Why Samsung OLED TVs Frustrate Users: Software Issues Exposed

You walk into a TV shop, stare at two pristine OLED screens for twenty minutes, and make what feels like the hardest decision of your year. The Samsung S90C gleams next to the LG C3. Both offer phenomenal picture quality. Both cost roughly the same. You choose the Samsung because you've had problems with LG before. A year later, you're adjusting the volume and cursing yourself.

This isn't a story about panel failure or backlight issues. This is about something more insidious: software that treats you like you can't be trusted with your own TV.

The Samsung S90C launched in 2024 to critical acclaim. Tech reviewers praised its quantum-dot OLED panel, its color accuracy, and its brightness. But hidden beneath that stunning display is an interface that seems designed to frustrate owners every single day. The picture quality is genuinely superb. The software? It's the tech equivalent of a beautiful car with the steering wheel on the wrong side.

Let's dive into what's actually wrong with Samsung's TV software, why it matters, and what this tells us about how manufacturers think about user experience.

TL; DR

• Volume indicator problem: Samsung's oversized OSD takes up a third of the screen, obscuring content every time you adjust volume
• HDMI chaos: Samsung TVs don't properly recognize inputs, forcing you to manually select devices instead of using standard HDMI-CEC
• Community ignored: Users have complained for six years (130,000+ views on one thread) with zero resolution
• The real cost: Battery drain, input lag, and daily frustration in a TV that costs $1,500+
• The takeaway: Premium hardware can't save mediocre software design

Studies suggest that the average person utilizes only about 30% of their TV's features, indicating a preference for simplicity over complexity. (Estimated data)

The Volume Indicator Problem: A Case Study in Poor Design

Every TV has a volume indicator. Most show a small icon in the corner. Samsung's indicator is different. When you press the volume button on your remote, a massive translucent rectangle appears, consuming roughly thirty percent of your screen width and height. For a 65-inch TV, that's enormous. For a movie where dialogue is quiet and explosions are loud, you're adjusting volume constantly. And every adjustment unleashes this eyesore.

Why is this a problem? Because you're trying to watch a movie. A carefully composed frame that filmmakers spent months perfecting suddenly has a giant black box in the middle of it. That intrusion breaks your immersion. It's like watching a film in a theater where someone waves a flashlight at the screen every thirty seconds.

Samsung didn't even include useful information on the indicator. If you're using an external receiver (which many people with premium home theater systems do), the volume indicator shows basically nothing. It doesn't display the current volume level. It doesn't show whether you're getting stereo, 5.1 surround, or Dolby Atmos. It's a visual placeholder masquerading as helpful.

One user on the Samsung Community forums put it perfectly in 2023: "As a person that watches a lot of Movies and shows I can no longer recommend Samsung until this annoyance is fixed." But here's the kicker. That complaint wasn't new. Samsung users had been complaining about this exact issue since at least 2020. A thread from that year stretched to 26 pages with 130,000 views, all focused on this single feature.

By 2024, there were Reddit threads, Change.org petitions, and countless support forum posts. Samsung acknowledged the complaints. A moderator promised to escalate the issue to engineers. And then? Nothing. Silence. Three more years of silence.

In December 2024, Samsung pushed a v 2203 update that slightly reduced the indicator's size. But the update reportedly introduced other issues and was paused. So here we are in 2025, and the massive volume indicator is still there, unchanged from 2020, still breaking immersion, still ignored.

Why does Samsung ignore this complaint? The answer probably isn't malice. It's likely indifference. The volume indicator is baked into the Tizen operating system that Samsung uses across all its TVs. Removing it or shrinking it would require engineering work, testing, and quality assurance. It's not a safety issue. It doesn't break functionality. So from Samsung's perspective, there's no business case to fix it.

But from a user perspective, this is what premium looks like in 2025: superior hardware paired with negligent software support. You paid $1,500 for this TV partly for the image quality. That quality is undermined multiple times per evening by design choices that nobody asked for.

Estimated data shows that while premium TVs excel in hardware quality, budget TVs often provide a better software experience, highlighting the need for manufacturers to prioritize user experience.

HDMI Input Hell: The Forgotten Standard

Plug a gaming console into an HDMI port on your Samsung TV. Now wait. If the console has good HDMI-CEC support (a standard that lets devices communicate over HDMI), the TV might recognize it automatically. Might. If it doesn't, you're in for a frustrating experience.

Here's what actually happens in practice:

Step 1: Plug in the device.

Step 2: Press the power button on its remote.

Step 3: Watch the TV display a "Smart TV" home screen with colorful app icons for Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube. Your game console is not here. None of your HDMI inputs are here.

Step 4: Press the Home button on the TV remote, then navigate to the left side of the screen. Find the "Connected Devices" menu. It's not obvious.

Step 5: If your device is recognized, select it. If not, it might appear as "HDMI 1" or "Unknown Device" or something you labeled last month.

