Ever watched a movie on your new TV and thought, “Why does this look like a soap opera?” You are not imagining things. That smooth, almost too-real look has a name—it is called The Soap Opera Effect.
But here is the fun thing you should know about. Different TV brands give it different names. LG calls it Truemotion. Sony calls it MotionFlow. And Samsung has something similar, too. But at their core, they all do pretty much the same thing.
Let’s break it down in simple words. We will go over what each one does, how they are different and when you should turn them on—or off.
What is a soap opera effect?
Let’s start with the most common term: The Soap Opera Effect.
This is not a brand feature. It is a nickname people use when TVs make movies or shows look too smooth. It happens when your TV adds extra frames between the real ones. This is called frame interpolation.
Movies are usually shot at 24 frames per second. But when your TV adds fake frames to make it 60 or 120 frames per second, the motion looks ultra-smooth—almost like live video. That is why it reminds people of soap operas, which were often shot on video with high frame rates.
So, in short, the Soap Opera Effect is the result of motion-smoothing features that try to make things look “better”—but sometimes go too far.
So why do TV makers use it?
TV companies add these features to make motion look clearer.
Think about fast scenes—like car chases, sports, or action games. On older TVs, quick movements looked blurry or jumpy. Frame interpolation was created to fix that.
It works great for things like:
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Live sports
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News shows
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Reality TV
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Some video games
But for movies and cinematic shows, it can ruin the mood. The picture becomes too clear, too fast, and too sharp. You will simply lose the movie magic—something you’d also notice on high-end digital displays or LED video walls designed for professional broadcast environments.
True Motion (LG TVs)
Let’s talk about TrueMotion first.
This is LG’s version of motion smoothing. When you turn it on, the TV starts creating extra frames to make the picture smoother.
LG gives you options like:
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Smooth: Adds a lot of frame interpolation.
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Clear: Adds a little less.
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User: Lets you adjust blur and judder separately.
This one is handy. You can tweak the settings until it looks good to your eyes. Want sports to look sharp but hate how movies look fake? You can find a balance with TrueMotion. Just go to the settings and play around.
MotionFlow (Sony TVs)
Now, onto MotionFlow, which is Sony’s version.
It works just like TrueMotion, but with Sony’s own flavour. Motionflow also adds frames between the originals, using Sony’s motion processing engine. Some Sony TVs even come with extra options like:
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Standard
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Smooth
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Cinemotion
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Custom
You will often find a setting called Cinemotion on Sony TVs. This is for people who want movies to look like actual films—not soap operas. So, if you hate the Soap Opera Effect, try turning Cinemotion on and MotionFlow off or set it to True Cinema.
The good thing is, Sony lets you control how aggressive the smoothing is. Want it barely there? Dial it down. Want no smoothing at all? You can turn it off completely.
Other Brand Names
Just for reference, here are some other names you might see:
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Samsung: Auto Motion Plus
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Vizio: Smooth Motion Effect
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TCL: Action Smoothing
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Hisense: MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation)
All these are different names for the same basic thing: frame interpolation. They all try to make the motion look smoother. They all risk creating the Soap Opera Effect.
Are TrueMotion and MotionFlow the Same?
Kind of yes—but also no.
They are both trying to do the same thing: smooth out motion on your screen. The main difference lies in how they do it. Think of it like two chefs making the same dish. The ingredients are similar, but the flavour may feel a little different.
Some people say Sony’s MotionFlow looks a bit more natural. Others say LG’s TrueMotion gives more control. At the end of the day, it depends on:
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The model of your TV
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The type of content you watch
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Your personal preference
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. That is why it helps to try the settings yourself—whether you’re watching on a standard TV or a professional LED video wall display setup for home theaters or conference rooms.
When should you use these features?
This is the million-dollar question. But here is a good rule of thumb:
Turn it on for
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Live sports like football, basketball, or hockey
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Fast-moving shows
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Daytime TV or reality shows
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Watching YouTube
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Casual gaming
Turn it off for
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Movies (especially cinematic or dramatic ones)
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TV shows shot on film
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Classic films
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Streaming content on Netflix, HBO, Prime, etc.
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Serious gaming (especially if you notice input lag)
If you are a movie buff, go to your settings and turn motion smoothing off. Trust us, your favourite director would be proud.
The Middle Ground: Customise Your Settings
Luckily, you don’t have to choose just ON or OFF. Most TVs now let you customize how much smoothing you want. You will often see two sliders:
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Blur reduction
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Judder reduction
Blur handles fast motion. Judder handles camera movement or planning. Try turning the blur up a little and judder down low. That way, you still get some smoothness without turning your movie into a reality show.
It takes a bit of trial and error, but it is worth it.
Final Thoughts
The Soap Opera Effect, TrueMotion, and MotionFlow might sound like fancy features. But they are just tools your TV uses to make fast motion look better. Sometimes they help. Sometimes they simply don’t.
If you love movies, turn them off. If you are watching sports or casual shows, they might help make the picture smoother. And if you are not sure what you like? Just test it out. Your eyes will tell you what feels right.
Just remember: there is no “perfect thing.” It is all about how it looks to you. In the end, it is your TV—or even your LED wall screen panels if you’ve upgraded—so watch the way that makes you happiest.
