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2020 QLED T models (Q80T, Q90T, Q800T, Q900T) HDR game mode brightness / local dimming bug

(Topic created on: 04-07-2020 09:15 PM)
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Rauttis
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I bought a Q80T a couple of days ago and have noticed a really annoying issue when using the tv with the combination of HDR and game mode.

 

I'm fairly certain this is a software bug in the TV since I can reproduce this issue with 100% accuracy, and it happens on the dot at the same moment every time. It's basically on a timer.

 

Basically when the game is displaying a HDR signal and game mode is enabled, exactly after 6 minutes the brightness of the TV suddenly drops by around 20 (50 -> 30). The value of brightness setting doesn't actually change however. Messing with the brightness setting does not restore the brightness to it's original state, but changing the local dimming setting from standard to low and then back to standard does. Switching game mode off and then back on also fixes the issue, but then it happens again EXACTLY after 6 minutes (I've timed this with a stopwatch).

 

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Or can someone maybe test this on their TV to see if you can reproduce it?

 

Exact repro steps on how I can reproduce this 100% of the time on the PS4 Pro:

  1. Set brightness to max (50)
  2. Set local dimming to standard (bug happens on high as well)
  3. Enable game mode
  4. Turn off game motion plus
  5. Turn off intelligent mode and all the brightness related settings in eco settings, as these can influence the brightness level of the tv.
  6. Launch a game that runs in HDR
  7. Start your stopwatch
  8. Do whatever you want in the game or you can also go back to PS4 menus, find a bright scene where you can notice a brightness drop easily
  9. When the stopwatch hits 6 minutes, you should see the TVs brightness suddenly drop by a large amount. By eye the brightness drop seems about equal to dropping the brightness from 50 -> 30 by hand.
  10. Go to picture settings and set local dimming to low (brightness does not change)
  11. Set local dimming back to standard (brightness suddenly jumps to the original level. Brightness can be restored by switching input away and back as well, or by disabling and re-enabling game mode)
  12. And again after EXACTLY 6 minutes the bug again repeats and the brightness drops down again

Some other notes: The PS4 has a screensaver that basically dims the screen if it is idle for a while. This is not the cause of this, this happens even when the console is in active use and the brightness can be restored temporarily by changing the local dimming setting like described above. I have not managed to reproduce this issue with game mode off, so it seems to be related to game mode.

 

Software version: 1304

2,028 REPLIES 2,028
Luke_H
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Thanks for supplying this info, Il double check everything but also running the latest 1115. 

JAMES4578
Samsung Members Star ★★
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@jayh89 wrote:
Thank you! How often are updates? I notice my TV is 1115 but there is a 1115.5 out but my TV doesn’t seem to find it?

The frequency of updates varies and  can be dependent on model,   for instance have a 2017 model which used to be updated every few months, last update though was November 2019.  Have found newer models updated a few months ago.

 

With regards to the firmware numbers have found Tv's do not include the decimal point , therefore you will have the latest update.

I do not work for Samsung or make Samsung Products but provide independent advice and valuable contributions.


jayh89
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The shop I bought from offered a replacement and I took it on the chance it was the specific TV that had an issue. I got the new Q85T today and played some FIFA and the dimming happened again. So, this pretty much confirms it's a software thing, surely? Putting this info on here for the Samsung guys as it might be important to know! @AntS 

LCDeez
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It's on the Q80, Q85, Q90, Q95, and Q800T. It's a software issue.

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jayh89
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Oh Christ. So you’ve saw people with all those models comment on it? 😕
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LCDeez
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Well, you've tried the Q80 and Q85, I have a Q90 and the 95 is the exact same panel, and someone else who owns a Q800T commented on the dimming bug as well. It's not a ton of people so far but I guarantee it exists across software for every single 2020 QLED FALD. 

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Alekkk
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I have this problem too, on a Q80T. I think the problem is with global dimming, not local dimming. The whole screen dims after a set amount of time or at an image-brightness threshhold that's way too low. Movie mode works as intended for me, Game mode is the worst and exhibits this global dimming behaviour even on PC input. This needs to be fixed.

 

People have managed to fix this issue on their 2019 Q80R sets by going into the advanced section of the service menu and tweaking a few values, setting the global dimming threshold for other modes at Movie mode levels. This suggests that the change is an easy fix, but also that it's been around for far too long. I would have done this fix myself if I knew what the code to get into the advanced part of the service menu was. (Apparently used to be '0000', but it changed with the 2020 sets.) I don't want to have to return this television that I'm otherwise happy with because of something that's apparently so easily remedied.

 

Why allow us to change local dimming behaviour in the picture menu, but not global dimming behaviour? For that matter, why allow users to change individual white balance values and not global dimming? Global dimming has a much larger and more obvious impact on image quality. Make the threshold user configurable and put it in the picture settings menu. If you won't do that, then change all other modes' global dimming behaviour to match Movie mode.

 

We shouldn't have to do this, but let's keep posting here and badgering Samsung until they fix this.

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RouDeR
Pathfinder
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Another big issue, at least with my Q800T
When you play outside GM (120hz movie mode for example and yes you have very low input lag in 120hz outsude of GM) - the local dimming on High is CRUSHING COLORS (make em darker) if you set the brightness above 27, you can check if that is the case for the 4k models, basically start adjusting brightness between 27-50 back and forwards to see the color difference, I`ll open separate thread for this issue.

Note it happens with regular content (watching movies from netflix,HBO, youtube etc..)
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Alekkk
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Posted a reply here and it got taken down as 'spam'. Because I mentioned that Q80R users also had this problem and have had to resort to using the service menu to fix it? Are you going to delete this one too?

LCDeez
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@Alekkk wrote:

Posted a reply here and it got taken down as 'spam'. Because I mentioned that Q80R users also had this problem and have had to resort to using the service menu to fix it? Are you going to delete this one too?


Is it the exact same issue?

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