FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Network/Ethernet/Wi-Fi
Problem:
C9 will lose the wireless connection and you have to reconnect daily (but wired is stable);
Conditions: TV is connected to a 5GHz router;
Cause: (1) the router may be unstable on the 5GHz band; (2) the router has the 5GHz band set on a higher channel - over 100;
Resolve: (1) change the TV to the 2.4GHz band; (2) set the channel for the 5GHz band below 100 (ex. 40-50);
Problem:
OK, so the C9 has only a 10/100 Ethernet port, can I use an USB-to-Gigabit adapter to expand the LAN speed?;
Conditions: ;
Cause: ;
Resolve: The "Cable Matters USB to Ethernet Adapter (USB 3.0 to Ethernet) Supporting 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet Network" is known to work with WebOS TVs - the TV reports that the network is not connected but Plex, Youtube and the Web browser work fine so far. If you try to use the TV built-in picture/video viewer it will not find any network devices at first but it will after you do a refresh.
Display
Problem:
How can I screw up my TV with ease?;
Conditions: too much time at my disposal / insatiable curiosity syndrome;
Cause: I like to break things! / It's my money, dude!;
Resolve:
DO NOT MESS WITH IN-STOP submenu! PLEASE BE AWARE THAT entering Service Menu and choosing the In-Stop submenu will reset everything but the currently installed firmware (there is no factory stored version, so you can't go back). You will lose the UTT parameter and the time to the next JB/Pixel Refresh!!! Normally, only a panel change will require a FULL TV RESET - PLEASE DO NOT USE THE IN-STOP SUBMENU IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT DOES!!! IN-STOP IS NOT THE SAME AS THE RESET TO FACTORY SETTING THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE OWNER IN THE SETTINGS MENU!!!
Problem:
C9 has a slight yellow or magenta (or both) tint on the image;
Conditions: the displayed image on the TV contains a lot of white, head-on viewing;
Cause: inherent WOLED panel nonuniformity;
Resolve: none, no need to change TV or panel;
Problem:
I heard that OLED panels have a low lifetime of use before the panel will dim, making the image hard to see, compared with LCD based TVs;
Conditions: all day use;
Cause: OLED material natural degradation;
Resolve: based on the "U.S. media usage - time spent watching television 2020 | Statistic". Statista. 29 November 2018 study in 2017 alone, an average U.S. consumer spent 238 minutes (3h 58min) daily watching TV. The C9 OLED panel is based on a slightly modified base 2018 OLED panel, that panel has an expected LifeTime to 5% brightness decrease (LT95) of 15,000 hours, that translates the panel lifetime to 10 years before the panel will dim by 5%. If used for 12 hours, that will translate to a lifetime of 3.4 years before the panel will dim by 5%. A 5% dimness is the first level of observed brightness decrease, hardly a problem for an average consumer. If you are concerned about the OLED lifetime, you should wait for the expected better 2022 version of LG's OLED panel, that has a doubled lifetime compared with 2018/2019 OLED panels. See the attached diagrams.
Problem:
How do I get the C9 to display low-lag content (13ms input lag);
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: 1) - Using the Game PQ mode; 2) Enable "Instant Game Response" - the HDMI ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature and when you use an ALLM source, such as Microsoft Xbox One X the C9 will switch automatically to low-lag mode;
Problem:
The C9 has the same display panel as the 2018 C9?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: No, the 2019 C9 has a slightly modified panel than the 2018 model, the sub-pixels surfaces are different, with larger red subpixel. See the attached image - LG OLED 55E7 vs 55B9 sub pixels at the same scale (RTINGS);
Problem:
What LG has to say about Burn-In?;
Conditions: static images or on-screen elements displaying for many hours or days at a time;
Cause: OLEDs natural pixel ‘wear out’;
Response:
In response to this, with an LG OLED TV, any risk of burn-in or image retention have been addressed through the use of technology that not only helps protect against damage to the screen, but features self-healing properties so that any short-term image retention that may occur is quickly rectified. It is rare for an average TV consumer to create an environment that could result in burn-in. Most cases of burn-in in televisions are a result of static images or on-screen elements displaying on the screen uninterrupted for many hours or days at a time – with brightness typically at peak levels. So, it is possible to create image retention in almost any display if one really tries hard enough. And even if image retention does occur from extreme usage, it can usually be mitigated within a short period of time by turning the display off for a while, and watching a few hours of varying content (such as your standard TV watching and channel-surfing).
Additionally, LG OLED TVs come with special features and settings to preserve image quality and prevent burn in and image retention. First, there is a Screen Saver feature that will turn on automatically if the TV detects that a static image is displayed on screen after approximately two minutes. There are also three options (available in Menu setting > Picture settings > OLED panel settings) that can be used to preserve image quality. The first of these is the Clear Panel Noise feature that preserves the quality of the image on the display panel by resetting the TV so that it clears the pixels. This feature can be turned on when needed within the settings mentioned above. The second feature that can be employed is the Screen Shift feature which moves the screen slightly at regular intervals to preserve image quality. A third option is the Logo Luminance Adjustment, which can detect static logos on the screen and reduce brightness to help decrease permanent image retention.
Please be advised that the frequency of utilizing the Manual Pixel Refresher depends on how often you use the TV per day. Generally, it is best to use weekly if you are an average watcher that uses the TV for 1-2 hours per day under normal screen brightness. If you use the TV for more than 4 hours per day, the TV will automatically run the Pixel Refresher afterwards as a precautionary measure.
