2010 Samsung Plasma Buzz - Page 3

Good for you, I really didn't want to take mine back because it just looked amazing for how cheap it was. I did get the Panasonic C2 and I guess the best way to say it is that it is built better with less features and picture quality for the same price.

I almost took it back after watching some of that Life show with Oprah narrating. I had it on my DVR and there was this beautiful colored chameleon that looked awesome on the Sammy and just looked boring on the Pansonic.

After hours of playing with the settings I jacked the color setting and sharpness way up and it is 95 percent of the look of the Samsung. That and the fact that it is nearly silent when it is on make it a keeper. When I watched Life on the Samsung, the TLC logo was bright red. I mean solid bright red. Out of the box, the Panasonic was dark burgundy. Now it is mostly bright red with some dark shading, probably more accurate to what it was intended????

I think I still might buy the Samsung for the living room because we only watch that tv with the volume cranked from 18 feet away or so. Maybe I will put the tv from there in my bedroom.

I called Amazon and they told me I needed to talk to Samsung before I could send it back. So I called Samsung, and they were very nice on the phone. They offered to do an in-home service call through a local company at no charge since it's obviously under warranty. I feel like that may work out better than just sending it back, since getting another one sounds like a crap shoot according to others in this forum thread. Plus I can still use it while I'm waiting. If all else fails, I'll send it back, but I'm not sure if I will get another or buy another brand. the speakers are very good on this tv, and it works really well with the samsung c6500 blu ray player I purchased to go with it.

I posted this in the 2010 Samsung thread but only had a single comment on it. Maybe you guys in this thread can listen to the buzz on my 2010 c8000 tell me if this is just normal plasma hum or its the Samsung buzz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJqi6JxNb5I

Watch in 1080p and turn the volume up. You can also try this non-youtube version which has been scaled down but has the raw audio off my camera:

http://www.ryanandkatrina.net/videos/buzz.mkv

I'm sorry to tell you, but samsung will send a repair technician to your house who will simply tell you the buzz your hearing is normal and all plasma screens have the same audible noise that your hearing. It's the electricity vibrating through the filter that you hear. Or what he claims, I had samsung do the same thing to me on my 2009 pn50b650. I actually went through three replacements through amazon before they told me since I was having such a consistant problem that they could no longer offer me a replacement and would remove the product from there website to review it for this problem. So I just took my refund and I have been waiting for the 2010 models and I'm so dissapointed that they have the same issues. So I'll probably opt for a vt25. It's sad that samsung can release plasmas with this issue year after year.

IS that the buzz? (youtube video)...If that is it, then I'm definitely getting a Samsung instead of a Panasonic.

I can't hear any buzzing in the youtube vid. I don't think your mic has picked it up.

You can also try the MKV file for better audio. YouTube may have compressed the audio causing it to not be as noticeable. The most noticeable moments should be when the TV is first turned on and when the 2D-3D conversion is enabled.

Tried the MKV file, put volume up to max, ear right next to speaker, still can't hear anything.


edit: I can hear a brief buzz for a split second right at the end of the video.

My 58c590 has no buzz to speak of...

To me there is a quite audible buzz that I hear in the video. I guess we are not sensitive to the same frequencies which would explain why some people complain about the buzz and others do not. Thanks for your input.

I hear no buzz. Can you estimate the frequency?

Gee, for once maybe age and listening to all that loud Rock & Roll as a kid will finally pay off!

I was reviewing the PCN8000 manual and noticed that they place ferrite cores around the A/C power cord. I am a EE so I know a lot about what these do but don't have a Sammy (yet )to experiment with.

Is everyone using these ferrites or has anyone experimented with contorlling the audible noise. It's a long shot but I thought I would throw it out there..........

EMI / EMC is kind of a black magic art but I was wondering if this would have any effect on the audible sounds that some are complaining about.

I just installed a PN42C450. I'm a 20 year EE veteran and gave this set every chance to work. I installed my own electrical outlet. It has its own dedicated run to the service panel. I have both ferrite chokes installed within 20mm and 50mm as directed in the user manual. All other electronic sources in the room are turned off. It buzzes like CRAZY. I don't believe this is a conducted or radiated susceptibility issue. Actually, I do realize that all plasmas do this to some extent, but this is excessive. I've tried dialing down the brightness, cell light, contrast, etc. all to minimal settings and it really doesn't help.

I'm happy with the picture for a 720, but I sit 14 feet back and the noise is obnoxious. It is going back to Best Buy first thing. I've never heard of a power supply getting quieter with time. I'd like to hear the theory on that one.

I can't complain about Samsung - although this set was supposed to replace my PERFECTLY WORKING 15 year old Sony Trinitron. Samsung is offering a decent picture and sacrificing noise - but at bottom of the barrel pricing. Welcome to the competitive world of consumer electronics.

Best Buy delivered my PN50C450 this morning (version NY02, build date Feb. 2010, Tijuana, Mexico). I waited with baited breath as the techs put the stand together and set the TV in place. One of them pressed the remote's power button, and the set sprang to life - no buzz. I stood next to it as we were talking, and I couldn't hear anything except the low volume of the program. I figured if I got a "buzzer", it would be loud enough for me to tell immediately.

After the guys left, I muted the sound, walked all around the living room - nothing. When I stand right over the set, I can just hear a faint electrical hum, much like a CRT (as some others have stated), and that's it. FYI: My living area is an open floorplan with the kitchen, and we just got a Samsung fridge that has the usual "fridge hum", and we have a freezer in the adjacent utility room that makes the usual "freezer hum", so maybe they are masking the sound. I did close the utility room door, and quieted things down some, but I still couldn't hear anything from the muted TV.

