OLED - Is screen burn/image retention still an issue?

[Big Worm 1]

I'm looking at getting a new TV, and when i bought my last one a couple of years ago, I was put off from buying an OLED because of all the reports of screen burn/image retention.

I would imagine that an issue like that would have a pretty big impact on sales, and I personally went with an LED last time because of it.

I would assume that the manufacturers would have found a way to tackle this by now, and when you speak to sales guys/manufacturers, they say it's not a problem (as you would expect them to do), but i'm still reading reviews where people still have that problem.

I've been looking at the LG C9 which looks like a fantastic TV, but i don't want it ruined because i watch things with a constant image, eg. Sky Sports, Sky News, etc.

Thanks

[ollyprice87]

I've got the C9. Had it since November. No issues so far, there is an option in the settings to shift the pixels ever so slightly now and then and also the option to detect and auto dim any logos on the screen. It also does a refresh cycle every now and then automatically too when you flick it off.

I am quite careful in that I won't leave it on for hours on end. Simple things like flicking it off when we go and have our tea etc.. just to give it a break but I think a lot of the scare stories are just that.

[Jiebo]

I’ve got a B9 and mostly use apps built in, and a screen saver turns on quickly which turns off the static image as to make it impossible to burn in.

With a PS4 this screensaver doesn’t kick in, so I have to be very careful about leaving the tv on. One day I feel I’m going to forget and get burn in, which I would think is especially easy to occur with hdr content.

I’ve not got it yet, but OLED needs a change in behaviour with using the tv to avoid burn in.

[rednotdead]

ollyprice87 said:

I've got the C9. Had it since November. No issues so far, there is an option in the settings to shift the pixels ever so slightly now and then and also the option to detect and auto dim any logos on the screen. It also does a refresh cycle every now and then automatically too when you flick it off.

I am quite careful in that I won't leave it on for hours on end. Simple things like flicking it off when we go and have our tea etc.. just to give it a break but I think a lot of the scare stories are just that.

Same. Had the C9 since November too and so far so good. I did read (and don't know how true it is) that static red images are the worst for OLED so the only change I've made to viewing habits is to change over when the BBC red background stuff comes on for 5 minutes or so when they move to local news. If you read the forums you get the small percentage that complain (and the AV Forums are full of nerds trying to find that ONE pixel that isn't right) so the story is skewed IMHO. Sensible use shouldn't be an issue at all.

Tis a great TV, so glad I bought it. I had a plasma before and there were all sorts of stories about screen burn with those too but in 10 years I had zero problems.

[Big Worm 1]

rednotdead said:

I had a plasma before and there were all sorts of stories about screen burn with those too but in 10 years I had zero problems.

I'm going from a plasma too, which has never had any issues.

Everything i have watched or read about the C9 say it is excellent. At Costco, the 65" is £200 cheaper than everywhere else seems to be.

Guess where i'm going after work!!

[mgv8]

I would go for it. Very good screen.
There is only a very small chance of this being a problem and being silly how you use the screen would be part of it (like display the same message for days).

[ollyprice87]

rednotdead said:

Same. Had the C9 since November too and so far so good. I did read (and don't know how true it is) that static red images are the worst for OLED so the only change I've made to viewing habits is to change over when the BBC red background stuff comes on for 5 minutes or so when they move to local news. If you read the forums you get the small percentage that complain (and the AV Forums are full of nerds trying to find that ONE pixel that isn't right) so the story is skewed IMHO. Sensible use shouldn't be an issue at all.

Tis a great TV, so glad I bought it. I had a plasma before and there were all sorts of stories about screen burn with those too but in 10 years I had zero problems.

Yeah I don't understand the people whose first thing is to go searching for dead pixels and run load of grey screen tests. If you're happy with the picture, then great.

[Zirconia]

4+ years non and happy. I don't watch a lot of stuff with constant banners such as news or gaming though a weekend of BT back to back Rugby doesn't get anything from the bugs and logos. About the best picture for my money.

[rednotdead]

ollyprice87 said:

Yeah I don't understand the people whose first thing is to go searching for dead pixels and run load of grey screen tests. If you're happy with the picture, then great.

...and then they take a picture on their phone of the grey test and post it up asking for opinions. Like anyone can see

[Zirconia]

Sod the measuring, do the watching. Stick on 2001, the 4k version disk or watch BBC UHD stuff if it is still on iPlayer.

Don't start me on taking pics

Edit. Let it do its compensation cycle before off at the wall.

Edited by Zirconia on Wednesday 4th March 17:11

[gizlaroc]

It depends what you watch in all honesty.

I watch a Sky News every day, the yellow ticker tape kills off the red pixels on OLEDs.

With OLEDs it is not burn, it is simply that the red pixles wear out (go duller) than the blue and green ones, so leave bright red or yellow (which uses 100% red) ticker tape etc. on screen and those pixels will wear quicker.

I watch around an hour or two of Sky news when I get in from work. I start to get 'burn' after around 18 months or so that you can see on a red screen, by the time it gets to 3 years you can sometimes see it in some scenes, red backgrounds, beach scenes etc. But even then you have to be looking for it.

I'm on my 3rd OLED now, my B7 is now starting to show it occasionally in normal viewing, but not really an issue.
I just presumed I would swap for a newer one, probably a C9 or Panasonic, however, I also have a Sony XE9005 and a XF9005 and they have blown me away. In many respects I prefer them to OLED, cleaner, better colours, better motion, cleaner near black image, and they can go bright when needed.
However, there is something about having a display that can do absolute black on one pixel while showing absolute white on the next pixel that can't be underestimated. The ability to do this also makes OLED a much, much better display for HDR, even though most hi end LCDs should in theory excel in HDR due to the amazing nit level, the reality though is very different.

In all honesty, if I had to replace the B7 OLED tomorrow I would pick up a Samsung Q9FN from 2018, blacks so close to OLED, great motion, colours and goes silly bright if you need it to.


I should just add, static logos etc. are fine, the OLED will dim that area to protect the screen, it is ticker tape that kills the red pixels.