Please do take note that since this feature is considered being more of a preventive measure rather than a fix, we encourage our valued clients to religiously use the feature, as well as employing other ways to prevent image retention or burn-in such as avoiding static images or elements from staying in the screen for long intervals, and setting the brightness to an ideal level.
Thank you very much for your kind understanding.
Please do note that the above RED marked response from LG is wrong and misleading but is mentioned in the FAQ because it is the type of wrong advice people will get from various sources - even LG itself... Read carefully the relevant FAQs about Pixel Refresh to learn more about what Pixel Refresh does and when it should be run.
Problem:
The TV is reporting that image has 8bit instead of 10/12bit;
Conditions: -;
Cause: When the TV is getting a 4:2:2 HDR signal it is always reported as 8-bit even though it is receiving 12-bit. This is a technical limitation of HDMI. The only way to verify what bit-depth you are getting is to use test patterns. It's the same reason why Dolby Vision is reported as SDR. Because the TV doesn't actually "know" what it is getting.
Resolve: -;
Problem:
How do I know if the TV does its Automatic Compensation Cycle after 4 or more hours of function?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: The Automatic Compensation Cycle is a "stealth" function, with no user notification - You can tell that the Automatic Compensation Cycle is run at Power-Off because the TV will shut down (with display off) and no relay click is heard - that relay click will happen a few minutes later - when the Automatic Compensation Cycle is done;
Problem:
How many types of Compensation Cycle / Pixel Refresh cycle exist?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: There are two different cycles, a "small" one (the Compensation Cycle) and a "big" one (the Pixel Refresh). The small Compensation Cycle is performed automatically after 4 hours of operation when you turn your TV off and only takes a few minutes. Those 4 hours are cumulative - not necessarily continuous and are not an exact interval (if you divide "UTT" to "OffRS" values from the Instart page of Service Menu you get higher that 4 hours interval -- about 5-6-7 hours in reality). You won't get any notification about this process but it is logged internally and can be seen in the Service Menu. You cannot manually trigger the small Compensation Cycle. The big Pixel Refresh cycles will automatically be performed after 2000 hours and can be triggered manually via the corresponding Settings menu entry. The big Pixel Refresh cycle is a much more aggressive process and will shorten the life of your panel, so do not start the Pixel Refresh cycle often and without a good reason. You will also see a notification when this longer Pixel Refresh cycle has completed or was interrupted. The Pixel Refresh process will take significantly longer than the small Compensation Cycle (20-30 minutes or more).
Problem:
How often should I run the Pixel Refresh?
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: You should NOT run the Pixel Refresh often, only if you need it, or told so by a qualified person -
because the Pixel Refresh function shortens the lifespan of the panel. Pixel Refresh runs automatically at every 2000 hours of content viewing and there is no need for the owner to run Pixel Refresh at other intervals of time, regardless of what you have read on the Internet or told by salespeople.
Problem:
What Pixel Refresh actually does?
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: In short, a newly-minted OLED panel is powered and each pixel is measured for (1) voltage across OLED cell and (2) current through OLED cell, compared with neighboring pixels and the voltage+current levels are leveled for each pixel so that the panel has good image/brightness uniformity - and then the levels are stored in a non-volatile memory on the panel electronics board (not on the TV mainboard).
That new panel will end up in a new manufactured TV - that TV will be used and, in time, some OLED cells will age differently than the neighboring cells, thus image non-uniformity will start to appear. This is where the Pixel Refresh function enters the arena.
When the Pixel Refresh function is run automatically or manually by the user, it checks voltage+current differences between the stored values and those measured for each OLED pixel and tries to normalize them. The OLED panel has an additional compensation applying circuit for each pixel and a separate sensing IC (Integrated Circuit) that interprets the measured values. Increased current through the cell is associated with OLED cell aging, and an algorithm adjusts the current and voltage to compensate for that aging. The new compensation values are stored separately (in a Flash memory) to the initial ones. The pixels that have very high voltage/current differences are "leveled down" - that results in an even field of pixels across the panel. After the pixels that were "high" are leveled down, the Pixel Refresh brings up the voltage/current back to full brightness without the danger of overdriving the ones that were "high" (the measured/calibrated brightness of the panel will not be affected). The whole Pixel Refresh process is done in vertical batches, which is what causes the panel banding, and why the bands "move" over time. If the Pixel Refresh would not run, the brightness uniformity of the panel would be affected in time - over months of use the panel would just get zones that are dimmer than others. The Pixel Refresh has a big downside, though,
it shortens the lifespan of the panel, the operation of leveling down of the voltage/current values is a BIG stress for the panel - this is why you should NOT be using the Pixel Refresh function repeatedly or at short intervals of time (the automatic run at 2000 hours is just enough and it would ensure a long lifespan of the panel).
Problem:
What is the purpose of the Pixel Refresh function?
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: Regardless of what you may have read or told, the main purpose of the Pixel Refresh function is NOT to minimize the Image Retention or Burn-In effects. The fact that Pixel Refresh has an effect on the Image Retention or Burn-In is
a positive side-effect, but NOT the main purpose of this function. The main Pixel Refresh function purpose is to deal with the natural unevenness of the brightness of the OLED pixels in time. That unevenness needs to be leveled so the panel has the same brightness all over its surface, so that the entire panel ages in a uniform manner. There is no need to manually run Pixel Refresh, just let the TV execute this function automatically!
