Samsung PNXXc550 Owners Thread *NO PRICE TALK* - Page 93

Hey Tux! Yeah buddy been a while,I'm so glad to see your still here! I had this c550 since about the same as you early 2010 I guess,I actually bought 2 more,let me make a long story short.I gave mom a 42 c450 and she had horrible green & red stuck pixels looked like mold between glass 85% of screen.I sai ehh it was 500 bucks and its 15 months old.Then we saw my c550 starting to red dance and I said Im calling Samsung I have 3 in the house and more in my brothers.Samsung 1st gave me the your out of warranty sorry speech,I asked for a manager and after 3 reps got one and decided that since i have 5 registered sammys and 2 are bad they will do me a out of warranty repair,but if its my error or damaged Im stuck.Well as I knew my stuff looks brand new and did all tests before calling and new it was a defective panel.Thaey sent a tech who replaced moms and looks awesome again,so I had them order a new panel for my c550.It started as the red pixels on start up seen against top cable display,then went away.about 2 months later I was watching south park where colors are very neon bright and on cartmans green hat was a million red pixels buzzing around,upon closer inspection they were against every color except whites.I fired up cars blu ray and sure enough pixels everywhere and directional buzz getting louder.Now Tux it looks like every chanel or input has blurry spots in faces and bad dancing pixels.I watched dark knight and christian bale had a blurry green and red beard of pixels and eyes blurry then IR worse then before break in.I had the same calibration since you and al all of us did the sm 590 hack and calibrated it.So I researched a bit and found a few exact issues at or about 18 to 22 months.I like you have an eye for it so there are probably more bad ones but people don't see it or watch animation.I hate to say it Tux,but it gets worse every week.I am waiting for the new panel then the tech will check all voltages and pcb board caps etc.He said while replacing my 42 that the panels on the plasmas below 8000 series are beautiful but lots of problems.He said that was the reason for the new e series having completely different panels as good as c&d 8000 now.Ofcourse the e8000 is even better.I will update what happens.I may have a voltage issue also because although its always there its worse on stronger color sources and it buzzes when it was quiet before.I would call and ask for a customer escalations rep and atleast get it going,if you have red pixel at start up,it will get worse.Any info or names numbers I'll gladly provide if you like,and they are extending my warranty free.I just stated a tv should last more than 2 years and they agreed.My issue now is the tech is a wise ass,and what happens if this lasts 1 year and a half again?I don't expect it to last forever but today 1k to 3k for the 50 to 64 inchers isn't cheap especially in this economy.I was just about to buy a new tv,when my friend said call and see what they say you bought 5 and loved them,glad I did,so far.Lol I'll let you know what transpires.Good to hear from you.Also please tell me what you think!Thanks. Joe.

Sorry for long post before,yes the red pixel started at the top 3rd at first on start up,and depending who comes out.The last tech for my 42 said ohhh buzzing is no good,that's a bad panel,now we both know that's not always the case & samsung cared more about my pixelation and blurring IR and never even mentioned buzz,which has gotten progressively worse.I had some say voltage or power supply cause these issues and others say panel.My 42c450 had 3/4 of the screen stuck red & green,mine are slow phosphors and dancing pixels.The 42 is perfect and buzzing stopped after panel swap also.

Ouch. Glad they extended your warranty. I've got a 4 year from the store. I almost passed it up

I wonder if we'll start seeing people return to this thread with issues.

I was thinking the same thing,I found alot when I googled my issues,Most were buzzer returns until getting a quiet one.But I found a few with banding and red pixels,a few were described different like red snow or blooming and banding out of focus or fuzzy spots on any input.It seems to happen either in the beggining or like me work perfect for just under 2 years.Good you have the warranty so your covered either way.Oh also I read a few owners were upgraded to d or e series which has a better panel tru black or something and it has no issues yet I guess.

I'll be sure to keep an eye on this thread. My C550 has minimal buzz, no other noticeable issues and I can't remember getting a warranty.

Tech came and replaced new panel and adjusted the voltages and yaayyy it's awesome again with no buzz and stunning PQ.I will keep an eye out as he said these glass panels crack internaly between layers they call it spider crack issue.Oh well always something,so far so good,and my 42in is perfect since panel change last week.

Fingers remain tightly crossed that my 58C550 remains solid, may be in part to low(ish) viewing hours... maybe 10 hours a week.

