I had no idea how bad LG OLED near black performance was.

OLEDed

Standard Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2021
Messages
36
Reaction score
31
Points
13
Age
45
Location
Seattle
EDIT:

I wanted to edit this post after having spent more time with the sets. After researching online the near black blocky artifacts seem to be a common but intermittent issue. Apparently it's a combination of TV performance and input signal. I am finding that it is not as bad as I initially thought. I've watched several movies with dark scenes without seeing it. These sets do have other minor near black difficulties but I no longer feel it's a deal breaker because it seems to be infrequent.


Recently picked up a C9 and CX and the artifacts on near black screens are ruining night time viewing for me. Both TVs have this issue. I read this is a common issue with OLED and was aware prior to my purchase, however, I didn't think it would be so bad. Maybe it's because I'm used to late model high end plasma sets which don't have issues like this. I love everything else about these sets except this. Is there anything that helps? No fun to have such great blacks only to see this all the time on near black scenes, I watch a lot of horror movies!
 
Last edited:
What are you feeding it with and are you using ambient lighting ?
 
Recently picked up a C9 and CX and the artifacts on near black screens are ruining night time viewing for me. Both TVs have this issue. I read this is a common issue with OLED and was aware prior to my purchase, however, I didn't think it would be so bad. Maybe it's because I'm used to late model high end plasma sets which don't have issues like this. I love everything else about these sets except this. Is there anything that helps? No fun to have such great blacks only to see this all the time on near black scenes, I watch a lot of horror movies!

I'd also made the transition from plasma to OLED. That's why I ended up with a Panasonic HZ1500, switching out my Sony A8. Near black handling was a real problem with the Sony. Panasonic is the only manufacturer that has adequately addressed near black handling on OLED televisions.

For balance, that doesn't mean Panasonic OLEDs are perfect. They have their own foibles, with 50Hz and Dolby Vision motion (and some issues with gradation). It's question of deciding which issues you consider easiest to live with.
 
My CX defo better blacks than the LG 50PK590 I still have I notice the whites are brighter to.
Have you turned off auto energy-saving and set the oled light to around 40 or I have mine 85 for HDR.
 
Didn’t realise that was still an issue. I assume recent tv clipped low level blacks and newer tv had processed to handle it. Moving from my old LG oled to 2019 Panasonic this was one of the big improvements.
 
I'd also made the transition from plasma to OLED. That's why I ended up with a Panasonic HZ1500, switching out my Sony A8. Near black handling was a real problem with the Sony. Panasonic is the only manufacturer that has adequately addressed near black handling on OLED televisions.

For balance, that doesn't mean Panasonic OLEDs are perfect. They have their own foibles, with 50Hz and Dolby Vision motion (and some issues with gradation). It's question of deciding which issues you consider easiest to live with.
It's almost enough to make me put up my old plasma again. In a dark room where I do most of my viewing I'm not seeing major improvements between 4k HDR OLED and 1080p Plasma. The difference just isn't what I expected. The near black artifacts really pull you out of the moment because you start expecting to see it again. I use bias lighting and with it turned on the blacks on my plasma were just as good as OLED. Between the motion handling which isn't terrible and near blacks I'm not feeling overly impressed with OLED. It's brighter but the picture quality really isn't better in a dark room.
 
My CX defo better blacks than the LG 50PK590 I still have I notice the whites are brighter to.
Have you turned off auto energy-saving and set the oled light to around 40 or I have mine 85 for HDR.
I have my OLED light at 80 because like my plasma it's hard to see during the day with Windows open (isf dark room). I have brightness on 50. Would turning down the OLED light at night help?
 
Latest firmware installed on CX ? There was one back few months ago which really improved blacks on the CX, its possible the newer firmware may have issues I think some didnt like it, but hopefully LG are on it.

Make sure Dynamic tone mapping is off, this is well known to bring artefacts, bugs during black scenes and doesn't display blacks properly.

Sources are very important, if you run Virgin or Sky or HD, its not going to work as well, 4K blurays or 4K remuxes (exact bluray copies) the colours, blacks are greatly improved.

Tried the setting brightness black level correctly for SD content ? I mentioned a tweak that may help here:


For HDR though defaults should be good, id still recommend Filmmaker mode due to its accuracy, with energy savings off and DTM off and just adjust your OLED light.

TV calibration can really tweak out those black levels and details better then factory defaults but never got that far, might be something to consider.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom