Sony A80/84J OLED Owners and Discussion Thread

[lgans316]

I've tried forgetting about my banding and any content I've watched personally I don't see it much. If I watch anything that's been recommended to test for banding, I do see it but that's me going looking for it. I'm past my return period now and just under 100 hours. I bought from John Lewis and took out the extended warranty. If it starts getting worse or bothers more in the future I will take it further.

I tried my best to tolerate but it just keeps showing up whenever the camera pans horizontally.

Yesterday I was reading SpareChange's Ghostbusters Afterlife 4K review and I noticed the bands on Paul Rudd's face when the camera pans across his face.

Doesn't matter if it's black / near black. Even shows up in Football. If I pause the bands don't show up.

As I said, I don't mind thin faint bands but mine has 5 bands that are about 1 cm wide each and these are on the 3/4th center of the screen.

 

[lgans316]

Updated the retailer about this. Told them I will wait until next Tuesday hoping for an improvement. Otherwise it will be returned for a refund unless the 83A80J magically breaks the £4000 barrier.

 

[Petey20]

I tried my best to tolerate but it just keeps showing up whenever the camera pans horizontally.

Yesterday I was reading SpareChange's Ghostbusters Afterlife 4K review and I noticed the bands on Paul Rudd's face when the camera pans across his face.

Doesn't matter if it's black / near black. Even shows up in Football. If I pause the bands don't show up.

As I said, I don't mind thin faint bands but mine has 5 bands that are about 1 cm wide each and these are on the 3/4th center of the screen.

Does anyone know why OLEDs suffer so badly with this?
I returned 4 LCDs last year, Two top end Sony’s and 2 budget Samsungs. The Sony’s had minor DSE and the Samsungs were from a faulty batch, but none of them had vertical banding, which I personally consider to be worse than DSE.
Struggling to get my head around it as I would like to go OLED next, but it seems so many are either going through multiple sets or just living with it.

 

[lgans316]

Does anyone know why OLEDs suffer so badly with this?
I returned 4 LCDs last year, Two top end Sony’s and 2 budget Samsungs. The Sony’s had minor DSE and the Samsungs were from a faulty batch, but none of them had vertical banding, which I personally consider to be worse than DSE.
Struggling to get my head around it as I would like to go OLED next, but it seems so many are either going through multiple sets or just living with it.

I am sure OLEDs are better when it comes to screen uniformity over LCDs.

My ZD9 has mild to moderate DSE but I stopped worrying as I bought it in used condition for a decent price.

I think the issue nowadays is mostly confined to 77 and above panels. Same with LCDs. Samsung seems to be worst as always. So many Sony users have reported some sort of grid effect on 75/85 X95J.

Ultimately down to the tolerance levels of the owners. Some are sensitive. Some don't care. Sadly I fall in the sensitive category.

 

[Petey20]

I am sure OLEDs are better when it comes to screen uniformity over LCDs.

My ZD9 has mild to moderate DSE but I stopped worrying as I bought it in used condition for a decent price.

I think the issue nowadays is mostly confined to 77 and above panels. Same with LCDs. Samsung seems to be worst as always. So many Sony users have reported some sort of grid effect on 75/85 X95J.

Ultimately down to the tolerance levels of the owners. Some are sensitive. Some don't care. Sadly I fall in the sensitive category.

Looking back i was definitely far too fussy with the Sony’s. Was my first TV purchase over 1K and wanted perfection but now realise that doesn't exist.

I think I'm similar to you in regards to sensitivity unfortunately. I'm probably borderline/got OCD and notice every imperfection that most people don't see. Drive myself nuts!

 

[lgans316]

Looking back i was definitely far too fussy with the Sony’s. Was my first TV purchase over 1K and wanted perfection but now realise that doesn't exist.

I think I'm similar to you in regards to sensitivity unfortunately. I'm probably borderline/got OCD and notice every imperfection that most people don't see. Drive myself nuts!

I am not that OCD as my panel has tinting issues which is not bothersome to me. It is just this vertical banding.

With movies, at times I can tolerate to an extent.

Them showing in Football is unacceptable.

 

[Trophy hunter]

I am not that OCD as my panel has tinting issues which is not bothersome to me. It is just this vertical banding.

With movies, at times I can tolerate to an extent.

Them showing in Football is unacceptable.

You should try another one as I think you are just unlucky. I have no banding what so ever. And I am very picky.

 

[Kenny1979]

You should try another one as I think you are just unlucky. I have no banding what so ever. And I am very picky.

Is yours a 77 inch model as well?

 

[Trophy hunter]

Is yours a 77 inch model as well?

Yes it is.

 

[Kenny1979]

Yes it is.

Try watching season 1 episode 1 of altered carbon on Netflix in a pitch black room at night, from 7mins 20seconds. It will shop up vertical banding if u have any. I would like to know if yours plays it perfectly with nothing visible at all.

 

[lgans316]

Glass 4K disc or streaming - 1h:17:24s to 1h:18:30s. Looked very bad on mine. Worse than the usual ones like Marco Polo, Arrival, Altered Carbon etc. As I said, any horizontal panning shot against certain background, the bands show up (including Football). Somehow it disappears when I hit the pause button except on Arrival as it has lots of near black.

