How to Optimize Your TV and Sound for the Best Super Bowl LVIII Viewing Experience

On Sunday, February 11, 2024, sports fans will tune in to watch the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. For the best viewing experience, it’s essential to have a top-notch TV, preferably with a large screen.

Super Bowl LVIII will be broadcast on the CBS network, and you can watch it for free using a high-quality indoor TV antenna, though this will only provide regular HD picture quality. You can also stream the game in regular HD on Paramount Plus or in 4K on Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, and possibly on cable systems that support 4K (check with your provider).

To ensure the best picture quality, it’s crucial to optimize your TV settings. Many people leave their TVs in the default mode, but modern TVs often come with power-saving “Eco” settings that can make the picture look dimmer, especially when viewing with room lights on. Here are some tips to adjust your TV settings for the best Super Bowl experience.

Picture Adjustments: Avoid Sports Mode While most TVs have a Sports mode, it’s not the best choice for watching football. Sports mode can distort color accuracy, making colors look unnaturally rich. For a more realistic depiction of the game, select the Movie or Cinema picture mode, which typically has the most accurate white balance.

If the Movie mode appears too dim, you can adjust the Backlight control (for LED-backlit or mini-LED-backlit TVs) or the OLED Pixel Brightness (for OLED TVs) to boost overall brightness. Be cautious with the Brightness setting, as increasing it can make the picture look pale and washed out.

For those with LED-backlit or mini-LED backlit TVs, poor off-axis picture uniformity can cause contrast and color saturation to fade when viewed from extreme angles. This can be an issue during Super Bowl parties, so encourage guests to sit directly in front of the TV for the best viewing experience.

Audio Adjustments: Use a Soundbar Most TVs have weak built-in speakers, which can be problematic during a lively Super Bowl party. While turning up the volume can help, adding a soundbar will significantly enhance your audio experience. The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 and the Sony HT-S2000 are excellent options, with the latter available for under $300.

A soundbar can greatly improve your TV viewing experience, not just for the Super Bowl but for everyday use.

If you need a new TV for the Super Bowl, check out our list of the best Super Bowl TV deals.