Samsung: sound distortion on new LN22A451
Audio distortion oboth internal and external speakers
by Satnamji - 11/20/08 2:59 PM In reply to: sound distortion on LN40A450 by cableguyjroMy factory reset from yesterday is holding as well, but when I did get the robot audio, it would happen simultaneously on both internal TV speakers as well as on my external sound system via the optical output when watching HD channels via the QAM tuner.
LN46A550 audio echo
by izkeh - 11/20/08 7:21 PM In reply to: sound distortion on LN40A450 by cableguyjroI am experiencing this issue BUT, unlike most of you, I am using an OTA antenna. This does not occur when I use my satellite (optical audio out of sat rcvr direct to Surround Receiver, not through the TV at all).
I am using the RCA audio out jacks from my TV for my OTA audio input to my Surround Receiver. Also, this is happening on the HD stations. I don't watch the SD channels so I can't say if it's occuring on those.
It's absolutely clear in my case it is a TV-only issue.
So far, from all I've read, this problem is not resolved from a mfg standpoint. It appears many have gotten shotgunning service tech calls (swap a board and pray) and/or "maybe it fixed it, maybe it didn't fix it" resets. Frankly, neither are acceptable.
October '08 built LN32A450 Audio
by jsganz - 11/21/08 7:16 AM In reply to: LN46A550 audio echo by izkehReceived my LN32A450 a couple weeks ago.
I've heard the robot/echo audio "momentarily" when switching off a nearby florescent light. I can do this multiple times in a row. Also, you can hear it for a split second right before one of my weaker digital stations gets lost. Once the channel reappears, the audio is fine.
Just figured I'd add in my 2 cents to possibly provide any clues.
Update
by dodadnules - 11/21/08 1:30 PM In reply to: October '08 built LN32A450 Audio by jsganzHey all,
Just a quick update. I had the occasion to watch some TV last night and out of nowhere, when a commercial was on, the echo/distortion/robot or whatever you want to call it occurred. I simply changed the channel 1 up and then back and it was gone. It was the only time it happened over about 2 hours.
To clarify, Comcast directly into LN46A630 and then into a Bose CineMate system via the TV audio out.
I mentioned it to my friend (izkeh on this post) and he had it happen twice last night on his LN46A550.
I've had my new TV since Monday, 1-17. Izkeh has had his for about 3 weeks.
Both TV's are going back if Samsung doesn't come up with a root cause solution and fast. I like the TV otherwise and will wait until I'm just inside the 30-day return policy at Circuit City and then take it back and buy a Sony or Toshiba. I have a Toshiba 26" LCD in the bedroom that operates on the same exact signal (probably weaker, longer RG-6 run) that works flawlessly. It's been sitting there for over 18 months. Sorry Samsung. Fix this or lose this customer for life. I'm generally very brand loyal and the only reason I even bought the Samsung was a recommendation from a friend and troubles with a Sony DVD-R that was supposed to provide a simple way to convert analog video to DVD. It doesn't work as advertised but, I won't go into that. The point is, I would own a Sony TV right now if not for that experience. So far, I own 2 Samsung products and both have what I consider to be critical defects. The echo on the TV audio and the freeze when trying to fast-forward the blue ray player.
I oversee the development of electronic products for a living. Simply stated, this is a hardware and/or firmware problem It may be something they cannot correct in firmware but, even if that's the case, the stand up thing to do would be a recall offering expedient repair once they've corrected the hardware design. The first step is to accept that they have a problem.
Oh, by the way, not surprisingly I called Samsung CS and they've never heard of this before. Oy....
Good luck with their CS or ECR
by CROATlAN - 11/21/08 1:59 PM In reply to: Update by dodadnulesI've placed several calls to them and all they are doing amounts only to one delay after another. I will press for a solution, I will not give in. In the latest conversation a few minutes ago with one of their ECR people I asked for another model in the series 5, 6, 7 or 8, whatever will make this thing go away, I don't care. He told me that my request is valid and it's been known on occasion and at the discretion of their bosses that they would be willing to do something like that for a customer, but only if all other repair attempts fail. Let me tell you, as far as the repair attempts go they have one more strike left and they are out!
It is my sincere hope that if enough people start to complain to them about the same issues eventually they would notice the negative and image damaging trend and start to address it. Another interesting thing is that all of us who have this issue are also Comcast customers without additional HD box, but the truth still remains that other brands like Toshiba, Sony and Panasonic are not affected by these issues (maybe other issues, but not those that Samsung is yet to acknowledge). It seems that only these South Korean brands like Samsung and LG are affected according to one Samsung field engineer (a repairman) I spoke to over the phone.