 

[Kenny1979]

Glass 4K disc or streaming - 1h:17:24s to 1h:18:30s. Looked very bad on mine. Worse than the usual ones like Marco Polo, Arrival, Altered Carbon etc.

If I knew the stress I was going to go through I wouldn't have bothered getting a new tv lol

 

[HaRd2BeAr]

I am sure OLEDs are better when it comes to screen uniformity over LCDs.

My ZD9 has mild to moderate DSE but I stopped worrying as I bought it in used condition for a decent price.

I think the issue nowadays is mostly confined to 77 and above panels. Same with LCDs. Samsung seems to be worst as always. So many Sony users have reported some sort of grid effect on 75/85 X95J.

Ultimately down to the tolerance levels of the owners. Some are sensitive. Some don't care. Sadly I fall in the sensitive category.

Sorry to hear you've been so unlucky!

I hope your luck improves and that I get lucky with a 42inch oled this year

 

[lgans316]

If I knew the stress I was going to go through I wouldn't have bothered getting a new tv lol

I was anticipating this as I am fully aware winning the panel lottery requires luck, patience and perseverance.

 

[GTPSprite]

Sorry you're still having all these banding issues @Igans316 I have looked for them now on mine and either I have none or I just cant see them. My partner hasn't noticed anything either. We've now watched lots of movies and TV shows and nothing has shown up.

I have to admit some people do seem to be more sensitive to the banding and tinting issues than others. If I had noticed them, like you I'd be sending the set back and getting a replacement. Hopefully Marks Electricals will help make it as painless as possible.

 

[Wez68]

Rewatched the Altered Carbon mentioned above ,nothing stood out ,and 100% guaranteed I have never seen any banding on any Sony Oled I’ve owned on Football or any sport for that matter ,one of the first things I watched on this A80j was Alien Covenant via the Apple TV app ,and I was blown away with how good it looked in general ,a very dark film ,and it looked noticeably cleaner overall compared to my old 77AG9 ,better near black handling and better specular highlights .
One other thing I have noticed, both my 65/77AG9 sets continued to improve panel uniformity during the time I had them (I’m talking over a year on the 65,just under a year on the 77 ,and I’m confident this 77A80j will continue that trend ,these sets DO take time to settle down ,much longer than any lg set I’ve owned ,I’m talking from experience here

 

[Kenny1979]

I was anticipating this as I am fully aware winning the panel lottery requires luck, patience and perseverance

Glass 4K disc or streaming - 1h:17:24s to 1h:18:30s. Looked very bad on mine. Worse than the usual ones like Marco Polo, Arrival, Altered Carbon etc. As I said, any horizontal panning shot against certain background, the bands show up (including Football). Somehow it disappears when I hit the pause button except on Arrival as it has lots of near black.

I just watched the scene u mentioned and it looked not too bad on my TV, altered carbon is the worst for me.

 

[v8hawkeman]

I've just watched the Altered Carbon clip on my 77A84J in a completely dark room. I really had to concentrate to see any banding (played back a few times). I would say that it is very slight and generally I would not see it. For reference my set was one of the first 77's in the country and I've got many many hours on it now.

 

[Wez68]

One thing I forgot to add on my last post ,I’m thinking that the auto compensations on the Sony sets are milder than the Lg sets and also think it’s quite telling the Sony runs them after being in standby for 4 hours when the panel is cold ,unlike Lg who run it straight away in standby

 

[lgans316]

I just watched the scene u mentioned and it looked not too bad on my TV, altered carbon is the worst for me.

On mine it's banding bonanza. All of these show up only when the camera pans horizontally. The moment I pause they vanish unless the background is dark or near black.

 

[Smudger558]

Go get yourself another one my 77 is perfect to my eyes so good one's are available I know it's a pain in the arse but you won't be happy till you get a gooden

 

[lgans316]

Just watching some Football highlights. There is one 1 cm band close to the center on the left hand side that's clearly noticeable. There are few more bands on the center of the screen but they are super faint and almost fades into the background.

Understand some of you got cleaner panels. Please don't think I am trying to make things up. Banding on football is simply unacceptable to me.

Already emailed Marks Electricals about this and next Tuesday I will make the final call.

 

[Wez68]

Just watching some Football highlights. There is one 1 cm band close to the center on the left hand side that's clearly noticeable. There are few more bands on the center of the screen but they are super faint and almost fades into the background.

Understand some of you got cleaner panels. Please don't think I am trying to make things up. Banding on football is simply unacceptable to me.

Already emailed Marks Electricals about this and next Tuesday I will make the final call.

If you see banding in football mate ,get shot of it ,100% unacceptable

 

[HaRd2BeAr]

Just watching some Football highlights. There is one 1 cm band close to the center on the left hand side that's clearly noticeable. There are few more bands on the center of the screen but they are super faint and almost fades into the background.

Understand some of you got cleaner panels. Please don't think I am trying to make things up. Banding on football is simply unacceptable to me.

Already emailed Marks Electricals about this and next Tuesday I will make the final call.

Banding on solid colours is so annoying! I have banding on a different TV but it makes playing Zelda annoying as it's mainly green!

 

[lgans316]

If you see banding in football mate ,get shot of it ,100% unacceptable

They show up when the camera pans horizontally. Sometimes its clearly noticeable and sometimes they quickly disappear.

When I pause they disappear as the background is solid green and not black / near black like seen on Arrival and Marco Polo.