Samsung HOWTO

Published Feb 6, 2013 by

Eliminate LCD Motion Blur on Samsung 120 Hz Monitors

Supported Monitors: Most samsung 700D, 750D and 950D series.
Tested: S23A700D, S23A750D, S23A950D, S27A700D, S27A750D, S27A950D
For LightBoost instructions on ASUS and BENQ 120 Hz, click here instead.

Samsung SA700D, SA750D, and SA950D has a little-known strobe backlight similar to LightBoost that eliminate LCD motion blur. Samsung does not advertise this as an official LightBoost feature. A synchronized stroboscopic backlight works by keeping pixel persistence in total darkness (unseen by eye) between refreshes, and strobing the backlight only on fully-refreshed LCD frames (high speed video). As a result, the refresh-synchronized strobe backlight eliminate LCD motion blur. This brings CRT motion clarity to LCD displays.

Enable Strobe Mode on SA700D, SA750D and SA950D

  1. Set your PC into 120 Hz mode.
    (Control Panel -> Display -> Adjust Resolution -> Advanced -> Monitor)
  2. Before the next step, change “Response Time” to “Normal” via the monitor OSD.
  3. Now, turn on “3D” via the monitor OSD, frame-sequential mode.
  4. Keep using the monitor even for 2D gaming.  (No 3D glasses needed)
  5. For better color, change “Magic Angle” to “Group View”
  6. Run motion test at www.testufo.com/photo in Chrome or another 120Hz web browser.

Note: On some computer configurations, your monitor might turn off when entering and exiting video games.  If this happens, simply turn on your monitor again.

Important: The zero motion blur effect occurs at fps matching Hz, so you ideally need 120 fps at 120 Hz for the best CRT clear motion effect.

The good news is that the Samsung strobe backlight works with both AMD Radeon and nVidia Geforce cards! (Credit: CyberGamer.com.au review).

PixPerAn tests and TestUFO tests show 75% less LCD motion blur than regular Samsung 120 Hz even for 2D usage, which is a huge reduction. PixPerAn readability test of at least 25. This is an additional reduction on top of the 50% motion blur elimination caused by going from 60 Hz to 120 Hz. As a result, you get almost a whopping 90% less LCD motion blur than regular 60Hz! This is because the Samsung 3D mode enables a strobe backlight, which also eliminates motion blur during 2D usage.

The bad news is that the input lag is worse than official LightBoost monitors, so this is not as useful for competition online gaming as official LightBoost monitors. However, the lack of motion blur is quite handy for solo gaming, and the Samsung is known to have better colors than most TN-panel monitors!

The Science Behind Strobe Backlights

The Samsung strobe backlight is almost identical to LightBoost. This high speed video (480fps + 1000fps) demonstrates a LightBoost strobe backlight successfully bypassing pixel persistence as the motion blur barrier:

TFTCentral posted a good article about Motion Blur Reduction Backlights, explaining how strobe backlights can eliminate motion blur. Other information can be found here on this website, including Scanning Backlight FAQ, as well as Science & References.

For information about LightBoost monitors or other motion-blur-eliminating monitors, see the Official 120Hz Monitor List, or the LightBoost HOWTO.

30 Comments For “Samsung HOWTO”

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sort by:   newest | oldest | most liked
brid555
Member
brid555

I recently got 3 samsung sa700d monitors. I followed the samsung light boost how to instructions from the blurbusters. I can turn the frame sequential mode on and it works great, totally reduces the motion blur. My problem is if I turn off the monitors or my computer, then the monitors turn off that mode. I tried researching it more but everything I read is people using that CRU program to import inf. so that they can get 3d vision working. I dont know if that will help me because the option to turn it on and off is in the monitor osd. I ran the toastyx program hoping I could just force strobbed refresh rates all the time but it didnt make a difference. Do you have any ideas on how to get it to stay in frame sequential mode?

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 2 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

ToastyX Strobelight was designed for NVIDIA’s LightBoost.

