Sony Z9J vs Samsung QN800A

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replaced 75" QN800A with 75" Z9J … and finally tested it today.

the Sony is about 50% more expensive - is it worth it ?

yes and no.

QN800A and Z9J both have equally impressive picture - Samsung better in shadows and Sony better in highlights - that makes them even on that front

where Sony pulls away is authenticity … it simply does not add or subtract anything from the creator’s intent …

Samsung on the other hand … makes everything look the way it sees fit … which typically means brighter and more colorful than what it was supposed to look …

the reason Samsung does this is because on the store shelves people will always pick the set that has more brightness, color and contrast …

the problem occurs when the scene is supposed to look dim and pale … Sony will make it look just the way it was intended to look … but Samsung won’t …

this is what you pay for with Sony …

you pay to watch the movie instead of Samsung’s creative interpretation of it …

if that has value to you then the Sony is worth the extra money. if you just want to impress friends with a picture that pops save some money and get the Samsung.

you’re probably thinking - why can’t i just get Samsung and turn down contrast ? well that’s exactly what i used to do with QN800A … i had contrast at close to minimum setting when watching movies … unfortunately Samsung applies their processing dynamically and there is really no combination of settings that will result in an authentic picture across all scenes in a movie … and this is made worse by Samsung not offering Dolby Vision support …

aside from inaccuracy the other problem with Samsung is the quality of the TV itself ( as opposed to picture quality ). Sonys are simply better made. Again, this may or may not matter to you.

my advice is get Samsung from a place that accepts returns and see if you can live with it. if you can - you saved money. if you can’t - return it and get a Sony.

the main difference i’m seeing so far is 2-fold:

1 - i didn’t have touch a single setting on the Sony while with Samsung i had to push almost every setting to some absurd value like bringing contrast down to almost nothing.

2 - with Sony dark scenes look dark and bright scenes look very bright whereas with Samsung all scenes look the same - bright. it simply makes every scene look like what it considers impressive. it is all fine until you realize what the scene was SUPPOSED to look like and that what you saw was nowhere near to creator’s intent … this usually does not impact your overall enjoyment of the movie … but when you realize it is happening you feel cheated and angry … and then you get a Sony.

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Time for your YouTube review channel. :+1:

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this fucking retarded Z9J is really testing my patience …

it doesn’t see the files on my Samsung T5 SSD but it added a whole bunch of its own folders on it instead …

i tricked it by moving my files to the folders it created so it sees them now …

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Google TV is ABSOLUTE TRASH !

i have to on average plug in a hard drive about 2 or 3 times before it can see the files in it ( it’s the same for my Samsung T5 SSD and G-Technology ArmorATD drives ) and it has created a whole bunch of useless Android folders on both of these drives …

today though it had a new challenge for me !

i spent A FULL HOUR trying to change weather temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit …

i simply asked the TV to change it using voice and it gave me instructions on how to do it … but these instructions were FAKE

it said it couldn’t do it until I set up personal voice match … so i did - i trained google assistant to recognize my voice ( i know, obvious privacy issue ) … but that didn’t do shit …

there is the TV itself and two separate phone apps ( google assistant and google home ) that all have maybe 20 pages of settings EACH and ultimately none of the googling or asking the assistant or anything at all gave me the answer …

rather i got dozens of answers but all proved false …

eventually i won with brute force by simply going through all the settings in all the apps and eventually in the google assistant on the phone i found the setting to change Celsius to Fahrenheit on the TV …

please note there are multiple settings for Celsius / Fahrenheit that change it in different places … for example the TV lock screen C/F is set in one menu and the TV weather app C/F in a completely different menu in a different app … both on the phone and not TV itself …

it cannot be set in the weather app itself not on the TV and not on the phone either ( which has the same app … inside Google Assistant … separate from the main weather app … )

it is pure DIARRHEA OF DEMENTIA

i CAN’T BELIEVE they can get such basic functions so wrong in 2022 on their latest software …

the TV is running Google TV which SUPERCEDES Android TV so it’s their latest and greatest … and it’s ABSOLUTE SHIT

the level of incompetence is just INSANE

why the fuck would anybody want Celsius to Fahrenheit adjusted in 3 or more different menus everywhere but in the actual place where temperature is displayed ???

why would anybody want C in one app and F in another ? why should anybody go to settings on their phone to change settings on their TV ?

it’s such a fucking shit show it’s unbelievable …

it comes as a shock to me but Samsung’s Tizen operating system was 10 times better than Google TV …

on the upside i really like backlit remote on the Sony - much better than the solar / usb-C remote on the Samsung. Samsung in their quest to imitate Apple went to war with buttons for no reason whatsoever and their remote just ends up being unnecessarily difficult to use.

overall the makers of both TVs need to get shot in the nuts but they fucked up completely different areas of the TV.

the Achilles heel of the Sony so far appears to be the Google TV platform …

the problem with Samsung is them putting form over function and impressive picture over accurate one …

the reason Google TV is so bad is simple - it’s an afterthought for Google … whereas for Samsung the operating system in their TVs is close to the core of their business … and as such it’s much, much better …

unless you need accurate picture i say just go with Samsung … there is a reason they are number one.

