Q90T - Can't find any TV channels

[Kenjiin]

Hey all, 

First time posting here as I bought this TV on Monday. Amongst a few other problems I've noticed in the short space of time I've had it.. (Game Motion Plus Off makes colours more washed out - Game motion plus on causes stuttering/juddering in FIFA) The most obvious one appears to be that it wont find any normal terrestrial channels.

None at all. Zero!

It only finds the 70 channels from Samsung plus tv.

No BBC, no ITV, nothing else free to air.

It's only now coming to my attension through a lot of sifting through these and other forums, that this tv might need a dedicated aerial to tune in freeview channels. Is this correct? I haven't been able to find anything concrete, no matter that I search. Currently I'm just plugging in the cable from the tv wall port in my room directly into the tv.

Nothing is found when scanning and manual tuning is greyed out and unable to be used, no matter what I've tried. 

Plugged the cable back into my old Sony and rescanned, picked up all the old freeview channels fine. Still nothing on the Samsung.

Is this just an oversight on my part, and samsung assumes everyone has Sky/Virgin/Cable these days and the tv isn't freeview ready? Forgot that was even a thing if I'm honest! lol

[maddykat]

Have you found an answer yet? I was thinking of getting a Samsung but worried as so many people seem to have problems. I only have Freeview currently too.

[Kenjiin]

Nope. Tried everything myself. Contacted John Lewis yesterday who had an engineer out today. He confirmed the tuner had failed. Seems to be very rare, I wasn't able to find anyone else with the exact same issue online.

I was given the option to have it repaired or replaced. Chose to have it replaced. Will be contacted by Samsung within the next few days for that.

All I would say is, you'll find issues with any TVs or other products if you look in all community forums, so it gives a warped perspective. Those without issues are off enjoying their TV, not posting about it!

[maddykat]

Oh dear I was hoping you had solved it.  I have been all over the web trying to find answers unsuccessfully. Samsung themselves seem unclear. Freeview says newer Samsung tvs don't have it built in but sales staff and one person who has a q95t say 2020 models do. I wonder if they mean Freesat not Freeview, Would be interesting to hear what they tell you! I was looking at q95t but also others. Am really struggling with this as do not want to buy a tv and find it doesn't work unless I start subscribing to Sky and but boxes/satellite dishes etc!

[maddykat]

Are you going for the same model? Let me know how you get on.

[Kenjiin]

I think they're referring to Freeview Play. Its an app thats not available on Samsung TVs for catch up and I guess live channels over streaming. Never used it on my old TV so I wasn't bothered.

The TV still has a tuner for terrestrial TV channels. The engineer took a look and confirmed it should be picking up channels and that the tuner had just failed.

Yeah I'm going to get the same model. Its awesome for everything I've used so far (Netflix, Amazon, Disney, PS4/Xbox/Switch)

As far as I remember, the Q90 and Q95 are the exact same models, but the 95 has a connect box. I really like mine

[maddykat]

That's good to hear that you like it so far but surely to get Netflix, etc you are subscribed to something like Sky, etc? I thought from what you said originally that you did not subscribe to any packages so were trying to tune in just Freeview channels. I just have BT broadband so no other way of picking up signals apart from wifi and/or my ordinary outside tv aerial.  

[maddykat]

Fingers crossed you get a replacement soon that picks up terrestrial tv!

[Tom787]

Hi there! I’ve got the same problem! Also bought from John Lewis. Did the new Tv work? 

cheers Tom 

[Sanwad44]

Hi all . I looked on Freeview’s website and they confirmed that Samsung TVs made later than 2016 no longer have built in Freeview. I currently live in UK and subscribe to Virgin Media have had a Q90 series set since Spring 2021 and because I have virgin never considered that it wouldn’t have it to be fair. Anyway fast forward to 2022 and with the cost of living going up was thinking of knocking virgin on the head to save £100 per month . However may have to look at alternatives as my husband loves forces TV as they show all the tv shows from our youth like Man from Atlantis . We can watch on the virgin app and on a smaller bedroom yv but not our very expensive 4k 70” tv in our sitting room ( a bit annoying) anyway staff selling Samsung sets should be aware of this and asking customers if they will be watching through a subscription box or with Freeview in mind . Disappointing of Samsung to remove this feature though .