At TechRadar, a crucial part of our TV testing process involves subjective testing. This is where our reviewers evaluate the best TVs based on criteria such as picture quality, sound quality, gaming features, smart TV features, and more. To assess picture quality, we use a variety of sources including 4K Blu-ray, streaming, HD Blu-ray, and lower-resolution options like DVD.
The specific movies and scenes we select play a significant role in our picture quality tests. These scenes are chosen carefully to highlight a TV’s strengths and weaknesses in areas such as contrast, black levels, color accuracy, motion, and brightness. Additionally, we use these scenes to evaluate the TV’s built-in audio quality.
Each reviewer may have their own selection of movies and scenes for testing, but certain discs are universally used across all tests. Here are the four movies that I personally use for TV testing, along with a bonus disc that is essential for all reviewers:
1. The Batman: Ideal for testing black levels and shadow detail due to its dark and gritty nature, this movie is mastered at a very dim 400 nits, making it perfect for evaluating a TV’s ability to display dark tones accurately.
2. Top Gun: Maverick: A sequel filled with daytime scenes, this movie is excellent for testing motion and cinematic action sequences, providing insights into a TV’s handling of fast-paced shots.
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Known for its vibrant colors and dynamic scenes, this movie is great for evaluating a TV’s color rendition, especially in scenes with rich red tones and HDR highlights.
4. The Amazing Spider-Man: Used to test a TV’s upscaling capabilities, this DVD movie showcases how well a TV can enhance lower-resolution content to improve overall picture quality.
Bonus Disc: Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray: An essential tool for TV reviewers, this disc offers comprehensive testing patterns and demonstration material to assess every aspect of a TV’s performance, including color gamut, sharpness, motion, and more.
By utilizing these movies and discs in our testing process, we can provide thorough and accurate assessments of a TV’s capabilities across various criteria.
