TheApple TV 4Kis one of the very best streaming boxes on the market, capable of the best picture quality. But in order to take full advantage of what the Apple TV has to offer, quality-wise, there are two important settings to check. One is related to dynamic range, and the other is all about frame rate.
Both settings fall underMatch Contentin the Apple TV 4K settings menu, and both are important to have on in order to accurately display streaming content, as its creators intended. These days, streaming content comes in so many varieties. Picture can range in resolution from standard definition, up to 1080p and 4K. On top of that, there are different forms ofdynamic range, including standard dynamic range (SDR), high dynamic range (HDR), and the proprietaryDolby Vision HDRformat. Finally, content comes in a variety of frame rates, from 24fps all the way up to 60fps.
Most TVs on the market today are able to display a variety of these different formats in different combinations, and that’s where theApple TV 4K’s Match Content settingscome to the rescue.
Apple TV 4K (2022)
What shows besides Severance do you watch on Apple TV+?
Severance has become something of a phenomenon for Apple TV+, breaking records for the streamer and joining an extremely small list of popular shows for the service, which includes Ted Lasso… and basically nothing else. However, if you find yourself with a subscription to Apple TV+ after Severance wraps up in a few weeks and are wondering if there’s anything to watch before you cancel, there are actually several good shows that you might want to check out. Some of my personal favorites include Silo, Slow Horses, Foundation and the musical send-up Schmigadoon. What are your Apple TV+ recommendations?
Turning on Match Dynamic Range
Getting the right kind of HDR
The world of HDR is a complicated one. Of course, there’s good old SDR, which any TV can display. But then there are the various high dynamic range options. Those include the standard HDR10, as well as Dolby Vision. HDR10+ is a newer competitor to the Dolby Vision format, and then there’s HLG, the broadcast standard HDR format, which is also occasionally used by streamers. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages, but for the end user, the mess of options can be just that: messy. This is especially true given that not all TVs can display all formats. Samsung TVs, for example, don’t work with Dolby Vision, falling back on HDR10 or HDR10+ instead.
Match Dynamic Range on the Apple TV 4K is a simple on-off setting. The idea is that no matter what picture format the Apple TV is natively set to, when playing back content, the device will switch to output that content as close to its original format as the connected TV will accept. For example, I have my Apple TV set to display it menus in 4K SDR at 60fps, but thanks to Match Dynamic Range, when I pop on a Netflix movie, the device automatically switches to display in 4K with Dolby Vision.
Follow these simple steps to make sure Match Dynamic Range is turned on:
It’s really as simple as that. While some users occasionally encounter problems with Match Dynamic Range, particularly with older televisions, for most users it’s the ticket to the best possible picture quality.
Now is the perfect time to upgrade your Apple TV, even if it’s still working
It’s time to put away your old Apple TV.
Turning on Match Frame Rate
It’s all about that frame rate
Along with various HDR formats, streaming content comes in a variety of frame rates. For most of film’s history, movies have been shot at 24fps, often displayed at 23.976Hz on American televisions. TV, sports, news, and other content have traditionally been displayed at 30fps in the US, and 25fps in Europe. There are also faster frame rates and refresh rates for video content, generally up to 60fps.
Once again, it’s possible to set the default frame rate on the Apple TV. I keep mine at 60Hz in order to get smoother scrolling in the device’s menus. But when it comes to the actual content being streamed, converting one frame rate into another can lead to various issues, including skipped frames, juddering, visual artifacts, and more. That’s where Match Frame Rate comes in, working much the same way as Match Dynamic Range, automatically switching the Apple TV’s output to deliver the correct frame rate for all content.
Here’s how to make sure Match Frame Rate is working on the Apple TV:
Once again, it’s as simple as that. Now, the Apple TV will switch to display content in its originally intended frame rate, perfect for making sure sports look smooth and movies have that cinematic look.
I love my Apple TV but this setting is deeply frustrating
Things like this make the Apple TV 4K harder to use for everybody.
