If you choose your TV based on how fantastic the display looked in the store, you’re not alone! Many shoppers rely on seeing a TV in person at their local department store as the decisive step in picking that brand, size, and model.
However, you might notice that by the time you take your TV out of the box, it just doesn’t measure up to the insane picture quality of the store’s TV. Let’s explore some of the reasons why some TVs look better on the store display than they do at home.
Understanding “Store Display Mode”
If you ever browse your TV’s display settings, you often notice that there’s an option called “Store Display Mode,” “Retail Mode,” or “Demo Mode.” The purpose of this setting is to make the TV look its best in a store setting.
“Store Display Mode” affects a variety of display settings. The most important setting this mode adjusts is brightness, which is typically as high as possible. This mode maxes out color vividity and contrast levels to show the TV’s best side. “Store Display Mode” is paired with specific visuals to demonstrate the TV’s capabilities in the best possible light, like high-resolution wilderness scenes or complex renderings.
Careful Setting Calibrations
Many stores go beyond “Store Display Mode” as well. TVs in stores are set up to compete with bright store lighting and are calibrated for quick glances, not long-term viewing. Stores take the time to carefully calibrate each display TV to make it look as good as possible. The goal, after all, is to convince you that this device is worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
Your TV doesn’t come out of the box with these store settings because in your home, the intense settings are more likely to hurt your eyes during extended viewing. Keeping everything maxed out also damages your TV over time. Instead, TVs come with general settings out of the box to best match the typical home environment. Your device can still use unique calibrations to best match its new environment.
The Advantage of Comparisons
Finally, TVs in the store have a distinct advantage that few home TVs have. All bunched in a line or group, TVs in-store are set up for quick comparison between devices. Low-quality TVs make average TVs look fantastic, and average TVs make high-quality TVs look insane. In your home, your TV is all on its own. While the picture quality isn’t any different, there are no bad examples around to compare it to.
Luckily for all TV owners asking themselves, “why did my TV look better on the store display?” there’s a quick solution. There are many ways to enhance the picture quality of your TV that you can do in your TV’s display settings. With some small changes, you can still achieve a TV picture that’s great for watching movies, shows, and sports alike.
