TV Screen Test Guide
Large panels need distance viewing checks plus close-up pixel passes. Test within the return window — TV swaps are costly once mounted.
Start with essentials
A 65" defect is impossible to ignore once you notice it. Catch pixels, halo, and retention before the wall mount goes up.
Unbox and test before mounting. Box size and restocking fees make late discoveries expensive.
Local dimming zones create halos around bright objects on dark backgrounds — verify tolerance on your content.
News tickers and game HUDs can wear unevenly. Run retention tests if you watch static content daily.
Test in a dim room at seated distance, then walk closer for pixel checks.
Fullscreen white, black, and primaries. Stand at normal viewing distance, then move closer for corner inspection.
Pure black, room lights off, panel brightness high. LCD and edge-lit LED show corner glow; OLED should stay uniform black.
50% grey fullscreen for vignette, banding, and dirty screen effect. Compare center to corners.
HDR test patterns for peak brightness and ABL dimming on OLED. Note if full-screen white dims quickly.
Varied motion then black screen for channel logo or game HUD ghosts. Run pixel refresh from TV settings after.
Run motion bands on LCD and VA TVs — sports and game HUDs reveal smear that sofa distance hides.
Confirm the OS or cast source reports expected 4K or 1080p before trusting pixel tests.
Automatic brightness limiter — OLED TVs dim full-screen white to control heat and panel wear.
Backlight zones dim independently. Mini LED increases zone count but can show halo around bright objects.
Motion interpolation adds frames. Test with film content — some viewers disable it in settings.
Focus tests on the weaknesses of your TV technology.
Premium movies & gaming
High brightness HDR
Mainstream LCD
Quantum dot LCD
Defects worth exchanging vs normal panel behavior.
Big-box return windows vary. Keep all packaging until tests pass.
Ambient light hides bleed and black level differences.
Use Movie/Cinema mode for accurate color tests; avoid Vivid.
Test on the port and device you will use daily.
Do not leave static test patterns at max brightness for hours.
If TV browser is limited, mirror from a laptop for fullscreen.
Record video of defects — photos alone may miss flicker.
Many TVs support fullscreen browser. If not, open the site on a laptop and mirror or cast to the TV.
Ten to fifteen minutes of varied patterns, then inspect black — never leave static images overnight.
TestMyGears covers color, greyscale, HDR, response time, and input checks in the browser. Every tool stays free to use.
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