Problem:
Is it true that LG is using the same panel from 2016?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: No. This is an often talked myth. Even in 2020, LG introduced a 77" 8K WOLED which represents the smallest WOLED pixels they have ever produced. The smaller pixel sizes are the result of continued progress improving design rules and reducing inter-subpixel spacing / screen-door. As the inter-subpixel spaces continue to shrink, the sizes of all 4K subpixels continue to increase, further decreasing current density, increasing lifetime, and increasing time-to-burn-in from static display (often with some incremental bump in peak brightness). The 77" 2020 WOLEDs will deliver longer lifetime, greater immunity to burn-in, and probably greater peak brightness than any WOLED TV yet produced.;
Problem:
Is it true that the OLED TV are still plagued by Burn-In even with the newer panels?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: It depends. You can safely leave a news Chanel on for as many hours as you want on any given day without causing screen burn (even 24 hours straight). What you cannot do is watch thousands of cumulative hours of the same correlated content over the expected lifetime of your WOLED TV. 6 hours of CNN each and every day for 6 months translates to over 1000 hours of bright fully-saturated red CNN logos being displayed in the same spot on the screen. That is the kind of 'correlated' viewing that can cause burn-in and that makes LCD a better technology choice for your viewing habits. The vast majority of WOLED owners who did not but their new Premium TVs to watch hours upon hours of cable news have nothing to worry about...
The 2016 WOLEDs were the most vulnerable to burn-in. The RTINGS burn-in test indicated first signs of burn-in on Red after only 4 weeks (translating to only 560 hours of cumulative viewing).
The 2017 WOLEDs made significant improvements on this through improved red subpixel design (larger) as well as burn-in mitigation technology (compensation). As a result, the 2017 RTINGS burn-in test indicates that burn-in from cumulative viewing of CNN requires 18 weeks or 2520 hours at a very high brightness setting of 380 cd/m2 or 28 weeks (3920 hours) at a more typical brightness of 200 cd/m2.
Subpixel geometries have continued to increase in 2018 and 2019 (and we don't yet know about 2020, though the introduction of a 77" 4K panel is reason for optimism that subpixel design rules have continued to shrink) and LGD has added addition protections including 'Auto logo dimming' so that a 2019 or 2020 WOLED is undoubtedly significantly more resistant to visible burn-in than the 2017 generation.
RTINGS themselves have elected to stop performing the burn-in test because even they themselves now acknowledge that it is an issue potentially impacting only an increasingly-small niche of videophiles.
- If you are the type of consumer who doesn't ever want to even think about what content you view on your TV and expect it to last worry-free for years and years (a decade), you should not purchase a WOLED TV.
- If you are willing to think about your viewing habits and there may be instances of correlated content such as a specific news channel or a specific game that you expect to view for more than 3000 hours cumulatively before you are ready to purchase a new TV, you should probably not purchase a WOLED TV.
- If you know your viewing habits are unlikely to involve over 3000 hours of viewing any specific correlated content before you'll be ready to purchase a new TV, you have little to worry about as far as burn-in on a (newer-model - non-2016) WOLED TV.
Problem:
What about letterbox burn-in?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Letterbox bars represent correlated content lasting thousands and thousands of hours that will eventually result in burn-in visible on content. The center of the screen where pseudo-random content is being displayed will be slowly aging whenever a movie is being viewed while the black letterbox bars will not be aging at all. Eventually, the letterbox bars will appear noticeably brighter when full-screen content is being viewed. So the bad news is that this burn-in-related issue can potentially impact all WOLED customers.
The good news is that the 2016 RTINGS.com burn-in test provides us with data to assess how many hours it will take for letterbox-bar burn-in to become visible on content. The magenta image from the RTINGS.com test is the only evidence of letterbox burn-in. It is after 114 weeks on a 2016 WOLED and represents a cumulative 2000 hours of letterbox content. So owners of 2016 WOLEDs are likely to develop visible letterbox burn-in after viewing 'only' 600-700 letterbox movies.
That should be a concern for any/most 2016 WOLED owner, but there is also data from the 2017 RTINGS.com burn-in test that suggests how greatly reduced that concern should be starting in 2017: that test has run a total of 94 weeks or over 13,000 hours and even the 'CNN Max' with OLED Light cranked up to maximum (380 cd/m2) does not indicate any in peak brightness in the central portion of the screen (HDR 100% window, HDR 10% window, or HDR 1% window).
So what this means is that the increased subpixel sizes LGD released in 2017 (especially red) coupled with the burn-in mitigation technology they released starting in 2017 (reserving ~20% headroom to boost any pixels that begin to age faster than their similar-colored brethren) will deliver at least 13,000 hours of letterbox content watching before letterbox viewing is likely to develop to the extent it becomes visible on full-screen content.
13,000 hours is over 4000 movies and more than a movie each-and-every night for over a decade, so, again, a testament to how quickly and effectively LGD responded to the burn-in 'scare' when cases started cropping up on 2016 WOLEDs ~1 year after the sale.
Problem:
Can owners of new 2019/2020 WOLEDs watch whatever content they want for as many hours as they want without ever having the least concern about causing visible burn-in?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: NO. The risk of Burn-In is NOT zero. Please read with attention all the FAQs about Burn-In in this section so that you understand the limits of your TV panel. We can expect at least a ~6X improvement in time-to-burn-in on a 2019/2020 WOLED versus a 2016 WOLED (from ~500 hours of cumulative correlated viewing to at least 3000 hours). The viewing habits that caused burn-in on a 2016 WOLED in ~6 months are likely not going to happen in less than 3 years on a 2019/2020 WOLED.
Problem:
I am curious if replacement panels are new or refurbished;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: This is a response from an LG customer service *supervisor* ---
I do not know, because we do have new and refurbished parts. I do not know what type of panel you would get, but the parts department would know.