Sony does have more accurate, more cinematic picture with higher brightness potential … but the blacks aren’t as deep and viewing angles aren’t as wide … and Google TV will drive you insane …

between Sony’s higher brightness and Samsung’s deeper blacks and wider viewing angles i would probably give the edge to Samsung overall

between Tizen OS and Google TV it’s a no contest win for Samsung …

Samsung can also decode 8K whereas Sony needs external source for 8K …

build quality and packaging is a no contest win for Sony

and Accuracy / Dolby Vision support a no contest win for Sony as well

remote is a no contest win for Sony

price in US market a no contest win for Samsung ( in some markets like China Samsung costs more than Sony ).

if you’re in China or some other market where Sony is cheaper than Samsung then get the Sony.

if you’re in US or some other market where Samsung is cheaper than Sony then get the Samsung.

i don’t regret returning my Samsung and swapping for a Sony but my Samsung had issues ( we bent it slightly while installing and it had flicker ). the bending could have been avoided if a 3rd person held up the heavy base of the TV when lifting it off the mattress … and the flicker might have been just on my unit.

i am as disappointed with Google TV platform as i was with Samsung’s build quality … the difference is the Sony costs 50% more … but only in US market …

the Sony picture IS more accurate and cinematic … Samsung picture more cartoonish … is that worth the extra 50% in price ?

only you can decide …

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Why do I get the feeling you’re gonna return the TV?

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not really.

it’s just my personality to find flaw with everything.

doesn’t mean some perfect alternative will magically appear just for me.

i’m not like those folks who broke into the capitol on Jan 6 without considering what would happen next …

the answer is NOTHING GOOD

even if i could return this TV there is simply nothing to replace it with … and i really didn’t enjoy my time in-between TVs.

i would much rather be without a woman than without a TV.

when you break up with a woman it’s difficult for the next one to fill the hole in your heart but with the Z9J it filled the hole left by Samsung pretty well - it’s a pleasure to watch overall.

i still think Sony is the best brand overall and Z9J the best TV overall.

but i never stop analyzing and finding flaws.

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Samsung picture is like Ice Cream

Sony picture is like Steak

Samsung’s bright saturated colors are designed to appeal to the average consumer

Sony’s accurate picture is aimed at a more sophisticated consumer who is looking for nutrition in his food rather than merely sweet taste

you don’t eat steak because it tastes better than Ice Cream. you eat steak because you know that it is real food whereas Ice Cream is not.

steak costs more than Ice Cream … but anybody who understands what Ice Cream is will not eat it even for free …

yes i know i keep contradicting myself - i’m OK with that. our minds are analog. we hold multiple viewpoints in parallel. we can love and hate something at the same time. i am not a politician - i don’t have an official position - i say whatever comes to my mind.

and i believe that the reader benefits from being exposed to all possible viewpoints rather than me picking one to share with them. complex questions don’t have simple answers. or any answers at all. instead we should broaden our perspective and by extension that of the reader.

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tired removing fingerprints left by Amazon delivery animals …

was able to remove one but made the other one worse …

in hindsight i should have:

1 - removed screen protector myself on both sides, instead of letting the Animals do it on the other side.

2 - removed the fingerprints right away ( within seconds rather than weeks ) before they got a chance to permanently embed into the anti-reflective coating …

3 - used a clean and dry microfiber cloth instead of damp one … the fingerprint that was removed successfully i breathed on the screen to get some condensate on it … the one i botched i couldn’t reach ( it was on top ) so i used a slightly damp cloth and it left watermarks and only partially removed the fingerprint … i waited too long. the fingerprint caked into the anti-reflective layer.

i should have used a ladder instead of a damp cloth … and i should have taken care of these fingerprints right away … now it’s a permanently damaged screen.

never EVER underestimate how dumb animals are … there is no task so simple that they won’t royally fuck it up … this is why the best CEOs like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs micro-manage everything … all these productivity gurus who say you shouldn’t micro-manage are on the same IQ level as the people who they say you shouldn’t micromanage - well obviously you shouldn’t micro-manage somebody your own IQ ! but if you have 60 IQ points on somebody you may have to forget micromanaging and just do their job yourself.

the other half of this equation is me being a horrible procrastinator … i KNEW i should not have waited … i KNEW what would happen … but just as some people can’t help their sadism and others can’t help their addictions i can’t help it when it comes to procrastination … it’s a very serious problem for me

the screen is permanently ruined because i was too lazy to wipe off the fingerprints right away …

as for using a damp cloth that was a mistake. i read instructions online which said you can use a damp cloth. that was wrong. you should breathe on the screen instead and use a dry cloth to wipe it off. if you can’t reach the part of the screen with your mouth - use a ladder.