There you have it, a classic case of a recall aching to happen.
Giving Up
by dodadnules - 11/24/08 5:53 AM In reply to: Good luck with their CS or ECR by CROATlANAll,
I had occasion to watch some football yesterday and tried to see if some settings would resolve the echo/robot audio problem in my LN4A630 (1 week old). No go. I thought I found something for a while. After turning off the volume leveler, the problem disappeared for about an hour.
I've had more time to characterize it and basically, at least in my case, it only seems to happen during commercials and then self-corrects when the broadcast program comes back on. It really is awful and sounds like a cheesy "game" or "arena" setting on an old receiver when it happens. It was really pleasant when it stopped.
I emailed Samsung this morning and will call again today. If neither of those contacts yield some sort of meaningful direction, and that doesn't include board replacement or exchange without acknowledging the problem and stating there is a known solution, the set is going back to Circuit City. I've been looking around on their site and for a couple hundred bucks more, I can get a Sony that I'll have more confidence in. Also, the blue-ray player is going back as well if the TV does. I will be done withe Samsung, at least for a while, over this incident.
I'm fortunate to have identified the problem early and am still well within the store's return window. I'm sorry for those of you that are stuck. I'm sure there are work-arounds like bypassing the TV with the audio, or whatever, but, I'm not into that. The TV should work as advertised. As I understand things, this happens from the TV's internal speakers as well. How screwed up is that? They clearly have a problem in the audio hardware/firmware and need to address it. They will have to do it on someone else's dime if they don't get aggressive about it and quick.
Otherwise, it seems like a great TV. I love the picture and most other things about it. But, about half of a TV experience is audio. I will not listen to this crap coming out of a new $1,500 TV.
Good luck to you all. I will check this post even after returning the Samsung just to see how they handle it and how you all make out.
opted for a Panny plasma
by Satnamji - 11/24/08 10:22 AM In reply to: Giving Up by dodadnulesThanks in part to your posts about audio problems with the 630 and the current problems I'm having with my 32" 450, I decided against getting a 46" 630 and bought a Panny plasma instead. There were other factors involved (the whole LCD vs. Plasma thing), but being on the fence as I was, this didn't help.
CABLE BOX
by ericmc24 - 11/24/08 11:37 AM In reply to: sound distortion on new LN22A451 by pwmpciI have tried getting my TV fixed, tried doing the resets and so on...Nothing worked. But I now have a cable box/DVR and as originally posted on here it has corrected the problem. I no longer have any issues and am living quite happily with my HD channels. So i would suggest to you all that unless you want to return your TV and take your chances on another brand, connect your cable through a DVR, Cable box or VCR - your TV watching lives will be much happier for it.
I know it doesn't fix the problem or correct the fact that Samsung should have known about this and fixed it by now, but at least you won't have to deal with it anymore.
Cable box not for everyone I'm afraid
by Satnamji - 11/24/08 3:35 PM In reply to: CABLE BOX by ericmc24I'd love to have a cable box connected to my ln32a450, but my cable co. will add $11 ($22 for an HD DVR) per month to my bill for a second one, and I can't justify that for a bedroom TV, especially when I should be able to get the channels I watch most for FREE! Also, most VCRs do not have a built in QAM/ATSC tuners to decode and transmit the HD channels while processing and sending audio to an audio receiver.
I would, however, like to thank Mr. Samsung for staying on top of this to find a permanent fix.
I agree that a cable box should NOT be needed
by Peridot180 - 11/24/08 4:36 PM In reply to: Cable box not for everyone I'm afraid by SatnamjiI agree with Satnamji. Comcast will also add another $12 to our bill each month for a cable box and we just cannot afford that. The tuner should be able to work just fine without a box. It is Samsung's fault and they need to accept it and deal with it. There should be no need to go and shell out more money for a cable box each month for those of us who do not have premium channels.
Samsung HD Tech, I understand that you are trying to find a permanent fix for this problem. But could you please keep us updated on what specifically is being done? How is everyone supposed to know that something is being done to fix the problem?
This is just VERY frustrating. The person at Best Buy who told us we could take the TV back was wrong and now we're stuck with it until either we go through 2 more repair cycles with no fix or we wait for a fix to happen, if it ever does. Still no word from Samsung or the person who was supposed to "repair" it.
