Roku TV users are reporting issues relating to motion smoothing settings on the latest version of the company's TV operating system. It launched OS 13 alongside its premium Roku Pro Series TVs back in April of this year, however, users have now identified a peculiar picture issue.
As reported by The Verge, multiple Roku TV users have taken to Reddit and Roku's forums claiming that motion smoothing is permanently switched on and cannot be turned off in the picture settings menu. This issue appears to be affecting TCL TVs running the Roku OS software according to user reports, while users with access to the "Expert" picture settings can still toggle motion smoothing.
There are speculations that the new Roku Smart Picture feature added in this update could be playing a hand in this issue, however, it cannot be pinned down as the proven cause. This automatic picture optimisation mode can adjust picture settings based on the content on display, so it's likely that motion could be affected. However, users with older Roku-powered sets that don't have access to Roku Smart Picture are also reporting issues with motion smoothing.
Other users are claiming that this is the first time that their TVs have been able to access Roku's motion smoothing feature and that there is no mention in either the standard or expert menus as to how to switch it on or off. A community moderator for Roku has assured users that the company is looking into this apparent glitch.
Motion smoothing continues to be a divisive topic in the realm of TV. While we find that it can help or hinder a TV's performance on a case-by-case basis, our general rule of thumb is that it's best switched off if you're after the most authentic experience. Hollywood A-listers have also been quite outspoken in this, most famously Tom Cruise, who made a public service announcement back in 2018 instructing us all to switch the setting off.
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