How To Turn Off Noise Reduction On Your TV

Noise reduction doesn't necessarily sound like a bad thing to have turned on when you're using your television. However, there is only one instance where using the noise reduction setting would actually be of benefit: when you are viewing low-resolution videos on a TV that can handle better quality. When a TV like this tries to convert low-quality video, it can cause some noise in the image to occur. Turning on noise reduction can be a good idea in this case to improve the image quality.

At other times, though, when you're watching high-quality movies or television shows, it's better to turn noise reduction off. When the feature is on while displaying high-quality video feeds, it can cause somewhat of a loss in detail and as a result, the video won't look as sharp and clear. Turn the feature off and you'll have a much more accurate and natural-looking image. Since these days you're likely to only watch high-quality video on modern TVs, the best option is to turn noise reduction off entirely.

Turning off noise reduction is an easy process that can be done directly in the TV's settings. Follow these steps to turn the feature off: 

1. Go to your TV's settings menu, which can usually be accessed by pressing a gear icon or button that says Settings on the remote. 

2. Go to the TV's Picture settings.

3. Find a setting that mentions Noise Reduction. If you don't see it here, try going to Advanced or Expert settings. The exact location of the feature will vary depending on your TV's make and model (via Samsung).

4. You may see two different Noise Reduction options: MPEG Noise Reduction and Dynamic/Digital Noise Reduction (DNR). In most cases, you don't need to worry much about MPEG Noise Reduction, which simply turns down the noise around outlines, but you can turn it off if you wish (via Sony). Instead, look at Dynamic/Digital Noise Reduction and turn that either to off or the lowest setting. 

5. Exit the settings to enjoy your better picture quality.

This is a quick fix that can make high-quality videos much clearer and more detailed. 

If you're seeing something called Dynamic Noise Reduction or DNR, this is the setting your TV uses to reduce noise when playing low-resolution video. DNR is a more advanced form of typical noise reduction technology. Noise reduction works by comparing each frame against one another and removing pixels that aren't consistent across each frame. This can work okay, but it doesn't help with spatial noise that stays consistent across every frame. 

Dynamic Noise Reduction is the solution to that, as it analyzes the frames to try and pinpoint more accurately what doesn't belong, instead of just what isn't the same across each frame, as defined by Your Dictionary. This can make low-resolution videos look much nicer. However, if you're watching high-resolution videos, the setting is not needed and will simply soften the footage too much. This is why it's a good idea to turn the feature off in these cases on modern televisions.