Problem:
Where is the menu that shows that the HDMI inputs are set to "Deep Colour";
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: First, you need to select the actual HDMI port that you need to change the settings, otherwise, those setting will be unavailable (grayed out). The location is: Settings -> Picture -> Additional Settings -> HDMI Ultra HD Deep Colour;
Problem:
The fireworks screensaver has some text like "press any button to activate the screen". Older OLEDs did not have that text. Can that text be disabled?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: No. The screen saver content does not seem to be controllable/configurable by the user.
Problem:
I want to calibrate my TV, do we have calibrators on AVSForum?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, we do. Chad B -
scheduling@hdtvbychadb.com, D-Nice -
ddavis@av-fi.com, Gregg Loewen -
Gregg@lionav.com, Kris Deering -
deepdiveav@gmail.com, also:
https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/professional-calibration-services
Problem:
Has anyone actually noticed any difference, when the Logo Luminescence feature is set to either high / low, or off???;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: The setting levels affect just the speed of the reaction, not the level of action. The adjustment is about the delay of time it takes to when the Logo Luminance kicks in - not the intensity of the effect it has on the image (dimming of the static elements). Low = standard delay until the logos are dimmed, High = lower delay until the logos are dimmed
So, you are protected with either Low or High - you choose only the speed.
Problem:
I hear that LG will cover burn in 1 time up to 4 years even if out of warranty as a courtesy;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve:
LG Alabama AVS account: I would like to clarify and be more specific regarding a previously posted reply about LG’s image burn-in coverage. Each case of image burn-in is reviewed and support is offered on a case-by-case basis. LG does NOT guarantee coverage of image burn-in under the manufacturer’s limited warranty for any specific period of time. If you’re experiencing image burn-in, please reach out to LG via either of our social media sites on Facebook or Twitter /LGUSSupport. An appropriate support and resolution will be offered basedupon your particular case. Again, thank you for choosing LG!
Problem:
Should I disable or enable Real Cinema?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Real Cinema ON basically forces the TV to repeat each frame of a 24fps (24Hz) signal 5 times to fit correctly into the native 120Hz panel meaning it retains the correct cadence of the source signal. Real Cinema OFF accepts the 24fps video but converts it to 60Hz internally which uses 3:2 pulldown and introduces judder. Basically, Real Cinema only affects a 24fps/60i signal and has no effect on anything else. With that in mind, and now with the understanding of what Real Cinema does, it is perfectly safe to keep it ON.
.
Problem:
Just had my first stuck pixel one on the C9, but the TV had fixed it this morning. What can I do if it returns?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: There are three types of defective pixels and people often put them in the same "stuck" category...
1. Stuck R/G/B sub-pixel - manifest by always showing a single color - red, green or blue;
2. Dark pixel - all RGB sub-pixels are black;
3. Hot pixel - all RGB sub-pixels are lighted and is showing as white;
So a "stuck" pixel is basically a partially defective sub-pixel, in that a RED/GREEN/BLUE sub-pixel remains ON, but the rest of the sub-pixels are still working. If the stuck sub-pixel recovers after a time it means that the transistor that drives that sub-pixel is still not dead but in a transitory "dead-alive" state.
- Stuck sub-pixels are recoverable most of the time - using a few methods:
----- you can try to recover them by quickly flashing a series of solid colors;
----- you also can un-stuck them by quickly switching the TV OFF and then ON;
----- if the quick OFF/ON method does not work (stuck pixel returns) you can try to turn OFF the TV, wait for a possible Compensation Cycle to run (if the Compensation Cycle runs the stuck pixel is still visible, despite the TV being OFF) after you hear the faint relay click (the TV is now completely OFF and the stuck pixel also disappears) pull the TVs power cord from the wall, and reinsert after a few seconds - the stuck pixel should not return;
----- another method you can try is to gently "massage" the pixel with the TV set on, using gloves or other smooth fabrics.
----- and of course, running the Pixel Refresh manually can un-stuck sub-pixels;
----- there are situations that stuck sub-pixels never recover and remain stuck forever, no matter what recovery method you try - if the TV set is still in the warranty period you can try to exchange the unit;
- If all the sub-pixels are black / turned OFF (aka dark pixel) - in this state pixels recover very rarely (dead transistors / the whole pixel gets no power);
- If all the sub-pixels are ON all the time (aka hot pixel / white pixel) - the driving transistors probably are shorted and recover very rarely;
Problem:
Can anyone actually confirm what ‘AI Picture’ does, and exactly how it works?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: From LG:
It optimizes clarity, sharpness, details and brightness with deep learning AI algorithm by analyzing content and ambient lights to accomplish crystal clear images. Ambient optimization function is limited to HDR content.
Problem:
Is there a way to know if Pixel Refresh actually ran after doing a "Start Now"?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve:
1. It is NOT advisable to manually run Pixel Refresh without some serious reason - such as:
- big panel non-uniformity (may be experienced as DSE - Dirty Screen Effect)
- splotches of brighter/darker content (may be experienced as clouding)
- vertical banding seen in the content
- other types of panel non-uniformity
2. You will see a notification when the Pixel Refresh cycle has completed or was interrupted.
3. The Pixel Refresh process is logged internally and can be seen in the Service Menu.
4. The Pixel Refresh cycle will take significantly longer time - 20-30 minutes or more - duration depends on how much pixels are affected by uneven aging.
5. The Pixel Refresh cycle has a limited effect on panel Burn-In and the Pixel Refresh will not completely "cure" an already Burned-In panel.