Hey Al it's been a while,anyway I watch about 8hrs a day,I have 5 Tvs now but this I just loved from day 1 so it gets The most attention. The tech told me it's more common with c430 & 450s but it can affect 8000 series.The voltages may rise causing overheating of many parts.He's replaced panels,caps,logic boards,power supplies.regulators etc.Mine was perfect but always threw heat,maybe that worsened issue,Tech didn't really give any exact info.He even said it may happen again.I Hope Not! Good luck guys!

I have alittle over a year old Samsung PM58C550 Plasma just out of warranty and now Im experiencing some issues. The tv has alittle over 120 hours on it and Ive had no buzzing or any issues what so ever.

Just yesterday I noticed while watching a show the screen would goto black screen then within a few seconds the picture would return and display the input that Im currently on (HDMI 1). At first I thought it may be my DirecTV receiver because I only noticed it watching tv but now this is happening with all my HDMI devices on different inputs.

For alittle while earlier today I couldnt get any HDMI device or VGA to display a picture, just kept getting no signal message. Although the Wii would display a picture via component cable. I unplugged the power from the wall waited 15 seconds, reconnected and got a picture but the black screen will return every 15 minutes or so and then display the input.

Im assuming Im loosing the video signal and thats why it goes black then displays input when it get the signal back. Is this a video card or some kind of board inside causing this? I cant find any info online about this nor can I find parts or anything to even know whats inside ... can anyone help me on this? Thanks

I had the pixel issue from a bad panel it was swapped and now perfect again,but while researching my issues I did come across yours its an hdmi signal board loss and there are complaints about it.I was 7 months out of warranty and after a bit of complaining an ECR rep got on the line and set me up with an out of warranty repair a few days later a great repair company came with a brand new complete panel with new updated boards and the tv is stunning,no buzz no pixels just beautiful PQ again.Call 1-800-samsung and get a trans # they will fix it or replace it.Be nice but firm and tell Samsung rep its a known issue you saw complaints online and other people had repairs done.Remember it's their job to say no,just escallate and get it fixed,I did.And alot of others did also.

Thanks for the quick reply. I actually went to the Samsung website and registered my tv which says it will give me an extra 3 month warranty for registering. I got in a chat with a rep and they said you have to register within 11 months of purchase. I told them I received an email saying Ive received the 3 month standard warranty and she said I will be covered. I didnt mention any problems I was having I just wanted to confirm I will be covered so Ill just wait a couple days and then call about the HDMI problem. Do you have any links regarding the issue? All I can find is fixya.com replies that dont help at all
Thanks again.


* UPDATE: Called Samsung today and told them whats going on. No hassles they said they would fix it free. Only thing that concerns me is the company thats coming in NISI ... I googled the company and they have some bad reviews ... Im wondering if I should call and ask for a different repair company...

[quote=xXTRIPPA420Xx;21924297]Thanks for the quick reply. I actually went to the Samsung website and registered my tv which says it will give me an extra 3 month warranty for registering. I got in a chat with a rep and they said you have to register within 11 months of purchase. I told them I received an email saying Ive received the 3 month standard warranty and she said I will be covered. I didnt mention any problems I was having I just wanted to confirm I will be covered so Ill just wait a couple days and then call about the HDMI problem. Do you have any links regarding the issue? All I can find is fixya.com replies that dont help at all
Thanks again.


* UPDATE: Called Samsung today and told them whats going on. No hassles they said they would fix it free. Only thing that concerns me is the company thats coming in NISI ... I googled the company and they have some bad reviews ... Im wondering if I should call and ask for a different repair company...[/QUOTE\\] ------That's Good news!I knew you would get the ecr service.I'm not sure about repair companys but you do have a choice as long as their certified,and sorry I don't have links, I actually deleted the bookmarks when all was fixed and they are easily found on google and cnet samsung issues I typed in red snow pixel issues etc anything relevant to my tv and facebook etc.Samsung called me and asked if all was ok from my issues and I own alot of their products,I explained how customers at my business get treated and they could have made it easier than making me fight over principal then give it to me anyway so she puts me on hold for about 5 minutes obviously already checked all my purchases etc and came back and said we would like to offer you a new 2012 E series smart 3d tv! I said sure I'll take that I have no info really to go on since the TV isn't even in stores yet but is in transit to my house for mid week delivery!Moral of the story is know your issues and solutions and get the right people to help,I am going to be in the new E thread now but Good luck to all and I hope everyone is happy!If not use your voice as a consumer and even though Samsung or whomever it may be are huge company's we have a voice and shouldn't be treated like an after thought whether you have 1 TV or 20.

