motion smoothing affect latency?
Yes. It can double or triple latency.
Is motion interpolation recommended for gaming?
How compatible is your hardware? If it could handle more rendering without affecting performance, then yes, for smoothness. If frames are already dropping and hardware is struggling to render, motion interpolation will degrade performance.
Conclusion: Should You Have Motion Smoothing Enabled?
Motion smoothing is adding fake frames to video content that didn’t exist in the original, making the video seem super smooth, known as the soap opera effect. People hate MEMC technology because it makes movies look super smooth, and they don’t feel like the movies they used to watch in a theater anymore. But it is helpful in certain viewing conditions, like sports. You should have motion smoothing when viewing sports. Judder vs. Blur, how do you know which is which?
Blur, or motion blur, is due to hardware limitations and is unable to render the image, aka frame drops. Judder occurs when viewing 24 FPS movies at a 60 or 120 FPS display. To compensate for the difference in video speed, fake frames are added. But you will see objects linger much longer, which frustrates people because it doesn't happen in actual movies. In that case, have it turned off. And you will have a better experience. For an actual theater experience at home, check out the Valerion VisionMaster Max, designed to meet Hollywood Standards.
