27-06-2018 08:05 PM - last edited 27-06-2018 08:07 PM
Hi,
I've just switched from a 49 MU7000 to a 55 Q9FN and was giddy with excitement about finally owning a top end TV.
Unfortunately, I've either received a dud or there's an inherent problem with the tech; for HDR (and even SDR content), the screen goes /incredibly/ dark during dark scenes. We aren't talking perfect QLED blacks here; all detail is lost, UNLESS I leave a white menu screen up.
As you can see from the photos. Annoyingly, I'm also using an S9 to take the photos so it does a better job of amplifying the incoming light, but believe me when I say it's even worse than the TV is showing. I would estimate that the unlit picture is displaying at <10 nits.
I ascribed this to either a problem with local dimming or eco mode, but modifying both of those settings made no difference. It's making using the tv for anything other than bright content unusable, and I didn't honestly expect a £3000 TV to be notably worse than a £700 TV.
Please advise.
P.S: Why have Samsung removed the ability to change audio languages when playing from a USB source? All of my movies are playing in Italian or Portuguese with no way to change it.
04-11-2018 04:03 PM
I've been wondering, if Samsung decides to replace the panel on a two week old, 3.5k TV, would that be acceptable to you?
To be honest, I don't know how authorized services obtain panel replacements. How can you ensure that a brand new panel is going to be installed and not a second hand for example?
04-11-2018 04:20 PM
@Harry_P wrote:I've been wondering, if Samsung decides to replace the panel on a two week old, 3.5k TV, would that be acceptable to you?
To be honest, I don't know how authorized services obtain panel replacements. How can you ensure that a brand new panel is going to be installed and not a second hand for example?
If it is only 2 weeks old I would ask for a replacement new telly that why you know it is a new panel.
04-11-2018 10:20 PM
I'll ask tomorrow but I highly doubt they're going to send to me a boxed new television. They'd probably say that replacement panel is like new TV. Let's see.
04-11-2018 10:37 PM
Have they confirmed it’s a hardware issue?
04-11-2018 10:41 PM
Not really, they're replacing the panel due to terrible DSE and banding. I can ask them about the dimming issue and of course I'll check it on the new panel and update you. Sorry I don't have the answer right now.
05-11-2018 08:02 AM
@Harry_P wrote:Not really, they're replacing the panel due to terrible DSE and banding. I can ask them about the dimming issue and of course I'll check it on the new panel and update you. Sorry I don't have the answer right now.
If you bought online or at a major retailer and you are in the first 4 weeks yes you can ask for a refund repair or replacement. After the 4 weeks then they can make 2 attempts to repair then you can ask for refund or replacement.
05-11-2018 11:52 AM
@paul Is it like that in US? In Europe where I live, I don't think there's such customer protection regulation (or perhaps I'm wrong).
Samsung support in the country I live told me that they'll try first with a panel replacement and if that doesn't work out it's going to be refund/TV replacement.
07-11-2018 09:57 AM
Samsung support changed my panel today due to extensive DSE/banding. I saw some improvement with the new panel but still not impressed, though I plan to keep the panel as I don't want to go in that cycle of constantly replacing panels until I find the best one. At least I can't see DSE as much in football/sports now, which was my main concern.
With regarding to the dimming issue, I saw no improvement, it's exactly the same, thus I believe it's a software issue (or a massive issue on panels produced in the Slovakian factory).
07-11-2018 12:10 PM
Thanks for the update! Did you by chance raise the issue with Samsung during the process??
07-11-2018 12:13 PM
Not really, as I do not speak the language in the country I'm currently living in, and explaining that "issue" would be kind of hard.
I hope we can get it sorted in a firmware update sometime soon!