After having my 58C590 for just over a year - I too am now getting the dreaded black screen. If it does connect, the power button seems to flicker uncontrollably and non-stop. It sometimes works for about 15 minutes and then just shuts off.

A call into samsung customer service yielded a "you''ll receive a service call within 24-48 hours" - we'll see. I have my doubts.

I am hoping to find the root cause for the issue as I don't have any desire to replace this set, I really like it.

I've been having an issue with my PN50C550 and hope you guys can help out. When watching any content on the tv, I notice a decent amount of flickering on the lighter colors as the rest of a scene changes. Say for example, there is a scene with sky on the top half of the picture and changing pictures on the bottom, the color of the sky doesn't remain constant (rapidly changes back and forth). I'm sure that I shouldn't expect 100% identical pixel colors over time, but how much color fluctuation is normal? It's as if the total amount of black content in certain parts of the screen affect the brightness of the entire picture more than I would have expected it would. How normal of a problem is this? Are there settings to change this? Any assistance would be appreciated.

I ask because I had to return my original PN50C550 due to some dark horizontal bands that were showing up on the screen, and I don't remember having this problem. With the replacement panel, I get the buzzing where I didn't before, I get the brightness adjustments that I never noticed before, but the bands are gone. Could just be a different setting I guess.

Well, I sold my house and the new owners bargained my tv into the sale of my home. About 6 months left on the TV warranty. A few weeks after selling moving, she emails and says the TV has a black line through it Thankfully for them they're getting a brand new tv through the store warranty. These things are dying left and right. Boooo Samsung.

What's that sound?... (knock,knock), me hoping that my 58 keeps on ticking!

I got my set (PN58C550) in February of 2011. It's been awesome until about a month ago when I noticed the red/purple splotches on any white (or lite) background.

I am pretty bummed. The last TV I owned was a cheap Vizio from 2007 and it still works like a champ. I never expected something like this to happen.

I will contact Samsung soon and see what it is gonna cost to fix this.

mr humble1, late reply here, but how did it go? You didn't get a store warranty I suppose. So you were, what, not quite a year out of warranty. Wow. As much as I enjoyed the picture of my set, I will not be buying a samsung TV ever again. I'm glad for the sake of who bought my tv, that I had a store warranty. Just in the nik of time. Sorry that wasn't the case for you mrhumble. Let us know what samsung had to say...

Hi, I actually posted this on another thread, however it looks to be more suitable here.

I have a Samsung PN58C590 plasma and when there is a bright background horizontal bands appear. This occurs through my cable feed and while playing movies on blue ray. I have also tried a new hdmi cable but it doesn't help.. The tv was bought dec 30th 2010 and so it is out of warranty. Ive recenty called Samsung's ECR dept. about this issue however they will not do anything. I do realize it has been almost 2 years however the tv has had this problem for a long time it most likely started within the 1st year. I have just sort of lived with it thinking its probably just the signal and at the time i didnt notice it much, which was definitely the wrong thing to do. Anyways the banding is getting wider and it occurs all the time with bright backgrounds. I am looking to call a tech to come take a look. Has anyone else experience this problem with their plasmas? What was needed to repair this and cost of repair?

Unsatisfied Samsung customer.

Pictures to come if there is any interest out there. (And once I figure out how to post them)

Lots of people have had your problem. Many documented in this thread. I personally never had that problem with mine. Mine got a bad horizontal line in it but not a band. Thank fully store warranty took care of it for the new owner.

As for you, yes, you definitely did the wrong thing because Samsung is a POS and they will not go that far out of warranty. The banding was likely there a long time ago. Maybe even since day one. The bad thing for you, is it'll likely take a panel replacement which comes at a very very high cost. Not worth fixing, just live with it. Get the tech out if you'd like, to see what he has to say. But my advice is to not call him out if that'll cost you money. And if he will come evaluate for free, be very skeptical if he claims to be able to fix it with a new Y board or something like that. You'll likely pay for a repair that doesn't do what you need. He might spin it like, "I think it's this and it's the cheapest solution. If that doesn't work we'll need to replace the panel, but I think it'll work". If he says that, you need a new panel. Don't get sucked into paying for repairs that aren't garaunteed.

Sorry to be so forward, but it's the honest truth. I to am an Unsatisfied Samsung Customer. Even though it didn't affect me. I've lost faith in the consumer electronics industry. Even if I pay for quality, where is it

Good luck.