LN40A450 sound issue
by cableguyjro - 11/24/08 2:01 PM In reply to: sound distortion on new LN22A451 by pwmpciIs the samsung tech still monitoring this?
Anyway, my experiment 'worked' - in that I can reproduce the problem, like others here. Switched TV off at surge strip (after all, we ALL want to be green, don't we?) for over 20 hours. Turned it back on, and within 10 minutes on an HD channel, robot sound. Big surprise. Factory reset (exit/10/yes) fixes.
I have cable straight into TV, no STB. Audio out via optical to home theatre, but problem happens with TV speakers just as easily. Changing channel and back also fixes.
So for now, not turning it off at surge strip. So much for my carbon footprint. 
Come on Samsung - we can reproduce this *at will*. I'm an engineer, a reproduceable problem is the BEST kind of problem to fix - and we DO expect a fix.
thanks for your time & attention.
Read and Noted!
by Samsung_HD_Tech
- 11/24/08 2:09 PM
In reply to: LN40A450 sound issue by cableguyjro
Thanks. I'm here pretty much every day and actively monitoring the forums.
I hear you, and I'm doing everything on my end to do what I can to expeidate a fix.
--HDTech
imagine the possibilities
- Click here to visit the Samsung forum
- Click here to visit the Samsung store on CNET
AUDIO PROBLEM SOLVED!!!
by dodadnules - 11/25/08 5:04 AM In reply to: Read and Noted! by Samsung_HD_Tech
Hi All,
Just wanted to report that I found a solution to the audio echo/robot in my LN46A630. I also found a solution to the blue ray BPD 1500 freezing when you fast-forward while watching a DVD. I took them both back to Circuit City last night and replaced them with a Sony KDL46Z4100 and BDPS350 blue ray disc player.
Circuit City was great. I got the Sony TV for $1,649 and the BR for $249.
Brought everything home last night about 7:30 and was comfortably watching Monday Night Football. I must say, out of the box, the Samsung picture was superior. However, after making some of the detailed adjustments provided in the Sony, it got there. It's awesome. Combine that with the fact that the audio doesn't echo, convenient favorite channel access and labeling, and universal backlit remote and life in TV land at my house is good again!!
I am sorry for those of you that have this problem and are outside of the store's return policy. I am so glad I took the TV back even though I really liked it in nearly every other way. It's just goofy to accept a blatant audio problem on a $1,500 TV set!!
Good luck to you all and signing off for now. If I encounter any problems with the Sony, I'll post here about it in the interest of objectivity.
Peace.
My opinion on where the audio problem lies
by SLR42 - 11/29/08 12:19 PM In reply to: Read and Noted! by Samsung_HD_Tech
Previously I wrote that the audio problem just suddenly appeared on my LN32A450 and that having the board changed fixed the problem. I continued to follow this forum and after people started saying that their sets malfunctioned after they unplugged them, I suddenly remembered that my problem started after I had unplugged my set in order to mount it on the wall. So, as an Electrical Engineer with 40 years of experience in circuit design, I can say with some confidence that the problem lies in the power up reset circuit. All microprocessors have a minimum operating voltage below which they lose control and do random things. One of the random things is to wiggle the write control lines to the non-volatile memory, which can corrupt said memory. A properly designed reset circuit will protect all of the peripheral circuits, and especially the memory, from harm by forcing them into a known safe state before the microprocessor goes wild. So, buried somewhere in the Samsung circuit board is a memory chip that is programmed at the factory to properly decode and process the audio portion of the incoming signal. This memory probably holds some fine tuning information, so the audio is not completely lost, but just becomes marginally stable. Somehow, the factory reset process puts the circuit back into the proper state, but the problem then reappears the next time power is disconnected.
Either the reset circuit was not designed properly or the microprocessor has changed and loses control at a higher voltage than the reset circuit was designed for. On a traditional circuit board the fix would be simple, but on today's highly integrated boards it may not be so cheap to do. Either way, Samsung better get a grip on this before they lose their hard won reputation for quality products.
Thanks, and noted!
by Samsung_HD_Tech - 11/29/08 11:35 PM
In reply to: My opinion on where the audio problem lies by SLR42
I appreciate your insight on this.
It's analysis like this that helps me suggest looking into the problem that could be causing the symptom. I'll send this up this weekend.
--HDTech
imagine the possibilities
- Click here to visit the Samsung forum
- Click here to visit the Samsung store on CNET
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