Testing tech is part of my job, and I’m always looking for ways to improve my TV’s performance. I realized this isn’t the case for most buyers who don’t change their TV setup after the initial installation and assume it’s the best it can be. They enjoy their movies and shows without knowing how much better their experience would be with a few tweaks.
These simple tricks don’t have to cost an arm and a leg and are usually easy to do. All you need to do is make a few simple adjustments or buy a couple of affordable accessories which you’ll wish you did earlier. Here are five cheap TV upgrades that can improve your setup.
Buy a cheap soundbar
The most impactful upgrade
It’s no secret that adding a soundbar if you don’t have one already is the most impactful upgrade to your TV setup. The tiny built-in speakers on your TV simply don’t cut it are one of the reasons why you struggle to hear dialogue above the other sound effects. These speakers don’t have low-frequency oomph, and can distort at higher volumes.
Even cheap soundbars without a subwoofer are a substantial improvement over standard TV speakers. So how much do they cost? Basic soundbars, like the Samsung B-Series HW B400F and Amazon Fire TV Soundbar 2.0 are available for well under $100 and are worth it as a basic upgrade. You could also spend a few more dollars on entry-level models with a subwoofer, like the Hisense HS2100 or TCL S55H, which cost around $120.
Control the room lighting
Reduce reflections and glare
A room’s ambient lighting affects what you see onscreen and a few simple adjustments can make a world of difference to your experience. This is because direct sunshine coming through the windows and your indoor lights can reflect off the screen and cause the images to look washed out or distorted.
You can easily fix this issue by moving lamps away from the TV and adding thicker curtains or blinds to make the room darker during the day. Moving the TV around to find a better position is a last resort and isn’t possible if it’s mounted on the wall.
A room that’s too dark can also be an issue and can make watching a bright screen feel jarring or uncomfortable. My solution is to turn on my hallway lights which bleed into my living room and improve the atmosphere.
Adding LED strip bias lighting is a more professional solution that can improve your setup’s overall aesthetics. The ambient lighting behind the TV helps to offset its brightness and creates an eye-catching visual effect. You can find LED strips, like the Daymeet for under $10 while pricier options, like the Govee Kit, go for around $90.
Add a universal remote control
Make life easier
Adding a remote control improves usability if you have multiple devices, like a TV, Blu-ray player and soundbar in your setup. I hate fiddling with different remote controls and invest in a single universal model to fulfill all their roles. Then I enjoy the convenience of creating programmable macros and accessing the volume, input and other settings on all my devices from one location.
Universal remote controls are widely available, but the trick is to find one that’s compatible with all your devices. You can find many generic types for under $20, but they are hit-and-miss and might not work across your devices. If it’s within your budget, it’s probably better to get a SofaBaton U3 which has wide device compatibility and advanced functions, like app control and voice assistant compatibility.
Clear storage and update the software
Basic housekeeping
Clearing your TV’s storage and updating the software are free housekeeping tasks that reduce clutter and improve performance in certain cases. Apps have a way of piling up and can reduce performance on TVs, which often have limited RAM for background processes. It’s worth removing these apps to free up processing power and make your interface look cleaner at the same time.
When clearing out the unwanted apps, you might as well clear any temporary data and cache files. Then unplug your TV for a minute or so before rebooting it. You should also ensure your TV software is up-to-date to fix bugs or security issues and ensure compatibility with the latest apps.
Calibrate the picture settings
Change the default settings
Calibrating your TV settings is a free way of improving the picture quality. The factory settings are seldom the best option, and it’s recommended that you turn off motion smoothing, which adds extra frames into the video, but creates an unnatural effect in some content. I usually turn off the energy-saving feature on any TV because it stifles the brightness.
You should also change the viewing modes from the default options. Options, like Vivid and Standard are often too cool, and it’s worth switching to something warmer, like Cinema and Filmmaker which look more natural. Also check your brightness, contrast and sharpness settings to see what works best for you. The idea is to see all the details and depth in the image without it looking washed out.
