Vertical banding during panning shots in light backgrounds (e.g. footballpitch)

[ErBe]

Hi there,

last spring, just a few days before the beginning of the Euro 2012, I bought a brand new Philips 42PFL4307H/12 LED television. I wanted to see the tournament in the best condition. My first impression about the TV was very good. The images were, and still are, very clear, and HD definition movies are perfectly displayed.

After a few football-matches though, I noticed some vertical shadow-like bands, most noticable in the middle and on 3/4 of the screen, on both sides . It is best visible when the camera is panning, and the background is of a light colour, like often occurs during a football match.

First I hoped it was a software problem, so I updated it. The problem kept existing. Then I called the customer service of Philips and explained my problem. The guy from Philips didn't knew the problem, but he advised me to try some fine-tuning in the settings. The images did improve, but the vertical banding was still there. A few days later I went to the shop I bought it, MediaMarkt in Utrecht. The guy there told me he never heard of the problem. Another dead end.

With every match I'm watching, it bothers me more. I'm about to call a mechanic from Philips to look for a solution, but you're my last hope.

Does anyone recognize this problem or does anyone know a solution?

Thanks in advance,
ErBe
HOLLAND

N.B. The problem looks a bit like this: http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...PayFm-gnQklGPw

[Michelvw]

This is an uneven backlight.
I have the same problem.
Philips has been deleting the threads I started about this issue.

I haven't received any info or feedback about my TV.

[Lassy]

I have exact the same problem. Also after replacing the LCD screen the issues are not gone and even became worse. I've started a topic on this as well: http://www.supportforum.philips.com/...-46PFL7605H-12

[mrb1972]

This is pretty common across all LED backlit TV's not just philips - some are worse than others, its the luck of the draw

[Lassy]

This is pretty common across all LED backlit TV's not just philips - some are worse than others, its the luck of the draw

The thing is that this problem only presented itself since a few months and it became worse and worse.
It might have to do with one of the many software updates.
The fact that the vertical lines on the new screen are exactly on the same spot as the ones on the old screen could very well mean that this might be a sofware related problem.
They only replaced the LCD screen, nothing else. Al presets were still there.
It might be a combination with software and internal hardware. I wouldn't know, hopefully Philips does.

[Michelvw]

This is pretty common across all LED backlit TV's not just philips - some are worse than others, its the luck of the draw

Well that is just stupid.
Who designs a TV with an uneven backlight, just because they could market it as thin???
How stupid do you have to be to come up with that design choice (and I'm a product designer myself!).

So, effectively, you're better off with a "fat" Led TV that will have an even backlight and play better sound - AND is cheaper?
This just blows my mind...
The only difference between the cheap Samsung that my parents bought and my philips TV is "options"?
Because there's a Samsung panel inside the Philips so image should be practically the same.
And those options, being pure motion HD and noise reduction and tralalala - they DONT WORK and make the tv jittery and buggy?

I for one, DEMAND a refund.

[martytv]

Michel, did you return your TV? I am affected by vertical banding too. Nothing too serious, but it is there. I think some people notice it, and some others just don't (others also don't give a darn...).

[mafu]

Hello,

I also have the vertical banding on my 47PFL6907 exactly as described in this thread (mainly when panning across a more or less evenly colored and of course not so dark background like a football field or a blue sky). Has anybody figured out whether it can be remedied with the right settings? I am sort of hopeful since I managed to get rid of blurry images and strange artefacts in the context of fast movements simply by turing off some HD motion optimization that appears to have backfired instead of helping. The banding is not so bad, but it's hard to ignore once you've noticed it, especially when watching a game where permanent panning is the rule. Going to the dealer with a complaint like that is likely to get you labeled as a stickler more than anything else, but it is a bit of a downer. And if indeed other TVs have the same problem, then I guess it's just a toss-up.