How Samsung tweaked its TVs to get better test results

TV testers have discovered that recent models from the Korean brand have been modified to appear brighter and more color-friendly when they pass on a test bench. Samsung has confessed half-word manipulation and promises an update.

It’s becoming a bad habit! After being caught hand in hand in a dark story of manipulation of the results of benches in its smartphones, Samsung is again in turmoil… for another range of products.

The Flatpanelshd ​​site, specializing in TV tests, has indeed noticed that the Korean manufacturer has modified several televisions in its 2022 range at the software level so that they obtain more flattering test results. A discovery that confirms that of the Youtube channel HDTVTest, which had made a similar observation a few weeks ago.

To understand the manipulation carried out by Samsung, we must first dwell a little on the procedures that television testers use to gauge image quality. In order to measure the brightness and color fidelity of a screen, the tester launches a program which records the measurements of a probe which it applies to a specific place on the screen. The program will then display patterns of test on this window, which are recorded by the probe. Traditionally, this window occupies 10% of the screen surface: it is a standard respected by the entire industry in order to obtain consistent measurements.

However, by slightly modifying the size of this window – they increased it to 9% of the screen surface, which should not have changed the results in any way – the testers noticed that they obtained measurements completely different… and much worse. On the QN95B television, FlatpanelsHD, for example, observed a peak in brightness of 2,300 nits on a window occupying 10% of the panel. But by changing the size of the window to 9%, they only get… 1300 nits, a violent drop of 80%! Same thing for colors: on a 10% window, the TV displays much more accurate colors.

Samsung promises an update

There is only one possible explanation for all this: Samsung has adapted the firmware of these TVs to behave differently when put to the test. A deplorable practice, since it can falsify the tests, in particular carried out by the specialized press.

FlatpanelsHD contacted the Korean firm for a reaction. And she confessed, half-word, that there had been manipulation. ” To provide a more dynamic viewing experience for our customers, Samsung will provide an update that will ensure consistent brightness of HDR content across more window sizes beyond the industry standard.” Without however specifying when this update would take place.

Unfortunately common practice

Samsung has therefore repeated its manipulation of benchmarks. A few weeks ago, we discovered the existence, on many Galaxy smartphones, of a “secret” module called Game Optimizing Service, which restricted the performance of some 10,000 popular applications, in order, no doubt, to preserve the battery of the telephones. But Samsung had voluntarily omitted to include in this list the benchmarking applications (Antutu, Geekbench, 3DMark, etc.) which therefore worked at full speed. The firm has since apologized flatly, and updated its smartphones.

Let’s be complete: Samsung is far from alone in having this hateful practice. In the past, other manufacturers have also been singled out for tampering with measuring tools. Last year, OnePlus was also pinned. A few years ago, Huawei also cheated.

Source :

flatpanelshd