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

(Topic created on: 05-08-2020 12:31 PM)
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Rauttis
Explorer
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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
Alekkk
Explorer
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Personally, I'm not grateful that my expensive television only works as it's supposed to on very specific modes and settings. That's a bad product. The silence from Samsung on this issue just isn't good enough.

 

There's a clear problem here with the dimming threshold, at least with Q80T sets and seemingly Q90T sets too. The 'randomness' or variation people are seeing is most likely down to differences in individual perception mixed with differences in content and display settings. It's surprising just how different two people's perceptions can be of even static visual stimuli, and of just how selective attention can be to the point of missing pretty huge changes in the visual field. Obviously, different models will of course have different hardware and firmware, so between models there will be differences, and possibly 'One Connect' box Q95T sets didn't get the same incorrect firmware settings as Q80T sets. But that doesn't mean it's a hardware issue.

 

The muddier and more suppositional this thread gets, the less seriously I feel Samsung will take it and investigate. The complete silence from Samsung has me beginning to wonder whether I can get a refund under Australian Consumer Law.

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Iskandarkebab
Pioneer
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Hi everyone, I had remote asistance today and It seems they fixed the issue for me. They made me check some White balance parameters that were at 128 and then another parameter from a different menu that was at 136 and made me change It to 128 too. The guy also told me he also fixed other issues but i couldnt see that. Then i had to do a Factory reset, and by now the problem seems to have gone.

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jayh89
Helping Hand
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I'm glad they seem to have fixed it for you, but they can't expect everyone to get hold of a technician to remote access and do all this. They need to push an update ASAP. I'm not wanting to access the service menu etc as I don't know what I'm doing.

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OhThatOneGuy
Apprentice
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I'm from the states and my 55" Q90T has the same dimming issue in gamemode. Samsung released a new firmware here and the thing didnt even work. Once the files were uncompressed I noticed they were all last changed on June 17th and the version number hadn't gone up, it was still stuck at 1301.5 same as the June 22nd update, my TV told me I had the latest version.

20200804_161841.jpg

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Suriya
Voyager
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I have similar experience thinking that it's been fixed but it is clearly not.

When they access service menu entire picture settings will be reset (only picture related settings include game-mode) after that first few hours it may not appear then it'll start to come again and again. If you see that bug again that's all it'll never go. Pls check playing games in HDR with game-mode ON and GMplus OFF for few hours and let us know. I prefer static scene to see that happens (last of us 2 starting screen "the boat")

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Iskandarkebab
Pioneer
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You are right... happening again...

Suriya
Voyager
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Yeah i know!! but call customer care again and revert those changes they have made in service menu. It may limit some TVs max capabilities

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jayh89
Helping Hand
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Update 1304 is out. No idea what the change log is yet... 

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Suriya
Voyager
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where you found 1304?

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jayh89
Helping Hand
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It came up on my TV as a notification... then I updated and it said "Current version: 1304" I'm trying to find a change log and @JAMES4578 is helping :smiling-face: