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]

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.

[D700]

Yeah, I feel I was mislead by Samsung advertising here. While I can display my pictures in ambient mode I'm forced to use their lousy limited matting templates. I would not have bought it had I known. 

this is simple fix a Samsung....

[tvliet]

Concur to all the points made especially the full screen photo mode. Great post.

[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]

[Liquidmonkey]

Saw this on a Sammy page.

What is this 'Artworks' thing?

And yeah, looking again at the QLED Sammy page one could be easily led to believe that all the photos they show are in ambient mode or something similar that the user can modify and control.

Maybe someone from Samsung can comment on this???

[BubblesTV]

Anyone have the 2019 version to confirm whether an art mode available as advertised? Mine is from late 2018. Also, it was suggested that use Smart View app to put photos on the TV, however, that doesn't work.  It doesn't see either of our Samsung TVs even if on same network (see Smart View app reviews).

[Liquidmonkey]

Interestingly enough, I've asked a question on a Samsung forum and no one from Samsung replies.

Thanks for making my choices (and others) much easier.
No Samsung TV for me.

[krbuck]

I "updated" to the 2019 version in our new home. Art mode is available, ambient mode was removed.

[D700]

I bought mine in October...what model did you get exactly? Is Art mode fully featured? Does it give you choice of mattes, no matte, upload your own?

[krbuck]

I am in the U.S. if that makes a difference.

My Frame model:

QN65LS03RAFXZA

[D700]

Ah, I see. As far as I know, all the Frame Models have ART mode, so are a different animal. Those of us here complaining about ambient mode typically have have non-Frame models. Ambient mode advertisements suggest capabilities which are only available in ART mode. 

I would argue that Samsung is blowing it here, they should just make ART mode standard on all the screens that have the Low Power image display capability, rather than limiting it to the "Frame Line". Its just a way to justify higher prices for some boutique products. Arguably very nice products with a much nicer bezel...but the image display is basically a glorified screensaver mode and that is definitely not new technology.

It would be more powerful as an option across their line. 

[SteebMo]

This is the major distinction yes, and it's creating a lot of confusion with the consumers over what features are available and how they are different.  Even their own customer service departments are confused about the difference... I had people on the phone AND in online chat support tell me that "ambient mode IS art mode" and that I should have access to the art store and subscriptions and yadda yadda.... I knew all of that was untrue, so I basically had to give up on getting answers out of Samsung's own customer support people.

Samsung has just announced that the 3rd generation Frame TVs will be an "improved" panel.... which I assume means the Q70 panel now instead of the Q60 edge-lit one (this is the reason I chose my Q70 over the current Frame model).

I think it's pretty telling that Samsung has 1.) kept completely quiet about all of these complaints and 2.) released a new Frame model TV with the "exclusive" features of Art mode. 

From their business point of view, their confusing marketing is working.... they get to sell the Frame models at a big premium.... and they know by our complaints that people are also buying other models of TV because they think Ambient Mode is more capable than it is.  We still keep the TV, but just quit using Ambient mode.... Samsung still made a sale and they don't have to do any more development to improve Ambient Mode.

[D700]

I think the problem is Ambient mode, they should never have diluted their "Artwork Concept". Not only is it confusing for their own support and customers, its such a poor experience, its just going to turn people off of "The Frame" because the 2 are so conflated.

For instance, had I known what Ambient really was, I would have not thought twice, I would gladly have paid more to get the Frame, even though I didn't need the little 1 cable 1 box connector thing.

TV as artwork...great concept Samsung, now clean it up and do it right. Don't bait people with a watered down version called Ambient that's just going to turn people away from the brand.

[BubblesTV]

Thing is, I bought the very expensive £2199 QLED TV thinking that Ambient included art mode without the horrible beige border mattes. I could have bought a non-QLED 55" Samsung much cheaper had I known that Ambient was a dull/beige waste of money. All the advertising shows full size brilliant colour art on the QLED, but I don't get to experience that. Sales pictures were totally misleading.