FUCK …

that fingerprint is there forever and will suck the joy of living out of me …

not because the fingerprint somehow is a huge problem but because it’s MY FAULT.

even though i wasn’t the one who did it i failed to prevent it and then i failed to fix it and then i made it worse fixing it ( by adding watermarks on top of the fingerprint )

do yourself a favor - if your TV doesn’t have a transparent protective film ( like my QN800A did ) then don’t let animals near it. either do it yourself or hire a professional to wall mount it. don’t let 80 IQ delivery apes touch the TV.

the Z9J was overall better packaged than Samsung but the screen protection was not clear, which means it had to be removed before you could test that the TV works. i wanted to make sure the TV works before letting delivery guys leave … and to save time i let them help me remove the screen protector … of course being retards ( as most delivery guys are ) they couldn’t help but touch the screen for no reason whatsoever.

animals are animals.

my whole life i am teaching myself to try and remember what they are but they they always manage to outdo themselves. no matter how many precautions i take to try and prevent them from ruining things they still manage to do it.

but that’s not what hurts. it’s not my fault i was born on the planet of the apes. what hurts is that actually i could have prevented it and i could have fixed it instead i made it worse.

i don’t care what other people ruin - that doesn’t bother me - i know that the entire reality including all the people in it exist just to torture me - i have accepted that fact.

what i can’t accept is when i myself contribute to this torture.

i must be better than this world and when i’m not it really hurts.

also Sony should have included a cloth to clean the screen and instructions to do it right away. Volvo does include a cloth to clean the navigation screen which works really well. of course the navigation screen is designed to be touched whereas the TV is not, but Sony should have realized that their TV isn’t going to be delivered and unboxed by Nobel Physics laureates - but by retards who couldn’t graduate from High School - and that they will grab the screen because fuck logic !

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You blame yourself but, but Sony knows the screen will be touched.
It is nigh-impossible to prevent that.
Cost-shaving by Sony is the true culprit.
The manufacturer knows there has to be a margin of error with its stuff, and the screen is the most sensitive part of the product.

Forgive yourself and move on.

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sorry but i don’t forgive anybody.

no exceptions.

:slight_smile:

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Sony seems to have better support for Audio when playing from USB port …

Samsung wouldn’t recognize Audio on some files … so far Sony played every file with Audio though i had to switch audio tracks on one file because Audio was skipping but once i switched it was fine.

With Samsung i had to lean on the laptop a lot for files it couldn’t play right … with Sony i find myself rarely needing the laptop …

It’s better to play directly on TV because picture and especially motion looks better and you can use remote control to pause, rewind etc … so that’s a win for Sony

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the software on Z9J is so bad

takes HOURS of finessing for it to even find your movie on the USB drive

it finds like one folder per minute and if you have like 200 folders it will take hours for it to find them all

i am not joking ! ! !

if you want to watch a movie plug in your USB drive and go to sleep. the next day when you wake up hopefully it will have found the movie on the drive.

I AM NOT JOKING.

it is that bad and it’s not getting better with updates.

if i watch the movie from the computer then motion processing won’t look right, at least to my eye - maybe i am imagining things.

movie is 24 FPS, computer is 60 fps and TV is 120 fps. 120/24 = 5, which is an integer. but 60/24 is 2.5 which is not an integer. theoretically the TV should detect what is happening and apply correct processing to 60 FPS signal derived from 24 FPS material but in practice it doesn’t look right to me.

so i try to get the TV to play it natively but it is such an incredible pain ! ! !

if i had to get a TV today i would look at Samsung before looking at Sony. both are trash but Samsung is cheaper. there are no good products - everything in this world is shit. some shit is simply overpriced on top of being trash.

my honest TV buying advice - just get whatever is on sale and from a place where it can easily be returned. don’t even bother looking at models, reviews etc. - it’s a waste of time.

get it. try it. if you’re not happy - return it.

that’s it.

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update it finally found the movie.

and about 10 minutes after finding it - it actually started playing ( at first it just gave a spinning blue circle, then black screen, but now it works )

unfortunately it is now midnight and i’m going to sleep.

and when i wake up tomorrow it will be too sunny to watch.

welcome to the Sony / Google TV experience.

absolute shit.

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LG has the best user interface by far. I miss my LG OLED for that reason. Samsung has better picture quality but it comes at the expense of a shitty user interface and unnecessary processing. LG just feels natural and easy to use like an Apple product.

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with LG you choose between burn-in ( OLED ) and blooming ( IPS ).

i think Samsung is the best that can be had at a sensible price.

i got my Sony for just 40% of ( one F ) MSRP / 60% off ( two F ) MSRP - i would never pay anywhere near it’s MSRP.

Sony is mostly solid - the issue is finding it at a good price.

Samsung is easier to find at a good price which is why it out-sells Sony.

Samsung on average probably has a bit more issues than Sony but it’s smarter to to get Samsung and return it if you have an issue than pay Sony price.

in my case i did exactly that - got Samsung, returned it over issues, got Sony replacement … only to discover it also has issues but a this point i was tired and just kept it.