This week : What is Samsung ’s Intelligent mode — and should you utilize it ? What ’s the difference between Dolby Atmos FlexConnect and the Sony HT - A9 ? Does an machine brightness limiter affect colors , too ? And , the handsome one : The LG G4 versus Samsung S95D — what are my predictions for this twelvemonth ’s Ultimate OLED Battle ?

Sony surround setups

Jenkins TV write : I have a budget of around $ 2,200 to splurge on an audio system , and I get two setup that can seemingly work for me since I am a ” Sonyphile ” and I want a system of rules that can seamlessly work with my recent A95L purchase . Setup A is a Sony HT A9 with a Sony SA SW5 sub 300W. Setup B includes a Sony HT A7000 soundbar with 7.1.2 . Channel , Sony SA SW5 sub 300wW and Sony SA RS5 rear speakers to amp up the absorption .

My budget can well accommodate both , and I hump I ca n’t go amiss with either of these setups . But based on your professional opinion , which system can give more functionality , and which one is a good surroundings sound setup ?

I have two answers for you . Between the two options you presented , I would in person go for theSony HT - A9 . It ’s just a as if by magic safe system of rules . The 2nd option is no slouch , but you ’ll get proficient immersion with the HT - A9 .

You Asked

The second answer is … maybe you should hold back a little snatch and see what sort of new products Sony has in store for this class . It might be deserving waitress . I intend , you ’ll still be able to get the HT - A9 if whatever Sony has that ’s Modern does n’t float your boat . That ’s my educated intestine feeling on the matter .

FlexConnect vs. Sony HT-A9

Leslie Lemmon write : You say , “ Sony has something like [ the Dolby Atmos FlexConnect ] , but this is dissimilar . ” I ca n’t see how the result is dissimilar from the HT - A9 . Can you dilate on that ?

In my latest television aboutDolby Atmos FlexConnect , I suppose “ Sony has something like this , but it ’s unlike . ” So , allow me explicate . The Sony HT - A9 is a package system . You get four verbaliser and a little mainframe corner that station a wireless audio frequency signal out to each speaker . you’re able to also add a subwoofer to the system of rules if you want .

By contrast , Dolby Atmos FlexConnectis a platform that does n’t command a specific number of speakers . So you use your TV loudspeaker and peradventure one wireless speaker somewhere else . If you want to add more speaker , you may . There ’s no rule on how many speaker you use . There are also no rules as to where you have to put those speakers . The theme is you position them anywhere , and Dolby Atmos Flex Connect will optimise the sound based on how many speakers you have and where you put them .

Sony is similar in that it can optimize the sound pretty well , even if the loudspeaker are n’t in an ideal location . But there are limit point . It still want two in the front on the left and right and two toward the back on the left and rightfulness . FlexConnect does n’t care . Put ’em anywhere , and employ as many as you like . FlexConect is very flexible ; the Sony HT - A9 is not as flexible . But they both apply audio processing wizardry to take less - than - ideal speaker placement and make the best of it .

Auto brightness limiters

Danny75 K writes : Hi ! Does ABL only affect white brightness , or does it also affect colors in prominent areas of cleverness ?

ABL remain firm for auto luminance limiter , a function of anOLED TVthat keep it from drive the organic light-emitting diode pixels too hard for too long . It ’s a protection chemical mechanism that used to be really aggressive , but now it is much less so — to the point that most phratry never notice it .

The forgetful response is that it affects everything . In a WOLED television , the white subpixel ( that ’s the W part of WOLED ) plunk for color light . So if you back down the white subpixel , you back down the semblance brightness , too . In aQD - OLED TV , the only pixels being directly control are the blue OLEDs — the reddened and green quantum dots glow in intensity based on the intensity of the blue OLED , so when you dim the grim OLEDs , you blind everything .

Samsung Intelligent Mode

Parker Woolfolk wrote in to say they got aSamsung S95C OLEDand a Nakamichi Dragon and have been using Samsung ’s Intelligent Mode picture setting and are marvel if I recall it ’s proficient or if they ’re missing something by not manually tuning the TV ’s pic .

The first thing to note is that Intelligent Mode is a suite of stage setting for your boob tube that can affect both moving-picture show and sound , depending on which options you enable . If you click onAll configurations , thenGeneral and Privacy , thenIntelligent Mode SettingsandIntelligent Mode , you should see Adaptive Picture , Eye Comfort , Active Voice Amplifier , Adaptive Sound+ , and Adaptive Volume .

adaptative picture employ the ambient light sensor built into the telecasting to lighten up or dim the goggle box base on how bright your room is . In a dark elbow room , it will dim the picture so it is n’t uncomfortably bright . In a bright room , the picture will be brighter , so it has more soda pop . It may also set the colour temperature based on the color temperature of the lighter in your room . It also claims to use the type of content you are viewing to make adaptation , but Samsung does n’t disclose what the algorithm is doing . Samsung would just like you to entrust that it is making decisions you will like .