6. Please read this FAQ for more details.
Problem:
My panel was replaced - but the UTT wasn't reset - anyone knows how to reset?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: The UTT Reset function was available in the Service Menu - InStart - System pages, but it was removed long ago (in 2016 or 2017). Now the only way to reset the UTT is by resetting the whole TV to factory settings by entering Service Menu - InStop menu. This will reset
everything but the currently installed firmware (there is no factory stored version, so you can't go back). Normally, a panel change will require a reset to factory settings and redoing the calibration (only if the TV was previously calibrated) since the new panel can have different image characteristics versus the old panel.
Problem:
My TV is suffering from pretty noticeable banding so I requested a replacement - LG told me to do a manual pixel refresh first 5 TIMES in a row - I only did two because that seems insane to me and I wasn't even fully aware of what the process actually did... It got better, truth be told, but a day after it's already starting to get noticeable again...;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: This is another example that the Pixel Refresh is not a magic solution (as some believe) and that it should NOT be manually run if the panel does not suffer from
uneven aging (the main purpose of Pixel Refresh) - your banding may be worse than what Pixel Refresh is capable of correcting by age leveling - so a panel replacement may be in order.
Tell LG that Pixel Refresh had
a limited and temporary effect and that they should replace the panel as you will not accept that kind of image non-uniformity.
Problem:
It is true that the 2019 models support the new Dolby Vision IQ feature that is available on the 2020 models;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, the Dolby Vision IQ is also supported by the 2019 models, but it not named that way in the WebOS menus, but the functionality is the same;
Problem:
I want to use a C9 as a PC monitor. Do you have some advice about it?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, if you care for your TV/monitor, do NOT run the PC in HDR mode all the time! It is common knowledge that the higher you set the luminance, the bigger your risk of burn-in and/or panel degradation. And HDR mode will set the luminance higher than SDR, and that will shorten the life of the panel much faster than SDR. So keep your Desktop in SDR and let the apps/games switch to HDR or if automatic switching is not available, switch to HDR only if you need it and then return to SDR.
Problem:
Is there any news on whether the C9 will get some of the features from the CX line? Things like Dolby Vision IQ, Filmmaker mode, etc. I know these are gimmicky, but interesting nonetheless.
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Dolby Vision IQ is already supported by the 2019 series (but with no mention in the TV menu, like the 2020 series); And Filmmaker Mode you can do yourself, just configure one of the modes like Cinema, Technicolor or ISF to disable all the image enhancers (except for Real Cinema) and you have your own Filmmaker Mode;
Problem:
Do LG OLEDs support LFC?
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: the last "official" statement of LG concerning LFC was: ''Our 2019 OLEDs would support VRR and can now support G-Sync but not LFC at this time. I have not been made aware of LFC being added to OLED TVs in the future but I will submit to suggestion up to the factory to see what can be done.'' ----- additional info: "Regarding LG's OLED TVs and Freesync, It has been discovered just recently that, despite the C9 not having Freesync support in any fashion and only supporting HDMI Forum VRR, if one uses the PC program "Custom Resolution Utility (CRU)", then you can actually enable Freesync-over-HDMI from a PC AMD GPU, and with LFC to boot! (because, as I mentioned, AMD implements LFC on the GPU-side of things)" --- Not including Freesync in the C9's EDID is a marketing decision. You can use CRU to correct that. LFC only requires that the maximum refresh rate is 2.5 times the minimum. The C9 qualifies as it's VRR range is 40Hz to 120Hz.
Problem:
It is true that the C9 has full HDMI 2.1 48Gbps capable ports and the CX has not?
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, the HDMI 2.1 ports on the CX have a maximum bandwidth of 40Gbps instead of the maximum 48Gbps that HDMI 2.1 is capable of:
in a turn around from the HDMI 2.1 situation introduced with its 2019 4K TVs, none of its 2020 4K TVs, OLED or LCD, will carry ‘full bandwidth’ HDMI ports capable of handling HDMI 2.1’s maximum 48Gbps data rate.
The 48Gbps rate is required to handle uncompressed 12-bit 4K at 120Hz with RGB 4:4:4 chroma sampling. LG tells me now, though, that while the HDMIs on its premium 2019 TVs were indeed full 48Gbps examples, all four HDMIs on the WX, GX and CX OLED TVs will instead handle 10-bit (rather than 12-bit) 4K at 120Hz with RGB 4:4:4 chroma sampling. This implies a likely 40Gbps data rate.
and
“While LG covered most of the HDMI 2.1 related specs in its 2019 TVs, including full bandwidth support in all of the HDMI ports for its 4K and 8K TVs, the market situation evolution indicated that real content that requires 48Gbps is not available in the market.
Based on market situation, LG decided to re-allocate the hardware resources of 2020 chipsets optimizing for AI functions including CPU&GPU and supporting full bandwidth in only 2 ports of 2020 8K TV series (ZX series, NANO99, NANO97, NANO95). And the rest of the ports of 8K TVs and all HDMI 2.1 ports of 4K TVs have lower bandwidth than 48 Gbps but support up to 4K 120P 4:4:4/RGB 10bit. We apologize for not flagging this earlier to you.”
Source.
