Are movies playing weirdly on your Roku TV? Here’s the reason

Many Roku TV users are seeing the unwanted soap opera effect.

Are movies playing weirdly on your Roku TV? Here’s the reason
Stock photo of The Roku Channel logo on phone next to Roku boxes 7
Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
  • Users are reporting that their Roku TV’s motion smoothing is automatically enabled with no way to turn it off.
  • The issue seems to have started after the Roku OS 13 update on certain TCL TV models.
  • It is speculated that the issue may be linked to Roku’s new Smart Picture feature.

Owners of TCL TVs running on Roku OS are facing an unexpected problem after a recent software update. According to multiple online reports, the recent Roku OS 13 update has triggered an unwelcome side effect for some users: the dreaded “soap opera effect.” (h/t: The Verge)

The issue has sparked a flurry of complaints on Roku’s community forums and Reddit, with TCL TV owners reporting that the motion smoothing effect is suddenly present even when they haven’t actively enabled it in their settings. Adding to the frustration, some users claim that this is the first time their TVs have even offered the motion smoothing feature, and they are unable to locate any options to turn it off.