How to Set Up a 4K TV

You got yourself a new 4K TV, but now you need to find out how to use it to its fullest potential.

The picture settings, the extra equipment, and the spot where you choose to mount your TV need to be on point. Because you know you’d like to impress your brothers when they come over to watch the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox.

If you want the most out of your 4K TV, take these tips from us.

1. Find the perfect TV spot.
2. Use an excellent streaming device, box, or console that supports 4K content.
3. Make sure you have a strong internet connection.
4. Pick the right HDMI cables.
5. Get those picture settings right.

Before you plug in your Ultra HD TV, you have to decide where in the room you’d like to watch your sports.

If you want to mount your TV, we suggest you get a surge protector to protect your flat-screen from power surges spikes. It also makes your installation look cleaner on the wall.

If you want to place your TV on a stand, you’ll want these flat-screen safety straps. They just hook onto the back of your TV, and the other ends of the straps connect to the back of your stand. This will ensure no movement if your kids touch the TV or if there is an earthquake.

Next, you’ll want to calculate the distance between where you’ll be sitting and to the TV. This online calculator will give you a suggestion on where to place your couch to provide you with the best watching experience in terms of how big your 4K TV is.

Just because you got a 4K TV, unfortunately, it doesn’t mean you’re going to get only 4K content on your TV.

Your smart TV will have apps already built in, and those should stream at its highest quality. But if you don’t have all of the apps you need on your smart 4K TV, you’ll want a top-notch streaming device.

The Roku Streaming Stick is inexpensive ($43.70*), supports 4K HDR content, has all of the streaming apps you need, and comes with a voice remote. These are the reasons why it’s our favorite streaming device.

The Apple TV 4K is the priciest at $179*, but its video and audio quality is tough to beat. You can also enjoy Ultra High Definition movies to rent or buy in the iTunes store.

You can watch your 4K Ultra HD content on an Amazon Fire TV Cube for $119*, which has Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV, Max, STARZ, SHOWTIME, and others.

Or go with the Amazon Fire TV Stick for $49.99* if you’ll be fine with 8 GB instead of 16 GB with the cube.

Most streaming services require a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps to stream in 4K UHD. And if you, your spouse, and your daughter want to stream at the same time, that means you’ll be using 75 Mbps total.

So do you have the bandwidth to support your family’s streaming needs?

Our internet expert, Catherine McNally, recommends these internet providers for a smooth streaming experience. Because no one wants to see Spider-Man: No Way Home freeze while Spidey is saving the world.

First, put together all of the streaming devices, cable boxes, antennas, and gaming consoles you plan to connect to your new 4K TV. Check which cables they need so you only have to go to the store once.

If you want the highest quality of picture and sound, you’re going to want HDMI cables.

For your Ultra HD Blu-ray player or 4K streaming device, make sure to get a 4K-supported cable, like this 6-foot high-speed 2.0 HDMI cable for $12.

Then check your TV manual to see which ports on your TV you should be using for UHD.

While we’re talking about TV connections, you may want to consider a soundbar for the best movie-watching experience.

Think realistic gunshot and explosion sounds, and clearer speaking (especially if you have a dad who can’t hear very well).

Or why not get a 2-in-1 deal with this Roku Smart Soundbar. It’s a streaming device and a speaker all in one for $180! Look at you killing two birds with one stone.

Now that you’ve chosen the perfect spot for your 4K TV, hooked up your streaming device or box, picked an excellent internet provider, and found the right HDMI cables … we’ve got to get those picture settings on point.

This might sound crazy to you, but you’re going to want to set your TV to the standard settings.

You know how you go to Costco, and the beautiful picture on the huge flat-screen TV just instantly draws your attention? Well, that brightness is only for that: the attraction.

If you want a real-life picture and accurate color, choose the “cinematic,” “movie,” or “calibrated” mode (the mode name is different for different brands).

You’ll still be taking full advantage of the colors and contrast your 4K TV offers.

And if your TV’s picture looks like a soap opera when you watch TV shows and movies (and you don’t like it), set the motion smoothing to the lowest possible setting.

But when you’re watching an NBA or NFL game, try turning the motion smoothing up to see if you like the realistic picture. Ya know, to feel like you’re sitting front row.

We recommend not playing too much with the display settings because you could find yourself with more problems than before (yikes).

To break it down, these are our recommended steps to set up your 4K TV:

• Find the perfect spot in your living room for your TV. Get a surge protector and flat-screen safety straps, and use the calculator to figure out the best distance from you and your TV-watching couch.
• Use an updated streaming device, box, or console that supports 4K content, such as a Roku Streaming Stick and Apple TV.
• Make sure you have a strong internet connection to support the bandwidth for you and your family. We recommend Xfinity Internet or AT&T Fiber.
• Pick the right HDMI cables if you want high quality and sound, like this 6-foot 2.0 HDMI cord, and add a soundbar for realistic sounds during your action movies.
• Get those picture settings right. For a real-life picture and accurate color, choose the “cinematic,” “movie,” or “calibrated” mode. And to make the color even more accurate, set the motion smoothing to the lowest setting possible.

And if you’re here because you’re considering getting a 4K TV, check out our best 4K TVs, best budget 4K TVs, and best 4K TVs for gaming.