Problem:
If I want to revert the TV to the original factory picture parameters, do I have to reset the TV to the factory settings?;
Resolve: Yes, but doing so you will lose ALL the TV settings. You do not need to do a full Factory Reset on the 2019/2020 gen. LG OLEDs! A factory reset will clear any user-uploaded 1D and 3D LUTs from all picture modes, and the TV will then use the LG 1D and 3D LUTs. The TV will always use both a 1D and 3D LUT in its processing pipeline, it's just a question of which ones: (1) Yours (which are fixed LUTs and only correct when used with the single state the TV was in during the calibration ie Contrast=85 Brightness=50 Colour=50), or (2) LG's (which are dynamic but not specific to your individual panel). The 2019 or 2020 generation owners can restore the LG factory LUTs in a single picture mode by just doing a "Reset" for that one picture mode in that mode's menu, and then not reconnecting with Calman (doing so with the same picture mode will re-load the user LUTs). For 2018 or older gen. owners, a full Factory Reset of the entire TV is the only way to get the LG LUTs back.
Problem:
I have a calibrated TV. But I had reset it to the factory settings. Now the TV is brighter than it was calibrated. Why?;
Resolve: The reason why the picture looks brighter after the reset if the set was calibrated is the white point probably was vectoring towards blue from the factory.
Problem:
The C9 TV supports the HDMI 2.1 DSC (Display Stream Compression) feature?
Resolve: No, DSC is not advertised in the EDID (this is also true to the CX/GX).
Problem:
Dolby Vision glows at brightness 50 / I see raised blacks in DV
Answer: Please be aware that raised blacks in DV is an old and recurring problem, is more a Dolby generated problem that LG's, and is present in a lot of TV's from various brands and years, SO, do not get your hopes high that it will be solved soon (2018, 2019 (and soon 2020) TV's owners still await their fix... - LONG TERM SOLUTION: if you don't calibrate the TV and see any raised blacks in any Picture Mode just lower the black level from 50 to 49. If you calibrate the TV it should correct this.;
Q:
Is there a way to see how many hours the TV has on the clock? Can't find it in the settings menu.;
A: The DVB-based LG TVs (non-US) models have the UTT (Unit Total Time) parameter hidden in the Service Menu - InStart menu - UTT field (hours). Only the ATSC-based KR/US models have the UTT exposed in the WebOS settings menu - About this TV.
Q:
When cleaning the panel for the first time noticed something weird. The coating of the panel is pristine, no scratches whatsoever, but, when I used my smartphone flashlight to see a bit clearer the dust specks, I noticed that throughout the panel, there when I move around the flashlight, there are a couple of what seems to be specks of dust (but they are not), that seem to shine a bit depending on the flashlight angle. It's not any kind of dent, or physical damages, as the surface of the panel is undamaged. It seems something under the glass panel but very, very tiny (you have to struggle to find them), but they are all over the panel.;
A: Those reflective "dust specks" under the glass sheet are electronic components (resistors, capacitors, etc.) that are mounted near the OLED cells - see the "
Reflective dust specks under the glass sheet - Inked LG OLED TV 2019 C9-GRW-2 pixel macro shot" attachment.
Remote
Problem:
I want to disable the Magic Remote pointer - I don't want to use it! Can it be done?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, you can disable the Magic Remote pointer! To temporarily disable the pointer: Press "Back" button + "Home" remote buttons for about 30 seconds until the mouse pointer disappears. To enable the pointer: press "Scroll" button until LED power button is blinking, then the pointer will reappear. It is only a temporary solution, there is no way you can disable the pointer forever!;
Resolve2: A more drastic solution is to pair your Magic Remote to another TV - it won't pair again to your TV as long as you do not unpair your Remote again. This way it is pretty safe to say that the pointer won't come back. The only downside is, that you will lose Bluetooth. Instead the remote will use IR. This means you have to point your remote to the TV if you press a buton. Also, some other stuff won't work in "IR-Mode" like:
- Voice Commands
- Some "Long-Press" functions (like long-pressing the settings button to get straight into the picture settings)
Problem:
There are some additional functions on the Magic Remote besides what is marked on it?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, there are, see below:
-- long-press the "Settings" button takes you to the picture settings;
-- long-press the "numeric 1-9 keypad" buttons allow you to map inputs;
-- long-press the "0" button on the numeric keypad allows you to view and edit the above-mentioned shortcuts stored for the 1-9 numeric buttons;
-- long-press the "Home" button pops up recently opened apps, and an 'X' button on top of each so you can close these apps running in the background;
-- If you are experiencing an issue with your Audio or Video settings, you can easily reset to factory settings, press the Mute button on the remote control 3 times, then click AV Reset. - the "Resetting AV values" message will appear at the top of the screen;
-- go to Settings - Channels, then highlight the top menu option within Channels and press the numeric button "1" for five times (11111) to display the hidden "Host Diagnostics" screen (hardware, tuner, Wi-Fi)
--- to get to "HDMI Diagnostics" menu use the arrow buttons on the circle surrounding the scroll wheel and highlight the "HDMI Mode" submenu, click OK/Enter (scroll wheel) and a second screen ("HDMI Diagnostics") appears (general, video link, audio, phy, hdcp, scdc, avi info frame, spd, hdr)
-- Notes about the hidden Diagnostics menu:
----- HDMI Diagnostics - General section - Dolby Vision shows up as SDR when Dolby Vision is tunneled inside an HDMI 1.4b compatible 8bit RGB signal that contain the 10/12bit Dolby Vision 4:2:0 data within it;
----- HDMI Diagnostics - PHY section - the Bandwidth is per channel so multiply by 3;
----- HDMI Diagnostics - Video(LINK) section - Total Res is hTotal and vTotal (includes blanking);
----- HDMI Diagnostics - SCDC section - with an HDMI 2.1 source the "Lane3 Lock", "FRL Rate" and "FRL Start" will show 1, instead of 0 - proving that you feed the C9 a 48Gbps signal;
--
move the pointer to the left corner and double click on the wheel to show the display resolution;
Problem:
The WebOS feels more sluggish and the navigation through the settings and clicking buttons seems not as responsive;
Conditions: new TV or after some firmware updates; other IR remotes do not exhibit this behavior;
Cause: some firmware updates contain new Magic Remote firmware - sometimes these updates require a remote re-registration;
Resolve: Manualy re-register the Magic Remote:
1. Press and hold down the "Home" and "Back" buttons at the same time for 5 seconds;
2. Press the wheel "OK" button on the remote with the remote pointed towards the TV;
Problem:
I want to know what the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal is. Also if it is HDR and the type of audio.;
Conditions: ;
Cause: ;
Resolve: There are many ways to achieve this, depending the state of the TV:
- If you are using the internal tuner or the HDMI inputs:
----- click on Enter/OK on the Magic Remote to bring the info menu (this may not work if using CEC to control an HDMI source).