Eye comfort adjusts the picture ’s color temperature depending on the time of twenty-four hours . It know when break of the day and sundown are , and it will reduce the profane light output , make the picture warmer so as not to mess with your circadian rhythms – it ’s the same form of feature you might find in your smartphone .

I ’m not a fan of the disconsolate - light reduction feature that is the Eye Comfort mise en scene , so I ’d turn that one off . But as for Adaptive Picture — if it ’s work for you , you do n’t demand to experience like you are overlook out on anything . Reviewers do not use it when testing TVs because we have to set a service line for measurements , and Adaptive Picture crap the TV ’s operation a moving target . We ca n’t have that . But to the point that maybe reviewers should talk about whether it does a good occupation or not , I think we definitely could . It ’s just that purists do n’t need to mess with anything that changes the image from what it is suppose to look like . We desire reds to be the good bolshy and blue to be the correct blue angel , and so forth .

fighting Voice Amplifier apply a microphone to figure out what sort of disturbance is in the way and then optimise the sound to project graspable dialog on the tent flap . The best demonstration I saw of this was Samsung break away a vacancy cleansing agent while a flick played , and the feature was remarkably effective . Ideally , whether a loud faucet or dishwashing machine is run in the nearby kitchen , a meretricious fan or AC is in the way , or whatever interference there may be , this feature is suppose to make negotiation more intelligible . sample it and see if you like it .

I ’m less enthused about Adaptive Sound+ . It ’s speculate to analyze your elbow room and analyse the message and then allow for the good auditory sensation . But my experience with these sorts of things has been really hit - or - pretermit — again , it ’s a motivate target . This is one I ordinarily turn off . But , again , attempt it and see what you guess .

adaptative volume is what it sounds like . It looks at how loud or quiet you usually set your TV and stress to keep the loudness in that zona all the time . The only take with this is that it robs the audio of dynamic , which can be a big part of what makes see a movie exciting . I ’m not a sports fan , but it is n’t about me . It ’s about you .

One affair I am not clear on is whether the TV will put on audio processing to the signal get out via your HDMI eARC association and adjust the sound recording fare from your Dragon . Personally , I would n’t presume to tell the Dragon what to do , and I ’d change by reversal all the audio processing off ; otherwise , you ’re not getting what you pay for out of the Dragon .

LG G4 vs. Samsung S95D

Javi Richarte writes : LG G4 or Samsung S95D?And Nobunaga Oda writes : I’m confused about which to buy : LG G4 or Samsung S95D.

That may be the big ultra - premium telly doubtfulness of the year , right ? There are already a peck of great thing being said about theLG G4and the SamsungS95D OLED TVs . One is the brightest WOLED ever made , with a bunch of tweaks and improvements over last twelvemonth , and the other is the brightest QD - OLED ever made with a middling controversial anti - glare discourse that has some folks all up in weapon , although I personally think that ’s groundless .

By now , I go for that most of you out there know me well enough to know that I ’m not going to make a call before I ’ve fully evaluated both TVs and published a full brushup on both . Hopefully , you be intimate by now that there is no edition of 2024 in which I do n’t put these two side by side , and we hash out all of the differences . You may also know me well enough that I might call a classic winner , or I might say “ X ” video is good for these folks , and “ Y ” TV is best for these folk .

What I can severalise you now is that I augur it is work to be extremely close — unless the S95D does something so egregiously wrong that it is just unforgivable , which theoretically could happen . ( There were some One Connect Box issuing in 2023 . ) But block something like that , I predict that the S95D is plump to be the serious daytime , bright - room OLED TV because , on the whole , its picture show quality is outstanding , and that anti - glare is so implausibly effectual I would n’t bat an middle at the idea of pose an S95D in a room filled with field glass letting sunlight pour in .

That say , from a standpoint of HDR accuracy , gambling , and overall processing , the LG G4 look extremely competitive this twelvemonth . It ’s potential that cinephiles , hard-core gamers , and just the general tv set enthusiast with thick sack may line up the G4 more to their liking .

I think the real discriminator between these two TVs is live to be in specific sphere of picture processing . I ’m tattle about motility resolution , upscaling and cleanup of grim - resolution , low bit rate streaming content , and SDR cable TV , as well as near - pitch-black performance . Those are the elements that I remember will be size up the most .

I ’ll also add that I do n’t think one havingDolby Visionand the other not having Dolby Vision will be a determine factor , and I suspect I ’m going to necessitate to show you why I experience that way if that ’s where I land on that .

As I say , these are just prognostication , but I ’m fully prepared to be incorrect . I ’ll be bet at these things , but I ’m not going in with an mental attitude of seeking confirmation preconception . If I ’m haywire about that anti - glare , I will acknowledge it with complete transparency . If we got take in by an amazing demonstration , and the telly does n’t do here in the studio like it did at that demo , I ’ll countenance you know .

In other Good Book , you ’ll just have to await and see . And to preemptively answer your query : I do n’t know when those TVs are coming in . But I do bear them very soon . They are n’t on the elbow room yet , but I do opine they ’ll be here soon . And when they are here ? Well , entrust me , I ’ll countenance you know the second they drop on my doorstep .