How to Get Good Black Levels with an LED Flat Panel Display

LED displays are still around for purchase because they are really inexpensive, i.e., $600 and less depending on the size. I have one (51”) in my kitchen.

I noticed that the black levels are poor, with blacks looking more like a dark gray.

So, instead of blacks looking like this

. . . . they look like this

The problem is that the poor black levels desaturate the colors so the entire picture looks washed out.

It is an issue with LED displays, but it can be fixed (partially) by going into the Picture menu and turning down the brightness and turning up the contrast.

You will have to experiment with these two picture adjustments to get the effect that makes you happy.

Although you will then have good black levels, and the accompanying much better color saturation, the overall brightness will be lower. In the evening, when the lighting is low in the room where the TV is located, it is not a serious problem. But, during the day, when outdoor lighting comes in through the window, you will need to close the blinds on the window(s).

Overall, the image will look much better, with good black levels, but it will not have the increased bright highlight levels that OLED and QLED displays have. This is not an issue for me because I don’t like watching TV with extremely bright highlights.