Sony KE48a9 Dimming Issues When Watching Football

[Toastybits]

Hello. This is the second post about this tv and so far Im not very impressed. Has anyone else experienced their picture dimming when watching football ? I watched a Euro 2020 game this afternoon and initially the settings were fine up until the game kicked off. Within a few minutes the picture had dimmed so much the match looked as though it was being played during the evening. I found it unacceptable. Can anyone relate to this ? Thanks

[rooobb]

I had never seen dimming on my own A1, tough they may have changed somenthing in the ABL since 2017. In any case if you set those setting so high for sure you'll notice more. In a dark environment, as calibrators (known such as d-nice)suggest, in SDR peak luminance should be set to off in order to have 100 nits as output. During the day it can be used to boost the white pixel subpixel of the WRGB panel, but in any case having an high luminance, an high gamma and an high peak luminance would result in overkilling.  Custom preset should be enough accurate even if not 100% perfect, if you continue to experience dimming I don't have a solution for you

[graham13]

Hi Guys

I’ve had my KD48a9 since 13th February this year. Overall, I love the TV. The picture quality is stunning and apart from increasing the peak luminance to maximum, all the other settings are out of the box.

The TV is not placed in direct sunlight and is bright enough to watch in daylight and incredible at night. Whilst the new QLEDS etc. can get very bright, what is the point when you have to reduce the brightness at night because it burns your eyes out!

The issue with the Sony KD48 is certainly to do with the aggressive auto brightness limiter but why it effects live football matches and other live programmes more than anything else, I don’t know. Watching films off air via Netflix, Catch up TV programmes via BBC iplayer and other channels catch up players do not seem to be effected. YouTube videos also do not appear to be affected.

Sony were less than helpful when I contacted them about the dimming issue, telling me that the TV was operating correctly. By the time I had gone through the time consuming situation of sending them visual evidence and all the to-ing and fro-ing, it was too late for me to be able to exchange it. So since then I have learned to live with it.

I do believe that the LGCX and C1 also suffer with the same issue but I'm not sure how aggressive. It’s all to do with safeguarding the OLED panel from screen burn.

[Paul-M]

Hi @graham13 . I’ve found the same. My settings are pretty much as you, straight out of the box but having to turn the peak brightness to high. As you say Netflix. Amazon Prime etc movies are great with no visible dimming. I’ve made the decision to exchange for an LG C1 48 and I am waiting for the replacement to come. Such a shame as I’m usually a big fan of Sony having a STR dn-1080 receiver which in my opinion is fantastic. I’ve been assured that the LG is also a very good panel so keeping my fingers crossed.

[rooobb]

I have, other than the Sony A1 , a LG CX and a Panasonic GZ950. None of them have any problem with football match in SDR (do not have any source for match in HDR ) . 

[Paul-M]

Thanks @rooobb . I’m sure I won’t be disappointed with the LG C1. Same panel anyway just different processing under the hood.

[graham13]

Hi Paul-M

Good luck with the LG. Please let me know how you get on with it. It will be interesting to learn about it.

Regards

Graham

[Paul-M]

Hi @graham13 . Will do. The panel is going to take a few days to come but as soon as it does and I’ve got it set up I’ll pop you some feedback.

[graham13]

Thanks Paul.

[dareaso]

I have had the same problem, sent 25 and received answers from Sony but nothing helped.My set has now been changed by John Lewis but the new one is just the same. Now given up, realised its a bad set.

[dareaso]

I have just had mine replaced and it’s just the same, terrible watching football