Cinema 58pfl9956 local dimming not working correctly

[LocDim]

Hi
I have just got the new 21:9 cinema tv (58pfl9956t). Software is 0.14.38.6. I have the Local dimming on standard, but it seems to work way too hard.
Coming from a Sony tv (hx900) where the local dimming worked perfectly, I have to say I am disappointed with how this works on this Philips.
On the Philips sometimes I can actually see it work, especially when there is subtitles involved. And for me that is often, maybe 90% of the time. Often when a subtitle is displayed it is too bright, and at the same time a different part of the picture is dimmed (often on the top of the picture). Another example: Sometimes in indoor scenes with a wall of single color in the background, part of the wall is flickering up and down in brightness. Like if the local dimming can't decide. It is very annoying. On the Sony I could not see the backlight actually working like this. It was much much more subtle.
I hope I have missed a setting or something. Is there maybe a way to adjust the effect of the local dimming? I mean other then the three modes. (I have tried them all.)

I think there should also be a different mode. A "light" version where the blacks are dimmed carefully, but the rest of the picture stays at the original brightness level. You see, all I want is a good blacklevel and NOT the crazy "bright pro" increasing the contrast/brigtness.

[petasis]

Can you try with the "typical" local dimming setting?
The "best picture" one is quite aggressive.

[LocDim]

I have the Local dimming on standard, but it seems to work way too hard.

As I said, I already have it on standard. On "best picture" it is even worse.

btw. I think I will just return it. Because there is no reply from Philips and I do not take the chance to wait any longer.(return policies/rules).

[durtro]

Yes, philips dynamic backlight simply doesn't work well. I suffer from exactly the same problems. The image is always flickering on most sources. The effect is worse when there isn't much color variation like for example a face with a gray wall as background. The simple facial and head motion causes flickering in backgrounds. For some anime it is especially bad and I simply turn off the feature...

[petasis]

Have you tried all local dimming variations, or only best picture?

[durtro]

Have you tried all local dimming variations, or only best picture?

Yep. In fact what I've done is turning it off on personal/custom smart picture setting so I can easily go to a smart picture set without dynamic backlight. The problem is especially visible in some type of images. I've seen anime and some tv series where the effect is everything but subtle with a clearly visible "blink" every few seconds due to subtitles. On the other side I've seen many 1080p movies where the effect is barely visible if at all but on those sources I put the subtitles on the black bars of the movie and in anime and tv series that is impossible since the frames span through the entire tv screen. As a rule I have it on in movies. On tv series and anime I see how it goes and many times I've to turn it off because of the highly annoying "blinks".

The effect is worse when the image has low color variation and something bright moves or appears over that background. In that case the dimming sort of propagates through...

[Freddy]

As mentioned earlier, this seems like the exact same problem as with the PFL9705 series:

http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...r-on-32PFL9705

Very disappointing to see it again on even the latest top model!?...

By the way, now that you're deactivating Dynamic Backlight for some programs, you may have noticed how difficult it is to get the same general picture quality as when it's activated. Maybe my thread over here:

http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...or-9xx5-series

can help you with that, as I guess the settings are still pretty much the same.
Just let me know your results!

[petasis]

Yep. In fact what I've done is turning it off on personal/custom smart picture setting so I can easily go to a smart picture set without dynamic backlight. The problem is especially visible in some type of images. I've seen anime and some tv series where the effect is everything but subtle with a clearly visible "blink" every few seconds due to subtitles. On the other side I've seen many 1080p movies where the effect is barely visible if at all but on those sources I put the subtitles on the black bars of the movie and in anime and tv series that is impossible since the frames span through the entire tv screen. As a rule I have it on in movies. On tv series and anime I see how it goes and many times I've to turn it off because of the highly annoying "blinks".

The effect is worse when the image has low color variation and something bright moves or appears over that background. In that case the dimming sort of propagates through...

Is there an option to change the colour of subtitles to gray instead of white?
I am using a PC for watching movies, and if the subtitles are not white, helps very much...

[petasis]

As mentioned earlier, this seems like the exact same problem as with the PFL9705 series:

http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...r-on-32PFL9705

Very disappointing to see it again on even the latest top model!?...

By the way, now that you're deactivating Dynamic Backlight for some programs, you may have noticed how difficult it is to get the same general picture quality as when it's activated. Maybe my thread over here:

http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...or-9xx5-series

can help you with that, as I guess the settings are still pretty much the same.
Just let me know your results!

I think the fact that Philips TVs do not have a dedicative backlight control (not one mixed with contrast) is a big disadvantage. It would have made watching without local dimming much easier...

[durtro]

Is there an option to change the colour of subtitles to gray instead of white?
I am using a PC for watching movies, and if the subtitles are not white, helps very much...

Done that and indeed it helps in some cases but not all. I use a grayish yellow with black borders in subtitles but in many sources there is still that problem, including 720p hdtv tv series and anime. In movies not so much but I put the subtitles in the black border so...

[Gerrit]

I'll buy this screen as soon as this problem has been solved!!
So please keep on posting and I do hope Philips comes with the announcement they tackled the bug!

[Gerrit]

A dutch owner of both the cinema 58PFL9955 and the cinema 58PFL9956, both equipped wit local dimming, tells me that the older 9955 model does not show this problem.
An other question is of all 9956 screens of this model do face this problem or are there perhaps manufactory series of this model that are free from this bug? Any screen of the 9956 model without this problem?

[Gerrit]

There has been a long time of silence on this topic, is it solved??????????????????

[kookaburra]

Dear Sirs,

I am the owner of a brand new TV 58pfl9956, that I received just a few days ago.

I have been experiencing some difficulties with the local dimming, it does not work properly, and its performance does not seem any logical criteria, with continuous variation of intensity. I have even had to turn it off in order to achieve a minimum of clarity.

I have been informed that several owners of this TV model (21:9- 2011) are experiencing the same difficulties, and I would like you to confirm me If you are aware of this problem and working to solve it out; were it not so, I would be forced to return the TV to the seller, as, due to the aforementioned problem of the local dimming, my TV is very far from offering the high image quality and excellent performance that I had expect of a state of the art TV.

I eagerly await for your answer, thanking you in advance for your interest.

Best regards,

[petasis]

Can you try with settings similar to these?

http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...ll=1#post16330