After the HW-Q90r eARC update, I did a little digging in the firmware files. Is there a reason that the HW-N950 didn't get eARC

[PrMinisterGR]

Top is the info.txt from the latest HW-N950, bottom is the text from the eARC update of HW-Q90r.

As you can see it's just generic Tizen. The hardware in both sound bards is basically identical, and whatever differences there are, shouldn't influence eARC which is basically a software feature.

Things get even more interesting when we open the HW-Q90r firmware file with a HEX editor. The HW-N950 (SAT-HKA18WWC) is literally mentioned in the file headers.

I see this as a huge f*ck you from Samsung. There was an implicit promise that the HW-N950 would get eARC, and seeing how it seems to be literally baked in the firmware (it's just a Tizen distro with software features after all), it feels wrong doubly so.

Are we getting this update or not?

[Jamestheedge14]

Agreed, Samsung yet again using there shady unethical sales techiques. This isnt the first time and it wont be the last. Legal action may be the only route to go down.  We are nearly in July of 2020 what the actual! 

LG next for me.

[BDX]

I agree, it's probably the only way we have a chance to get what was promised to us...

[PrMinisterGR]

Any official word in here? The silence is deafening.

The files say different things, reviewers and sellers told us different things, and nobody here says anything.

[BDX]

We should't stay quiet, we bought the most premium sound product from samsung wich was promised to get the earc update when launched. It's the exact same soundbar as the q90r aside from a namechange and the sub (wich has nothing to do with that). Also the n950 is included in the software as shown...so Samsung, get this done as promised!

[meerkat_mafia]

Potentially a nice well written paragraph or more, detailing what Samsung has done and was promised then with a link to this thread or others.

Posted here and maybe can be posted on as many of their Social Media accounts advising people to think twice about A. trusting Samsung as a brand. B. Purchasing anything from them to begin with.

I know I am small fry, but recently moved into my new house. Instead of buying Samsung appliances and TV's,  I bought Bosch appliances and Sony TVs and moved away from Samsung mobile phones for the first time in over 15 years to OPPO.

Not to mention the countless people I have adivse to purchase other brands now.

The fact not one Samsung rep. has replied on here is a joke to be honest.

[PrMinisterGR]

The major problem I see was that all of that was very sneaky.

You can read in the thread that even Samsung customer care people thought their own hardware would get this update. It was also communicated to store sales people, either officially or unofficially. In the end, I bought this instead of the ST5000 because I thought that the back speakers & the coming eARC would make it something I could hold on for some time.

The ST5000 got the eARC update the same year it got released, and Samsung STILL hasn't responded here on either the actual issue, or why the firwmare for the Q90R contains the names of all the previous generations of soundbars, while we get zero new features.

I would like to add that this sound system costs more than their average high-end TV, and we don't even get a proper year of upgrades, which is disgusting. The product isn't even out of the formal two year warranty period that the EU grants.

[XL5]

I must of bought the last n950 and n850 which are still under their 12 warranty. I have emailed Samsung on various occasions with no reply..😠

I cannot believe the lies i was told at point of sale...surely Samsung read how the Samsung community feel let down regarding eArc but still no one from Samsung will comment here..disgusting!!

[Rog]

Just been on to UK live chat about this. No plans to release an eARC update for the HW-N950 soundbar.

[PrMinisterGR]

This is the worst part. They don't reply. We have the same issue here. There isn't even a single rep coming in this thread saying "no".

I can't tell you how damning I find that the firmware for the Q90R obviously has support for the HW-N950, along with the feedback they send to sellers and shops to tell us that these ones would also get the update.
In this thread even Samsung reps thought their HW-N850 would get it.

This is so shameful for a $1,500 piece of gear.

[tiizei]

Add me to the list of baffled customers. Why doesn't Samsung keep their promises? They did promise it via update and firmware is an further proof of it. If there actually is an technical issue; we should know about this.