What Is Noise Reduction on A TV; Should I Enable It?

Key Points:

Noise reduction on a TV actively removes different types of noises from the analog signal.
An algorithm filters out the unwanted signals smoothening out the image.

The result of this process makes the image look not-so-realistic. So, it is not a good thing for TV users.

When browsing through the TV menu, you may have stumbled upon a feature named Noise Reduction or NR in short. The question is, what is noise reduction on a TV?

Noise reduction is a feature with a fancy algorithm that can block unwanted signals that get mixed with the original signal while transmission.

The real question is, whether it is good or bad. In this article, I have explained several terms and included real-life data so that you can understand my decision given on this topic at the end.

What Is Noise Reduction on A TV?

Noise in this particular matter means an unwanted signal that deviates the picture quality from its source. And, noise reduction is the process of removing all those unwanted signals or noises.

Now, it requires some more explanation. I have cleared the idea of reducing noise on a TV in the following part.

What Does Noise Reduction Do on A TV?

Noise reduction blocks the mosquito noise and background noise that gets included during transmission.

Now, you may ask what those noises mean. First of all, mosquito noise means some sort of distortion that can become visible near the crisp edges of an image in MPEG format.

Whenever the video signal gets compressed using Discrete Cosine Transform or DCT, the mosquito noise can occur during decompression.

I have mentioned another type of noise that gets mixed during the transmission. You know that our environment is full of waves.

When the TV signal gets transmitted through the environment, it unintentionally gets polluted with some irrelevant signals. And, our TV receiver picks them up.

The noise reduction feature helps remove those unwanted signals using digital filters.

What Is MPEG Noise Reduction?

MPEG noise reduction is not anything different than what I have explained above. It is the elimination of noises from analog TV signals.

After enabling this feature, your television can automatically reduce image noise. Sometimes TV menu mentions this feature as MPEG Noise Reduction.

What Is Digital Noise Reduction on A TV?

Digital noise reduction is the process by which television can clear the ugliness of digital image recreation.

When a processor converts analog data to digital image, it doesn’t look good. The algorithm then works its magic by averaging out small variations between the pixels.

What Is Dynamic Noise Reduction on A TV?

Dynamic noise reduction is the process by which you get to see better picture quality compared to normal noise-reducing processes.

It works by increasing the filtering process in the darker areas where the image is more visible.

And, the light areas don’t get processed as much as the dark areas so that the wider color spectrum stays reserved.

The end result following this technique is amazing.

What Is the Noise Reduction Setting on A TV?

Different brands put the noise reduction option in their settings differently. Most of the time, you will find it under the Picture Settings menu option.

Clicking or selecting it, you will be able to either enable it or disable it. In the next part, I am going to tell you which is the right option to choose.

In Sony TV, there are several other selections. You can choose from High, Medium, Low, and Off.

Should I Turn on Noise Reduction on My TV?

From the discussions and explanations above, you must be thinking that noise reduction is a good feature. So, it is obvious that one should keep it enabled at all times.

But the reality gives us some data that will force us to think again.

After enabling the noise reduction feature from your TV’s menu, you will notice that the picture looks more smoothed which is not pleasing to watch.

On the other hand, by turning off the noise reduction feature on your TV, you will see a more natural-looking picture.

So, filtering the noise comes at the price of detail and fine texture. It is possible to achieve slightly better image quality by adjusting other options, and not enabling the noise reduction option.

If you ask me, I will vote against noise reduction. My suggestion to you is that enable this feature, visualize for yourself the difference, and then make a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is noise reduction on Smart TV?

Most of Smart TVs come with a digital noise filter which removes any noise introduced during transmission. Purifying the analog signal helps provide the original images and sharp details.

Where is noise reduction on Samsung TV?

The noise reduction on Samsung TV is a filter that can eliminate the noise from analog signals introduced during the transmission.

Why is the background noise so loud on my TV?

Loud background noise can happen when you have a stereo television with the front surround feature being enabled.

What is noise reduction on LG TV?

The noise reduction on LG TV is an effective filter that eliminates noise around outlines and mosquito noise.

Is noise reduction good for TV?

Other than some exceptions, most default noise reduction features are not useful. It can degrade the quality of the picture.