I love, love, love the soap opera effect!

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I have all of my TVs set with the Soap Opera Effect off by default - but every now and then, it's amusing (?), fun (?), an interesting alternative (?), to turn it on, just to see what a particular film looks like with it turned on. It's no different than occasionally zooming a 4:3 image to a 16:9 ratio, just for experimentation, not to watch permanently. Or turning off the color to see what a program would look like in black & white - just a check - not permanent.

Most of the time, I find the Soap Opera Effect disturbing. It's too different from what was intended - but it also can smooth out some panning judder that was also not intended.

I have however found a good use for the Soap Opera Effect: and it's on a Soap Opera! The TV series, DARK SHADOWS was taped on videotape for its entire run, but some episodes were lost over time and could only be reinstated by using filmed kinescopes. These are of course 24 fps films aimed at a TV set, meant for delayed broadcasts on affiliates not carrying the show live. But they survived as films. Now, DVD watchers can turn on the Soap Opera Effect on these filmed episodes and make the episodes at least approximate the look of videotape.

Also, DARK SHADOWS fans have always been eager to own the two movies they made, HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS and NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS and in the past year or two, the movies were released on DVD and Blu-ray. But as filmed entertainment, they don't have the videotaped look of the TV series. Soap Opera Effect to the rescue! Turn it on, and the movie will look like a high-budget episode of the TV show!

 

Don't most interlacing features come with adjustable intensity? I use mine at the lowest setting sometimes to smooth out judder in 18fps silent films. It would be a drag if it was all or nothing.

 

I think it depends on the TV and model.