----- Another method is to press the UP Arrow (above the Enter/OK scroll button), the source name will appear (on the up left - but it is configurable), click on it with the remote and you’ll get the same INFO menu.
----- You can also use the button on the Magic Remote that has 3 dots (besides 0) which is labeled AD/SAP. Press that button and then choose from that menu the option INFO. The INFO feature might not work in all regions (such as EU/UK).
----- You can also use an older Magic Remote that has an INFO button or a classic LG TV IR remote that has an INFO button on it.
- If you are using smart TV apps (or any other source) you can call that info menu by using the LG TV Plus remote app for Android/iOS.
Problem:
Does LG have a remote app for mobile devices?;
Conditions: ;
Cause: ;
Resolve: Yes, the "LG TV Plus" app. In 2020 LG has made a new remote app, the LG ThinQ app, the new app was incompatible with older series, but LG changed its mind and added older series to the LG ThinQ app - BUT be aware that the new LG ThinQ app that can be used as a touch remote lacks the INFO (i) button that was present in the "LG TV Plus" app;
Problem:
I have a soundbar in front of the TV and it almost covers up the IR sensor. When I go to shut the TV down, I have to literally raise the remote so that it has line of sight with the IR sensor. Is that normal? I thought the "Magic Remote" was an RF remote!;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: The Magic Remote is mainly a Bluetooth (RF) remote, but also acts like a regular IR remote (so the Magic Remote is a hybrid remote, not a pure RF one) - the Power button acts via IR (so the IR sensor needs to be "seen" by the Magic Remote), the rest of the buttons acts via Bluetooth. When the Magic Remote is set to control other devices (like an STB) those functions are also sent to the device via IR.
Problem:
Using the remote w/voice command to "turn off the screen" is a bit tiresome, does anyone know if there is an IR command to do the same?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: Yes, use the remote and go to Picture settings -> Energy Saving -> Screen Off; You can also use the "energy-saving" (green button) code from older LG remotes to set up a macro;
Problem:
My LG magic remote has 4 colored buttons near the bottom. What do these buttons do?
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: It depends on whether the tuner needs them, or an app, or anything else. They are "context-sensitive" as with every use of those 4 colored buttons over the last 20 years. For example, and this is only one example, the Amazon Prime Video app uses them.
Problem:
How can I use the four Red, Green, Yellow, and Blue colored buttons on the Magic Remote for other features than the Teletext?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -
Resolve: If your Blu-ray player accepts, those buttons can be used to set or delete bookmarks - also, on Xbox, those buttons are mapped to the associated gamepad buttons: B - A - Y - X, and WebOS apps can use them for various functions;
Q:
Can you use an LG Signature remote with other LG models?
A: Yes, the LG Signature remotes for Z9 or ZX work just fine with other models, such as C9, CX, or GX - might work with any Magic Remote compatible TV. The model numbers for the 2019 LG Signature Z9 remote are AKB75755301 / AN-MR19PR/ AN-MR19BA / PM19. The model numbers for the 2020 LG Signature ZX remote are AKB75895301 / PM20GA.
Q:
How can I use the Magic Remote to control my AVR and the sources attached to it? When I setup the Universal Remote Control on the TV I cannot control anything and I do not see/control the AVR inputs on the TV. How do I use CEC Pass-Trough?
A: If a device cannot be controlled by the Universal Control you can remove this option. In order to disable this option, you first have to disable the "Auto Device Detection" feature which can be found under "Connection - HDMI Device Settings - Auto Device Detection" (on the 2020 CX it might be in another place). This is necessary since the TV will otherwise automatically enable "Universal Control" for all devices that are detected/connected. Once you've disabled the auto-detection temporarily, shut down and unplug your device from the HDMI port. After you've reconnected your device everything should be fine. The "Device Connector" should then no longer show a "Magic Remote" icon in a bubble on top of the device selection.
You can re-enable Auto Device Detection after that if you prefer. The Universal Control is not compatible with all the CEC-enabled devices and for whatever reasons, it interferes with the CEC standard commands and blocks pass-trough.
Input/Peripherals
Problem:
Do you know if there are wireless keyboards compatible without requiring a receiver/dongle?;
Conditions: Peripherals without receivers/dongles;
Cause: -;
Resolve: The webOS used on the OLEDs supports wired USB and wireless keyboards and mouses, but not without the USB wireless receiver/dongle - hence, no wireless receiver is built-in on the TV. And Bluetooth keyboards and mouses are NOT supported either.
