Local contrast Xiaomi Mi TV: what it is and how to set up

When buying a modern Xiaomi TV, many users are faced with a vast menu of image settings, where each change can dramatically affect the quality of the picture. One of the key features responsible for the depth of black and brightness of light areas is local contrast, which is often a stumbling block for those who want to achieve cinematic imagery at home.

Owners of Mi series models TV P1, Mi TV Q1 and newer versions based on Android TV People often wonder if you should activate this option or leave it in automatic mode. Understanding the principle of local contrast will allow you to unlock the potential of your device matrix, whether it is a device or not. IPS more advanced VA-panel.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how local correction technology works on Xiaomi TVs, how it differs from conventional digital contrast and what settings should be changed for viewing. HDR-play-in.

The principle of local contrast technology

The technology, known as Local Contrast or Local Dimming, is an algorithmic video processing that analyzes the image by zone. Unlike global adjustment, which changes the brightness of all the backlight at once, local contrast allows you to control individual sections of the screen. On Xiaomi Mi TVs, this is implemented software-based, which means analyzing the signal by the processor before it is displayed on the matrix.

When you watch a scene where a bright lamp is lit in a dark room, standard contrast mode can either dim the lamp or gray the entire room. Local contrast allows you to darken the area around the lamp, keeping it as bright as possible, creating the illusion of a deep black color, which is especially important for budget and medium-sized models where physical illumination has no zone control.

⚠️ Attention: Aggressive local contrast adjustment can cause halo (luminous halos) to appear around bright objects in a dark background. If you notice this effect, the level of adjustment should be reduced.

The algorithm works in real time, processing each frame. On Amlogic or MediaTek processors, which are used in Xiaomi TVs, this feature can consume additional computing resources. Which is why in some image modes, such as "Movie" or "Game", the behavior of this feature may differ from the standard mode.

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To check the quality of the local contrast, turn on a test video with a chessboard or starry sky and observe the boundaries between black and white.

Differences from Standard Digital Contrast

Many users confuse local contrast with the usual "Contrast" setting in the settings menu. Conventional contrast adjusts the difference between the brightest white and darkest black in the entire image globally. If you zoom in on this setting, you make white dots whiter and blacker across the screen at the same time.

Local contrast is selective, not changing the overall brightness of the backlight, but redistributing brightness levels to specific areas of the frame, allowing details to be stored in shadows that, if you were to adjust them, could turn into a black spot, and preventing overlights in bright areas.

On Xiaomi Mi TVs, these two features often work together. However, if you turn on maximum digital contrast when the local one is turned off, the picture can become unnaturally sharp and “screaming.”

• 🎨 Global contrast changes the brightness of the entire matrix, affecting the overall level of light.
• 🔦 Local contrast works with individual areas of the image, improving detail in shadows and lights.
• 📺 On Xiaomi models without Mini-LED, local contrast is software emulation, not physical diode control.

Impact on image quality in different modes

Image modes on Xiaomi TVs, such as Standard, Movie, Sport and Game, have preset profiles for the local contrast function. In Movie mode, the algorithm usually works most gently, trying to preserve the naturalness of the gradients and avoid artifacts. This is the ideal choice for watching movies with a lot of dark scenes.

In Sport or Bright mode, local contrast can be enhanced or turned off in favor of maximum brightness of the entire matrix, to keep the image readable in bright light in the room, but for evening viewing, such settings can be tedious for the eyes.

Gamers using the next-generation console with Xiaomi Mi TV should pay attention to the Game mode. In this mode, input lag is minimized, but some image processing functions, including complex local contrast algorithms, can be limited.

It is worth noting that when reproducing HDR-content (HDR10, Dolby Vision: Xiaomi TV automatically switches to a special mode, where local contrast management becomes critical, and the system decides which areas to darken to meet the brightness standards prescribed in the video metadata.

How to Include and Configure Local Contrast

To access local contrast settings on a Xiaomi Mi TV, you’ll need a remote control.The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the Android TV or PatchWall operating system, but the logic remains the same.

You first need to go to the image settings menu. Usually the path is as follows: click the menu button, select Settings, then go to Image or Screen and Sound. Here you will find Additional Settings or immediately see a Local Contrast slider.

1. Press the button “Menu” or “Settings” on the remote.
2. Go to the Image section.
3. Select All settings or additionally.
4. Find the local contrast (local contrast) parameter.
5. Set the value: Off, Low, Medium or High.

It is recommended to set the value of "Mediocre" or "Low" for everyday use, and the value of "High" can give an unnatural appearance to a picture with a large number of halftones, for example, when watching news channels or sports broadcasts.

Comparison of models and types of matrices

The efficiency of the function depends on the type of matrix installed. IPS, so VA On the matrix. VA-In the case of panels that have a natively high contrast, local control gives a more noticeable and high-quality result, since black is naturally deeper.

On IPS-matrixes, which are often found in models with wide viewing angles, black can give the color gray. Here, local contrast plays the role of a "crut" trying to programmatically darken the black areas, this improves the perception of the picture in the dark, but can narrow the viewing angles at which the image looks correct.

It is important to understand that in the budget segment, where 8-bit panels with FRC are often used, aggressive local contrast can lead to the appearance of “stepping” (banding) on smooth gradients, for example, in the sky or at sunset, in which case the function is better to weaken.

Problems and solutions

One common problem is what's called a halo or cloud around bright objects, which happens when a local contrast algorithm fails to process a rapidly changing picture correctly, or when the dimming zone is too large for a small object, such as white subtitles on a black background that can start to glow.

Another problem is the loss of detail in the shadows, and if you set the function too aggressively, the dark areas of actors' clothing or interior details can turn into a uniform black spot, in which case you need to lower the value of the parameter or switch to Movie mode, where the tonal compression is usually softer.

⚠️ Warning: If after the function is turned on, the TV begins to warm up noticeably in the upper part of the case or artifacts appear in the form of stripes, try turning off local contrast. 4K HDR.

Users also sometimes experience a situation where settings are reset after updating the firmware, in which case it is recommended to recalibrate the image after updating Android TV, as new versions of the software can change the algorithms of the processor.

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Optimal local contrast setting is a balance between the depth of black and the absence of light halos around objects.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)