By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor of 4 TV magazines. Former Sony employee.
TV Answer Man, I have a new 4K Sony TV and I am thoroughly confused about which Picture setting it should be on. I read about Vivid and Cinema and all the rest. Does Sony actually have a recommendation for which Picture setting you should use? Or do they just sell the TV and let everyone figure it out for themselves? — Paul, Madison, Wisconsin.
Paul, that’s a great question. Should your TV be set on Vivid? Cinema? Gaming? Something else? Many TV owners wrestle with these questions, particularly when they first buy the set. You want your TV to display the best picture possible so you want to use the Picture setting that will achieve that goal.
After getting this inquiry, I did some research at the Sony web site and discovered that the electronics giant actually offers different recommendations for picture settings, depending upon when and where you are watching television. Here they are:
| Vivid | Clear colors and contours, as well as enhanced contrast. | Bright and dark colors, and enhanced edges, a suitable mode for bright places such as storefronts. |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Recommended for everyday use at home. | Bright, high color depth, and enhanced edges, a suitable mode for home environments. |
| Cinema | Recommended for watching films at home. | Suitable mode for watching movies at home. Brightness, color depth, and edges enhance are well balanced to watch movies. |
| Game | Recommended for gaming. | Suitable mode for playing games, minimizing image delay (the time until the operation by the game controller is displayed on the television) as well as optimizing picture quality. |
| Graphics | Recommended for graphics and use with computers. | Suitable mode to display graphics contents showing characters or tables properly. This mode is recommended when using the TV as a computer monitor. |
| Photo | Recommended for photo viewing at home. | Suitable mode to display photos in a standard environment, such as at home. Brightness, color depth, and edges enhance are well balanced to view photo contents. |
| Custom | Emphasizes true reproduction of the original signal. | Mode for customizing picture settings according to your preferences. |
| IMAX Enhanced | Recommended for watching IMAX Enhanced content. | Optimised for viewing IMAX Enhanced content the way it was intended. IMAX Enhanced is available depending on the model of the TV. |
This is interesting because Vivid, which most video enthusiasts believe washes out picture detail, is a recommendation for storefronts. As I’ve noted here before, many stores display their TVs with the Vivid setting on which creates a brighter and flashier picture to get shoppers’ attention. However, when the shopper returns home with the set, and watches it for a period of time, he or she discovers that the ‘Vivid’ TV may not offer a great picture after all.
It’s also noteworthy that Sony offers different recommendations for whether you are watching a movie (Cinema) or regular programming (Standard) during the day.
Take a look at what Sony has to say and do some testing at home on your own. You might find a new way to watch TV tonight.
Paul, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
