Feature Requests: Ambient Mode

[SteebMo]

Hello All,

After reading every possible thread about Ambient Mode and all of it's missing capability, I wanted to submit a feature-request list for future software updates to the QLED TVs.  These items are taken from discussions on this community that are very common:

1.) Display user-uploaded photos in FULL SCREEN and/or allow adjustment of the matte size.  - The (huge) photo frames/mattes in "Mono 4k" and "Mono Matte" take up way more screen area than the photo inside of them.  Users want to be able to SEE the photos that they upload to their big, fancy TV's just like the "Artwork" mode that's bundled to the TV.

2.) Use any photo as a "Background" image.  - For many, the automatic Background feature doesn't properly estimate what is really there.  Uploading an actual photo of the wall (without the TV blocking the center) would help more users get the effect that this features is advertised to do.

3.) Access to the Art Store, like The Frame TVs.  - This gets requested a LOT and I think it's a missed opportunity for Samsung.  People are willing to PAY Samsung for access to art pieces (and also to support the creators), but this feature is blocked?  Why not let users decide that they want a more feature-rich TV than The Frame model AND access to similar features for buying/displaying artwork?

4.) Gallery / Slideshow from a USB stick.  - Again, I think that The Frame TV offers this.  Ambient Mode will already do a slideshow of images from a Samsung Cloud account... why not just read the photos from a USB drive plugged into the TV?  For those of us that are photographers, this can be much easier to manage (especially because I think it's basically impossible to upload photos from a laptop directly to a Samsung Cloud account).

5.) Disable sounds in Ambient Mode.  - Users are complaining that certain ambient modes that play sounds will interrupt music being played on a connected BT/Sonos speaker/Sound Bar to play the TV sounds instead.

To be honest, Ambient Mode is one of the reasons that I chose this TV over Sony and LG OLEDs.  However, after experiencing how basic the functionality really is (to the point where we may never even use it), I'm considering returning the TV and switching brands.

Does anyone else have a request to add to the list?  I really hope that Samsung will hear us and consider some of these items.

[JAMES4578]

Hi @SteebMo , Thank you for detailing the most popular suggestions for additional features on Samsung Smart Tv's. Think it is beneficial to have it on one thread.

[RoxasShadow]

Super quote. Ambient mode with our own pictures is definitely a killer feature and on such nice screens WE DO want to see them in all of their shine in full screen or so (85-95% let's say) and additionally it would be great to set them easily from an USB key too.

[Liquidmonkey]

These tv's look amazing but after reading thread after thread about not being able to put ur own photos full screen while in ambient mode I won't be getting one.

Its a bit silly I know but so is Samsung for not allowing this.

Is it a patent issue?

Surely a simple sw upgrade could fix this. 

[BubblesTV]

The main reason for going for the more expensive QLED TV was its Ambient mode (chosen over Frame TV as didn't want frame) was to show photos full screen. Was horrified when capability missing.  Ambient mode also very, very dull and no way of having bright, cheerful or colourful background colours.  I want the TV to look attractive in Ambient mode, not dull beige and depressing. Why isn't there a proper art mode? My TV was more expensive than the equivalent sized Frame TV, so surely it should have more features, not less.  Very disappointed.

[BubblesTV]

Totally agree. Have had my TV for year, and never use Ambient as so dull and washed out. No updates in that year. Keep checking for updates. Thought would be able to have bright, cheerful and colourful photos and slideshows to entertain friends on the screen when not watching TV. Feel have wasted my money.

[Wayne-H]

Yes we need the ability to show images full screen like the art mode does. I'm a photographer and want to show my work on it. Went with the 75" because it was bigger then the Frame. Really annoyed at this stupid limitation.

[Liquidmonkey]

Just curious about the ART MODE on these tv's.

Do those pictures show full screen? I think I've seen that in TV ads. 

Is it a subscription fee service?

Is it possible to upload ur own photos to the folder or cloud service that pulls images to show in art mode?

Is it possible to choose which service to use? ie, 500px has famazing photos and it would be nice to show off those, for example. 

[BubblesTV]

No Art Mode on the QLED TV range, just a dull, cropped ambient mode. Ads I saw when purchasing showed colourful full screen images which made the TV look lovely and glossy, but that was just an advertising ploy.  Art Mode only on the Frame TV and I am now regretting buying the QLED TV, at the time over £2K. Total waste of money.

[Liquidmonkey]