There may be a software solution for you, but before we do,
I’d like you to do a test:

1. Download Entech Taiwan SoftMCCS
2. Run SoftMCCS
3. In SoftMCCS “Command-line editor”, typing this and hit Enter:
03 D4 00 40
If that does not work, try typing this and hit Enter:
03 D4 00 20

Technical note: This executes VESA Monitor Control Command Set (VCP command D4 representing 3D mode) to turn on frame-sequential 3D mode, bit #5 and #6.

If this works, then it is possible to have an easy utility that transmits these commands to all the monitors every time the computer wakes up, or via an easy icon click. But before this, can you at least test these commands?

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 2 months ago
someth1ng
Member
someth1ng

I have the Samsung S23A750D but when I follow the steps and turn it on, the screen goes all weird and has lots of vertical lines. Any ideas?

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 3 months ago
ilest
Member
ilest

Is there any chance to use Strobe mode without using 3d mode?

NCX:s review of the monitor says: “2D-3D Conversion introduces a lot of input lag which affects aiming, movement and general reactivity during games. When using a controller it is still playable, but I found the delay to be unbearable when gaming with a keyboard and mouse.”

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 5 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

They are actually separate components:
– 2D-3D conversion from the GPU perspective can entail some input latency overheads. Alternate-frame rendering can also entail some input latency issues as well.
– Strobing from the Computer monitor perspective can also introduce input latency that occurs independently of 3D conversion. This is not covered by NCX.

The bottom line is that “3D Mode” from the Samsung monitor perspective, isn’t doing 2D-3D conversion when viewing in 2D mode. However, the response time adjustment adds input lag on Samsung, and is the major cause of added input lag during “3D Mode”. This is shown by turning off 3D mode, changing Response Time settings, and going back into 3D mode — you get a bit less input lag but more motion artifacts when viewing http://www.testufo.com … So a lot of Samsung’s input lag during the monitor-side “3D Mode” setting, is actually caused by the optimal-appearing Response setting. This is somewhat unfortunate, as both ASUS/BENQ doesn’t add any further input latency except for the minimum half frame average input lag that strobing entails (due to waiting for the refresh to finish before the strobe).

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 5 months ago
PanzerIV
Member
PanzerIV

Is the added input lag from the Samsung with Lightboost that bad?! I mostly play fast FPS games and if it’s clearly noticeable it would be a major disadvantage as the main point of going with a 120Hz monitor is to have as less input lag possible, unless you guys tell me that the refresh rate have nothing to do with the input lag, neither does the “GtG value”, that it’s just a spec that the manufacturer never tell and that you cannot improve no matter what you do on the monitor.

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 5 months ago
H377F13LD
Member
H377F13LD

Hi Guys,

I have a Samsung S27A950D. Do I understand it correctly that I only have to set the settings above in the OSD of the monitor to have the strobe backlight turned on and I don’t have to set anything in the nVidia Control Panel?

Is this correct? Or even if I have a Samsung monitor I still have to do the trick with ToastyX’ utility and the NCP?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 7 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

ToastyX Strobelight is not needed for Samsungs.
Samsung 3D mode is so easy to enable via monitor menus.

ToastyX Strobelight was invented for nVidia LightBoost, only because nVidia bundled LightBoost motion blur elimination tightly with 3D Vision. It used to be difficult to turn on LightBoost for people who didn’t have 3D Vision. ToastyX Strobelight unbundles the motion blur elimination feature of LightBoost, away from 3D stereoscopic, allowing you to easily turn it on/off, without requiring a 3D Vision Kit (or even 3D Vision drivers, for that matter). For more information, see the LightBoost FAQ.

P.S. I helped ToastyX make Strobelight compatible with BENQ — so you also have me to thank too, if you’re using Strobelight on a BENQ monitor.

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 6 months ago
LinkinMcOwnage
Member
LinkinMcOwnage

With the Samsungs, all you have to do is use the OSD function to enable “Frame Sequential” (in the 3D Settings – press the 3D Button) and “Group View” (From Picture > Magic > Angle > Group View)

My current brightness/contrast settings are:

100 Brightness
86 Contrast

Like0Vote Down 
10 years 6 months ago
wpDiscuz

Recent Content

Featured Content

Blur Buster Forums

Blur Busters Forums

TestUFO Motion Tests

TestUFO Motion Tests