Samsung UA50J5500ASXNZ TV

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steevg

65 posts

Master Geek

# 179025 23-Aug-2015 16:10

Hi Guys,

Just called Samsung NZ again, but they don't seem to have the technical ability to offer any help with a situation I have with a new TV, I'm hoping I might be able to get better help on the Geekzone forums?

I've already had one Samsung fail after only 8 months - a 48" version of the 5500 series LED TV's, and have recently had it replaced (Harvey Normans extended warranty) with a newer version of the old model.

On getting it, I was surprised that as soon as it was powered on, it came up with "Store Demo" mode (???). Trying to set it up was a slow, slow, slow process, with it freezing on the T's & C's page for about 20 minutes. Following that I disconnected from the internet and tried to get it running without! To be honest, I'm not sure how I did it, but eventually I got it setup.

The main problem is that we don't have UHF (terrestrial) access here, so we rely on a Freeview Satellite feed for the signal, and so the TV we originally purchased was specified because it has dual Sat & UHF tuners.

Anyway (I digress), the problem is, that the new TV's menu's and SmartHub are shockingly slow! Hit Smartub and wait . . . wait . . . wait! After maybe 30-40 seconds, SmartHub apprears, and then some of the Apps (TVNZ On Demand, TV3, sometime YouTube etc etc), are also slow at loading and playing. We've only had the TV for a week, and already the wife is ready to throw it out of the window !!! Watching Shortie Street a couple of nights ago, the picture suddenly started to jerk around, and then we totally lost the audio too. TV3 was a waste of time, as we got audfio but only a black screen - no video at all.

Other problems are associated with fast forwarding & Rewinding within SmartHub Apps.

Initially I thought it to be an internet problem after all, mostly these problems were with SmartHub, and therefore via the internet . . . but on 3 devices, a speed test taken at the same time as the problems were occurring, gave me 12.4, 11.8 & 11.7Mb/sec.

I've tried to reset both SmartHub and the TV (back to factory settings), but we're still getting the same problems.

The previous TV (the 48") failed after being diagnosed with a motherboard problem by a local technician - do we have another issue with the replacement model???

Appreciate your comments.

Thanks

Athlonite

1828 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

# 1372592 23-Aug-2015 17:27

IF you're unhappy with it then take it back I'll assume it's still under warranty it may just be a dud it happens if the second one does the same thing search Samsungs site for an firmware upgrade and install it failing that I'd be just looking to get your money back and by a different model and an STB

DaveB

1139 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

# 1372644 23-Aug-2015 19:19

The J Series uses a quad core processor and the new Tizen OS, so like mine, it should be very fast.

There is obviously a problem somewhere and the TV is not working to specs. The only solution I can offer is to talk to Harvey Norman and stress the fact that the TV should have come out of the box requiring you to go through the complete set up process - not already set up as a store demo. The set is essentially used goods.

Batman

Mad Scientist
20909 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

# 1372690 23-Aug-2015 20:57

sounds like it's spoilt, and it's definitely not brand new.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

steevg

65 posts

Master Geek

# 1372735 23-Aug-2015 22:57

Thanks guys,

Wasn't sure, but I appreciate the confirmation.
Is there any chance at all it could just be a bad Internet connection affecting the SmartHub & Menu system somehow?

robjg63

2979 posts

Uber Geek

# 1372772 24-Aug-2015 04:48

Not sure the store demo mode is perhaps a biggie.
We purchased a Sammy smart TV around 2 years back and first question that setup asks is 'shop demo mode | home' (or something along those words).
Our 'smart' does not like having the smart hub started until it has been running for a minute or so. It can get quite cranky if you trty and start it too quick. Would hope they had resolved that in later models.

If you have it hooked up to the internet - check for firmware/smarthub updates.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Dunnersfella

3594 posts

Uber Geek

# 1372828 24-Aug-2015 08:50

DaveB: The J Series uses a quad core processor and the new Tizen OS, so like mine, it should be very fast.

There is obviously a problem somewhere and the TV is not working to specs. The only solution I can offer is to talk to Harvey Norman and stress the fact that the TV should have come out of the box requiring you to go through the complete set up process - not already set up as a store demo. The set is essentially used goods.

That's merely speculation.
Even experienced installers will accidentally press the 'enter' button too many times, and in doing so, select 'Store mode'.
This is even more likely if the TV is somewhat laggy out of the box.

