TVs 120 Hz v 60 Hz

[Jimmy Higgins]

In the world of televisions today, there is a newish breed, the 120 Hz screens. When you look online people swear by 120 Hz. It looks so much smoother, it is perfect.

I find I hate 120 Hz. First time I saw it, didn't even know I was seeing it, it felt wrong. Video games are one thing, but tv, movies, it just feels wrong. I was pondering, am I just being old and hating change or do I have a legitimate gripe. After all, it is merely putting frames in between the frames. But I think I do have a case. It reminds me of "pan and scan", where scanning would be done to help provide a modified (if not awful) widescreen adaptation within a normal 4:3 CRT. The panning was always noticeable relative to the motion of the camera. Cameras don't move perfectly, people don't move perfectly, which makes my brain not like the interpolation between frames.

The odd thing is, I don't think I've ever watch racing and thought, man this is inferior and looks awful. The only time television carriage of racing is problematic is after the sun sets and the headlights bleeding out on the screen. Thankfully HDR can help with that. So, I'm uncertain why we even need a 120 Hz. Some argue it is math, as 24 (fps) goes into 120 an even number of times. But that means for every 5 frames, only 1 is legit. Where as the 60 Hz, you'd be for every 2.5 frames, 1 is legit. So, in the end (and if I'm not mistaken), at 120 Hz, 80% of what you are seeing isn't real.

I did a quick, non-conclusive search and I really couldn't find much on opinions treating 120 Hz lower than 60 Hz. For video games, it is a rendering thing, so the more frames, the cleaner it looks and it is all artificial to begin, so it isn't as if it is misrepresenting what we see in the physical world. Otherwise, when I got my new 4K TV, I tried to adjust to 120 Hz and motion control, and I just can't stand it... still. It is blatantly apparent. So off, off, none, off.

Am I the only one that doesn't have a fondness for 120 Hz?

 

[ZiprHead]

Huh. Never noticed that.

I do remember when I first watched The Avengers in 4K/120Hz/OLED I thought some of the scenes looked almost 3 dimensional. Maybe that's the effect you're talking about and I am interpreting it differently.

There are 240Hz TVs available now.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It isn't the visual or depth... it is, to my eye, the unnatural motion of people and of cameras panning / rotating quickly as well. People sitting and talking in a room, not an issue. People start moving... it becomes an issue I observe.

 

[Elixir]

It isn't the visual or depth... it is, to my eye, the unnatural motion of people and of cameras panning / rotating quickly as well. People sitting and talking in a room, not an issue. People start moving... it becomes an issue I observe.

I'm an A/V Luddite and have no idea wtf these "Hz" figures are measuring ... frame refresh rate? I remember when 24 fps was so phenomenal... is it not still standard in movies?
What would be the point of a refresh rate that exceeds the original frame rate?
I found this which seems to allude to an effect that is found to be subjectively pleasing about 24 fps vs up to 75 fps.
Makes me feel like all my 5-10 yr old TVs should have hand cranks on the side.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Doing a bit more looking, it isn't necessary 120 Hz, but 120 Hz with interpolation. I turned off all the interpolation and motion control and it is a much better experience!

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Doing a bit more looking, it isn't necessary 120 Hz, but 120 Hz with interpolation. I turned off all the interpolation and motion control and it is a much better experience!

I thought what you were describing was the "soap opera mode" that most TVs have, where the TV itself is adding frames. I believe video content plays at the original frame rate even on 120hz TVs unless that "feature" is activated.

And yes, I think it's annoying, and I don't use it.