Strong noise reduction can smooth away texture along with unwanted noise. Compression and a soft source can produce similar symptoms. Compare the same scene with the television’s noise-reduction controls reduced, while leaving other settings stable, before concluding that the stream itself lacks all detail.
Distinguish grain from unwanted noise
Film grain can be an intentional part of the photographed image. Low-light electronic noise and compression artefacts are different phenomena, though a television may treat them similarly. Removing every moving speck can make an image unnaturally smooth and erase subtle details in hair, fabric or skin.
Watch movement rather than one frame
Temporal processing compares information across frames and can leave trails or smear texture as a person moves. A paused frame may hide that behaviour. Use a slow head movement or camera pan and compare modest and strong settings, noting whether detail returns without making the image distractingly noisy.
Keep source quality in the diagnosis
If only one channel looks smeared while others are detailed at the same settings, the source encoding may be involved. If every programme has a plastic appearance, local processing is a stronger suspect. Report the pattern and retain the original setting so another household member can restore their preference after the comparison.