I'd get it looked at, but if it did not look like a re-pack, then it was probably a bad install from the factory, rather than anything else sinister.

Spyware

2325 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

# 1372862 24-Aug-2015 09:24

steevg: Thanks guys,

Wasn't sure, but I appreciate the confirmation.
Is there any chance at all it could just be a bad Internet connection affecting the SmartHub & Menu system somehow?

What DNS servers are being used or given out via DHCP??

Ross

Spark FibreMAX using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+

Speed Test

steevg

65 posts

Master Geek

# 1372874 24-Aug-2015 09:38

That's merely speculation.
Even experienced installers will accidentally press the 'enter' button too many times, and in doing so, select 'Store mode'.
This is even more likely if the TV is somewhat laggy out of the box.

I'd get it looked at, but if it did not look like a re-pack, then it was probably a bad install from the factory, rather than anything else sinister.

Dunnersfella:
Thanks for the comments, but the remote was still i it's plastic bag when I first switched the TV on, so no chance at all that I could have pressed the enter button to change settings.

What DNS servers are being used or given out via DHCP??

On the TV, or on my internal network (guess they'd be the same ???)

Spyware

2325 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

# 1372901 24-Aug-2015 10:16

steevg:

What DNS servers are being used or given out via DHCP??

On the TV, or on my internal network (guess they'd be the same ???)

You tell us.

Ross

Spark FibreMAX using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+

Speed Test

steevg

65 posts

Master Geek

# 1373132 24-Aug-2015 15:08

Hi,

OK I'm not totally sure about the DNS reporting, but (after doing a bit of Googling) here's what I have:

In the network settings (on my Mac), I show: 192.168.1.23 / 255.255.255.0 and the router as 192.168.1.1 (standard configs I hope - I understand these).
Attempting to get an external report, I run "dig whoami.akamai.net +short" from the terminal, and get 103.9.40.4

Is that info of any significance to the issue's I'm having with the TV?

Thanks

pyronical

150 posts

Master Geek

# 1382015 8-Sep-2015 20:16

steevg:

Anyway (I digress), the problem is, that the new TV's menu's and SmartHub are shockingly slow! Hit Smartub and wait . . . wait . . . wait! After maybe 30-40 seconds, SmartHub apprears

Not sure if you're still having this issue, but I can confirm that this should never happen no matter your connection etc, it should be basically instant. Something must be faulty.

steevg

65 posts

Master Geek

# 1382026 8-Sep-2015 20:46

Thanks for the confirmation.

As an update, following a couple of horrendously long support calls to Samsung, I had the TV taken away by the local Samsung appointed tech. After a day of testing he's confirmed that the TV has "several" faults, and also that Samsung weren't able to connect to it via the remote support connection in the support menu. He reset the TV throughout the day and every time the new setup screen appeared (not Store Demo mode), the picture and graphics were very pixelated and slow (jerky). So it's a faulty unit out of the box!

I'm just in the process of working towards a full refund with Harvey Norman. The only issue I see which may be a problem is that I purchased (stupidly) an extended warranty, and looks like the refund may not cover that!

Thanks for the help guys.
Have a good week.

pyronical

150 posts

Master Geek

# 1382054 8-Sep-2015 21:19

Any reason you went for a refund instead of a replacement?

Samsung's TV DoA % is very tiny, you just got incredibly unlucky - it's pretty much a certainty that the replacement wouldn't have any problems.

steevg

65 posts

Master Geek

# 1382101 8-Sep-2015 22:47

Good question!

I wasn't too happy about the attitude of the sales guy I was dealing with to be honest. Given that this was the 2nd Samsung I've had issues with directly following the first purchase I didn't get much reassurance about Samsung products either. I also felt that he'd pushed me into a decision with an extended warranty, whereas I'd not been given the correct information regarding my consumer rights.

Add to that the fact that he'd tried to charge me for a 2nd warranty insurance when the 1st TV failed, I felt let down by the store. So I've decided to make a purchase a little closer to home in case I suffer any further problems with a new TV. I have no real issues purchasing another Samsung, and I agree, it's technology, it'll fail at some stage, so it may well be that I purchase another Samsung, but this time from a retailer closer and one which I feel I have more trust in.

Hope that answers your question?