In any event, I am hopeful that the problem that some have encountered with buzzing sets is evident from the get-go, right out the box, and not something that develops over time...I really like the set so far, and for the money, it's a deal!

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I noticed after the delivery guys left, the ferrite chokes were still in the bag, so the TV is currently operating quietly without them. I think I'll probably put them on, though.

PN58C590 - no ferrite cores, no buzz. the set is actually WAY quieter than the Sony KF42WE610 its replacing.

gorgeous picture.

I have 50C550 for 2 months - no buzz - whisper quiet - with or without the enclosed ferrets supplied - using power strip = s/m upgraded to C590 24p is amazeing.

PN50C7000 no buzz - unless you put your ear to the back

i can add to this thread now as i just heard a new c550 last night and sure enough if has a pretty bad buzz.

Hello I just purchased a PN50C540 hoping that the buzz would be fixed, unfortunately it has not been fixed, it buzzes as loud as the 2 B-series I returned to Best Buy last year. I waited for the 2010 units hoping for a quieter plasma. If you were originally bothered by the B-series buzzing you will be just as dis-satisfied with this years model.

I can hear the buzz over normal TV buzzing, and it is much louder than my old NEC that this TV is meant to replace. It could be a combination of factors, maybe even dirty power or something, but point being C-series exhibits the exact same problem as the B-series did for me and my house.

I have been periodically running the breakin disc since my TV was delivered, alternating with regular viewing. I've noticed that while the disc is cycling through the colors, white seems to create a slight buzz, but I have to get right next to the screen to hear it. Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary for my 50C450. I wish I would've purchased two of these while BB had them on sale

anyone tried this fix?

"A user in our forums has reported that Samsung has now resolved the buzzing issues on the B850 / B860 plasma-TV. The buzzing is not caused by the power supply, like first assumed, but from the plastic on the back of the screen that is too thin causing it to resonance. The buzzing can be resolved by adding small rubber thingies on the back of the TV."

hxxp://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?misc=search&subaction=showfull&id=1246822649

i have a pn50c7000 that buzzes pretty loud, hence why im getting it swapped, the buzzing gets even louder when 3d is on making the experience not very pleasant lol. I think they all have a buzzing sound it just depends on weather the peron is sensitive to the frequency or not

I've been shopping for a TV for some time now, looking specifically at the Samsung lines- I've sorta settled on a 50", and probably the B or C550 series. The buzzing complaints have bothered me a little bit, but your post struck me because I've thought about that solution too...

Having dealt with "buzzing" problems on electronics in the past, the link you posted appears like a realistic/possible fix. Buzzing in general typically comes out of speakers if there is a lot of line noise (which is not what is occurring in the case of these plasmas), or from a vibrating physical component within the television- more specifically, a component that is vibrating and just close enough to some other part of the device, such as the casing or cover, which then makes a sound.

If you're able to isolate the source of the buzzing on the outside of the TV, you can dampen the noise or prevent it altogether. Try pressing on the back case of the tv with one finger in one spot at a time, all over the back... if you're lucky enough to find a spot where pressing with your finger stops the buzzing, maybe the "rubber thingie" solution will actually prevent the problem from occurring. I personally wouldn't go into the TV because of a risk of damaging it and/or voiding the warranty, but the buzzing could be entirely inside the television and out of reach.

Anyway I've fixed problems like this in the past with a carefully placed piece of duct tape or a rubber grommet/washer. It may explain why there is such a range of variance between sets, where some buzz a lot and some don't.

Have any of the people with the buzzing problem tried some acoustic dampening foam around the back of the tv? If you know the fundamental frequency of the buzzing, you can put acoustic foam with the proper aperture between peaks and troughs to minimize it bouncing around to the rest of the room...

Anyway, just some thoughts. Thanks for all the discussion here!

I have a 550 coming.. Anyone had a "buzzer" lately? True? Hype? Just really OCD people? haha

42c450, 1st one buzz like a beehive. Replaced with another one from a different retailer. This one buzzes also and can be heard easily 8-9 ft back over normal volume level. I really wanted to try a Samsung (have a Panny) but this noise really is annoying.

Got a 50C550 yesterday from Amazon, and am happy to report that there was no buzz. Must admit that all the buzz talk on this forum had me a bit worried.

Isn't "buzzing" from plasmas normal? I'm thinking it's like fan noise from a rear projection set or diminished viewing angles from an LCD set; it is how it is.

From Samsung's FAQ's on their support site:

Product :Total:TV, Video & Audio:televisions: plasma TV 27-08-2009

plasma TV : Is The Buzzing Sound My Plasma TV Making Normal?

The buzzing sound your plasma TV makes is normal. It's caused by the electrical charges that are used to create the images on the screen. The buzzing, however, should not be so loud that you can hear it when the volume on the TV is set at normal levels.

If your Plasma TV is buzzing loudly, follow these steps:

1. Set the volume of the TV to the setting you normally use.
2. Stand at least 15 feet away. If you do not hear the buzz, your Plasma TV is working normally.
3. If you continue to hear a loud buzz when you are 15 feet from the TV, return to the TV and see if any cables are resting against the metal back cover of the TV. If cables are resting against the back panel, reposition them so that they do not rest against the back panel and see if that reduces the buzzing.
4. If repositioning the cables does not reduce the buzzing, your Plasma TV needs service.

I just received my new Samsung PN50C8000 3 days ago. I'm here to report NO buzzing, blacks are great, overall picture is excellent. I'm seriously glad I bought this TV!

Had a Sammy Tech in my house to fix my DLP under their extended warranty for the DMD board. I asked about the buzzing on the C590 b/c that's what I was looking at getting if the DMD board wasn't covered. He said that Sammys do have some buzzing but most of the buzzing from the newer sets are what you described above. More of a rattle than a buzz, I guess...