I'm running into the horizontal pink/purple bars on light-colored background images as are many. Being the first large screen TV I've bought (replaced my Sony 32" CRT), I did not think I needed to purchase the store warranty, and it is now out of warranty by 10 months. Samsung just gave me phone number of a local service company, and they want to charge over a hundred dollars just to come look at it. The tech seemed knowledgeable, and talked about adjusting the high voltages to try to correct the problem, but that if it could not be adjusted within spec to solve the problem, the next step would be panel replacement, which makes no sense from a cost-perspective. I'm very annoyed at having to make the decision to pay so much money just to find out, most likely, that it can't be fixed with an adjustment.

From this experience, and what I've read on this forum, I think I definitely won't be buying Samsung again, but need to decide what to do with this problem. Does anyone know of a resource providing information on the high voltage adjustment so I can avoid paying so much money just to find out if the adjustment will work or not?

Sounds like a bit of a shot in the dark, but who knows. I don't remember many reports of issues like you're having.

Ya, these sets are built very cheaply. I wonder what the failure rates really are. Many people don't post.

Mine gets used quite a bit and it still looks great.

I'm very pleased with my set and will probably purchase Samsung in the future as well.

Maybe I didn't describe the problem well, but I have seen many posts on this thread describing what I consider to be the same issue. Sometimes described as pink/purple "splothches", sometimes horizontal discolored bars, but always on light colored backgrounds with dark objects in them. The discolored bars/splothches appear on the right side of the screen. I've seen this issue described in other forums on-line as well, specifically in regards to the C550. It is a very common failure from what I can tell by on-line content. The solution is always the same: try to get high voltages adjusted, and if this doesn't work, replace the panel.

I never expected to get the life out of this TV that you would expect from a similarly-priced CRT TV, but it didn't even make it to 2 years. It's still usable, but you have to ignore the discolorations appearing in certain types of scenes (landscapes with bright sky, many commercials). When there is no bright background, the picture still looks great.

I will do a lot more research before selecting my next flat-panel, and doubt I will be buying Samsung.

Oh I understand better. Yes I recall a number of splotchy sets. Can't remember how many people managed to fix them though. If you can bare watching it as is...

i just bought one for 100$ off craigslist possibly to replace my 42hds69 42 inch hitachi plasma

this was so cheap because it has 2 thin vertical lines right of center

does that mean the panel is going

I had this exact problem with my C550 - pink/purple horizontal bands appearing on light/white background pictures. As in your case, I too thought this was cable-signal, as it was initially only noticeable on commercials. The problem did get worse over time, and became an issue with non-commercial content as well, but not until it was out of warranty. Samsung initially told me I had to pay for repair, as it was 9 months out of warranty by the time I called. The tech I contacted said it might be corrected with a voltage adjustment, but if not, a new panel would be needed. The service call just to try voltage adjustment was quite expensive, so I called Samsung back, and further explained that the failure started during the 1-year warranty period, but I'd incorrectly attributed the problem to the cable signal. After escalating to Executive Customer Relations, they agreed to a one-time accommodation to pay for parts of the repair - I still had to pay for labor. Not great, but better that paying full cost of a new panel. Just wish I'd put more effort into identifying the source of the problem when it was still in-warranty.

Anyway, you have to talk to ECR, and explain that the failure occurred within warranty period, but you did not recognize it as a problem with the TV at the time. Good luck.

Mine is lookin good...knock on wood. Other than noticing a slight flicker in the black bars on some movies. I only see it if the lighs are out but I never watch a movie in the dark.

I too have the purple splotches/banding on white background issue with my 2 1/2 year old PN58C550. I have had this for over a year, and I also incorrectly attributed it to signal input issue. Two calls to Samsung have produced only a call from local dealer willing to look at it for $100. Sounds like others in England and Australia are getting results by mentioning "statutory warranty", "Trade Practices Commission", and "implied warranty". Any one had any good results getting Samsung to stand behind what is apparently a faulty product? Kinda frustrating when this $2,000+ TV which they advertise will last 27 years lasts 2.7 years.

i was wondering if someone can help me in setting up allshare between my PN50C550 and Galaxy S3 phone.

this is what i tried:
i connected my TV to same WiFi Router via ethernet cable that my S3 is connected to. then i tried to do scanning on TV and S3. neither of those found any device connected. on both i was getting same message "no device found".

can someone let me kown if they are successfull in this or would it work at all.

thanks for your support. incase there is already thread exists then please point me in that direction by providing link as i tried and found nothing.