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

[Rauttis]

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

[MJ1931]

How do you mean mate?

Everything default Filmmaker mode then just three tweeks, contrast, colour tone and colour space,

Obviously you never mess with the sliders on Filmmaker mode think they are 27,45,0 and 25 colour.

[MJ1931]

HDR will auto adjust to different settings on Filmmaker Mode

[AV2020]

Filmmaker mode. There is barely any content with the metadata for filmmaker mode. You need content that has the meta data for filmmaker mode.  Like UHD discs.

A bit like dolby vision, but obviously Samsung doesn't support it. You clearly like oversaturated blue images and blown out highlights with contrast enhancer. Up to you. But it is ironic that you are stating filmmaker mode is pure, when you like native (over saturated) color space and contrast enhancer on. Which is far from what the director intended. I hope you enjoy watching your TV with people looking like they have sun burn. 🤣

Best to end the conversation now and let you stick to poor inaccurate image. 

[MJ1931]

We all love game mode i think and how it recognises SDR games then auto adjusts to HDR games (2 sets of settings), filmmaker is the same that way, its well cool, I dont work for them by the way, just a great idea hence the 1304 update Samsung pushed through

[AV2020]

The only thing that changes when the TV switches to HDR mode is the brightness and contrast sliders which goes to 50. That is all it does. Same for game mode. It is not some magical stuff. 

[MJ1931]

Oh someone has been googling,

Nah if you use the same settings on say dynamic and then filmmaker mode (identical settings) its so different, it actually delivers the true image as best it can until it becomes mainstream and will get even better, why not use it as base and do what you want, movie mode is a samsung preset that you have to wrestle with to get right, you can get a great image with hardly any tweaking.

[jayh89]

I think using auto colour makes everything washed out. Colour doesn’t pop. In native it pops more and the colours are more vibrant. I personally prefer native. 

Do you use 2.2 gamma or bt?

[MJ1931]

Got the french open highlights on at the moment on Eurosport 1, only made 3 tweaks, stunning, if I wasnt happy I would be posting for ideas

[AV2020]

The only thing that changes automatically when the TV switches to HDR mode is the brightness and contrast sliders which goes to 50. That is all it does. Same for game mode. It is not some magical stuff.

Your settings should be identical for non HDR and HDR but let the TV swith the sliders to 50 for brightness and contrast when it is receiving HDR content. The same for games. You are viewing an inaccurate picture with native colour space. Either get your TV calibrated so you can use custom colour space or if not, then out it on auto. Why you have contrast enhancer on, I do not know. You should use Google to educate yourself. You may learn a thing or two if you take your horse blinkers off. Also search Samsung filmmaker mode, there is barely any content that uses it. It is fsr too early days for it. Also if there was you have it  set up wrong anyway with the native color space. You like blue saturated images. Movie mode is natural but as you are used to blue images. It will look yellow to you as your eyes are used to an inaccurate image from being blue saturated. But after a week with movie mode, you will see that it is the correct image. But cannot be bothered to waste my time time explaining to you when you can use Google. 

[MJ1931]

Native is what game mode uses by default, say no more

BT1886 all the way