Keyboards/peripherals such as the Logitech K360, K400, K750, LGE MK-1200 are working just fine.;
Media playback/recording
Problem:
Do you know if the C9 supports embedded PGS subtitles in an MKV file?;
Conditions: internal media player, MKV file on USB storage;
Cause: -;
Resolve: No, the C9 does not support embedded PGS subtitles, you must use an external media player for that;
Problem:
I have seen some posts online about LG TVs having the ability to "Record Live TV", but I do not see an option to record a show.;
Conditions: US model;
Cause: US market copyright limitations;
Resolve: Only the EU models support the "Record Live TV" feature;
Problem:
Is anyone using 128 GB pen drive or 256 GB on their C9? Are these sizes supported?;
Conditions: ;
Cause: ;
Resolve: Yes, it works with those sizes, even a 1TB HDD is supported with no issues.
Audio
Problem:
I have a 2018/2019 Denon/Marantz receiver, do I have to turn ON “HDMI Control” and “ARC” features to be able to use eARC (I don't need ARC or CEC functions)?;
Conditions: eARC set to ON on the TV;
Cause: The eARC link is controlled by the TV, not by the receiver!;
Resolve: As per 2018/2019 Denon/Marantz receivers manuals, "Using an eARC function-compatible television enables audio playback from the speaker connected to this unit, regardless of “HDMI Control” and “ARC” settings in the menu.";
Problem:
Does the C9 supports audio decoding of DTS soundtracks via smart apps/streaming?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Apparently no, the C9 has an internal DTS/DTS-HD decoder that is usable when the source is USB or HDMI, the smart apps have no access to the DTS decoder, with one exception: the internal media player on the C9 can decode DTS content played via a network like from a NAS;
Firmware/Software
Problem:
Is it possible to roll back to an older firmware?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: No, you can go only forward - no official way to go back or to reset to the factory firmware version;
Others
Problem:
What type of screws uses the C9 to be wall mount?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: M6 as the size and the length depends on the wall mount, washers or other spacers used to mount the TV to the wall; you may try M6x16mm but it really depends on the wall mount - it should come with a set of screws of various sizes and lengths, washers and spacers;
Problem:
I have USB powered bias lights connected to the TV, but when I Power Off the TV the lights stay on, why?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: The reason is that the TV runs either the "small" Compensation Cycle or the "big" Pixel Refresh Cycle after Power Off. Only after those cycles run the TV cuts the power completely, including the power to the USB ports and as the power is cut, a small relay "click" is heard. You can read more about Compensation Cycle and Pixel Refresh Cycle in this FAQ.
Problem:
I don't have any cable/antenna and the C9 seems to like to default to "TV" mode expecting a signal and it will show a text on top saying "Not programmed". How do I tell it to just forget about any kind of TV signals?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: There is no user available switch to turn off that notification for an un-tunned TV. Use a temporary antenna or another device that emits VHF/UHF signals (an old VCR/DVR, game console, etc.), tune in the TV to that signal and then disconnect;
Problem:
I see some adds/promotions in the main menu (Home menu) of WebOS, how can I disable them?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Go to Settings -> General - > Additional Settings - > Home Promotion - > Toggle to OFF
Problem:
Is there an online accessible Manual for this TV?;
Conditions: -;
Cause: -;
Resolve: Yes, there is:
http://kr.eguide.lgappstv.com/manual/w19_mr/dvb/Apps/w4.5_mr_e02/e_eng/
Q:
Do we need to be worried about the free power supply replacement program that LG does in South Korea for 2016-2019 OLED TVs?
A: In July 2020 has appeared the news that LGE is offering free power board replacements for around 60,000 OLED TVs in South Korea due to an overheating issue. 18 different models of OLED TV sold from February 2016 to September 2019 are affected. The components in question are within the power boards of affected TVs and are used to minimize current noises. LG said some of the components it used had shown performance drops, which then caused current increases in power boards that could potentially lead to overheating. The South Korean electronics maker has already made component swaps for 22,000 units out of the 60,000 total affected units. "The overheating issue occurred only in very few models out of the total that used the component, but we will provide free component swaps for all of them for customer safety," LG said, apologizing to customers for the inconvenience. The affected models are
- 2016 models: OLED65E6, OLED65G6, and OLED77G6;
- 2017 models: OLED65B7, OLED65C7, OLED65E7, OLED65G7, OLED65W7, OLED77G7, and OLED77W7;
- 2018 models: OLED65G8, OLED65W8, OLED77C8, and OLED77W8;
- 2019 models: OLED65W9, OLED77B9, OLED77C9, and OLED77W9;
It appears that there are no similar issues with LG’s 2020 models, though.
The repair involves replacing power boards that have the potential to suffer what LG refers to as ‘current overflow’ as they degrade over time. It’s not clear what the impact of such ‘current overflows’ might be - though LG told ZDNet that to date only “very few models” have actually fallen prey to the overheating issue.
However, the fact that LG has decided to get ahead of the problem rather than just reacting to specific failures if and when they happen makes you think its consequences have at least the potential to be quite dramatic. This seems to be backed up by a statement LG made to ZDNet stating that it’s decided to swap the faulty components for reasons of “customer safety”. That said, it’s important to stress that LG has established the repair program voluntarily, as a preventative measure; it hasn’t been forced to do so under pressure by any Government or trade body.
The million-dollar question for many people, is whether the OLED TV problems LG is addressing in South Korea have the potential to affect the same LG OLED models in other parts of the world. LG categorically told the YonHap News Agency that “TVs sold overseas are not subject to the repairs”. In response to a follow-up question put to it by The Verge, though, LG was less categorical, saying that it was “investigating other markets” for the issue.
So, right now, the answer is that US, Canada, and Europe models are unaffected. For now.