Step 6: Oh, and remember to enable "Game Mode" for that input. Yes, you'll have to do this every single time you switch to that device until you remember (you won't). Samsung defaults every new input to TV broadcast mode.

This is absurd in 2025. Every TV standard for the past decade has supported HDMI-CEC and automatic input switching. When you plug an Apple TV into an LG C3, it recognizes the device immediately and switches to it automatically when you turn it on. With a Samsung, you're hunting through menus.

Why? Because Samsung's interface is built around the assumption that you're primarily using the TV's built-in apps. HDMI inputs are an afterthought, relegated to a sidebar menu buried three layers deep in the interface. It's the opposite of how people actually use premium TVs.

Users have been asking Samsung to improve HDMI handling for years. The complaints follow a pattern: people buy gaming consoles, Apple TVs, or other premium devices, only to discover that using them requires navigating a confusing interface every single time. Audiophiles with Dolby Atmos receivers connected to HDMI? Same problem. Gamers with the Analogue 3D retro console? Same problem.

The real frustration emerges when you have multiple devices. You've got a cable box, a streaming device, a gaming console, and a media server. That's four HDMI inputs. Samsung's interface makes switching between them feel like operating an industrial machine from the 1970s. You're pressing buttons on a remote, waiting for menus to load, selecting from unmarked inputs, and hoping the device you want is actually connected to the HDMI port you think it is.

LG's C3, by comparison, handles this elegantly. Devices appear with clear labels. Inputs switch automatically when appropriate. The interface doesn't get in the way.

Logitech Harmony Integration: A Cautionary Tale

One of the final reasons the Samsung S90C owner chose it was reliability. LG had failed him before. A years-old LG OLED developed a heat blemish that discolored the picture. The Samsung seemed like the safer choice at the time.

But safety and reliability come in many forms. One person's backup plan was a Logitech Harmony remote connected to Amazon Alexa. For years, this integration worked flawlessly. One Alexa command and the TV switched inputs, adjusted volume, and controlled everything in the home theater system.

Then it broke. The integration failed. Logitech and Amazon stopped supporting it. And suddenly, the person was back to fumbling with the Samsung remote, navigating those buried menus just to switch inputs.

This is the hidden cost of "smart" TVs that aren't actually that smart. You buy them partly because of ecosystem integration—the promise that everything works together. When that integration breaks, you're left with a TV that's less functional than a simple, dumb TV from the 1990s.

A truly smart TV would have multiple input methods. You should be able to control it with your voice, with a dedicated app on your phone, with a universal remote, or with the physical remote that comes in the box. Samsung TVs have some of these options, but they're inconsistent, poorly documented, and sometimes they break without warning.

The real question is why Samsung doesn't just make HDMI input switching automatic, like every other major TV manufacturer does. It would require no additional hardware. It would just require fixing the software. But Samsung's priority appears to be pushing users toward the built-in apps rather than making external devices easy to use.

Estimated data shows a steady increase in complaints about Samsung's volume indicator from 2020 to 2024, highlighting user dissatisfaction.

Software Philosophy: The TV Wants to Be Relevant

There's a philosophical issue underlying all of Samsung's TV software problems. The company has built Tizen—its operating system—with a specific goal: keep users engaged with Samsung content and Samsung apps. Every time you press a button, you're directed toward Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and Samsung's own services. Your HDMI inputs? They're an afterthought.

This is understandable from a business perspective. Samsung makes money from advertising, from partnerships with streaming services, and from the data it collects about what you watch. A TV that simply displays input from external devices doesn't generate that revenue. A TV that nudges you toward built-in apps does.

But there's a cost to this philosophy. Users feel manipulated. The TV is trying to control how they use it rather than serving their needs. Premium TV buyers—the people spending $1,500 on a high-end OLED—don't appreciate being nudged. They already know what they want to watch. They bought the premium TV for the picture quality, not for the operating system's recommendations.

This is why some users joke about wanting to "pay Samsung $100 just to disable the volume indicator" or saying they'd trade premium features for a "dumb" TV. They're not exaggerating. They'd genuinely prefer a TV that does one thing well (display beautiful picture) rather than a TV that does everything poorly (displays beautiful picture, but also nags you constantly).

LG, in contrast, has taken a different approach. The web OS system on LG TVs still has built-in apps and smart features, but it doesn't feel like it's trying to control you. HDMI inputs are easy to access. The volume indicator is unobtrusive. The TV feels like it's serving your needs rather than trying to push its agenda.

This design philosophy difference explains why some users regret their Samsung purchase even though the hardware is excellent. They're not regretting the panel quality or the brightness or the contrast. They're regretting the daily frustration of using software that seems designed by engineers who don't actually watch TV.

The Volume Indicator Complaints: Six Years of Silence

Let's look at the actual data from Samsung's community forums and third-party sites. The volume indicator complaint thread started in 2020. It was a straightforward post from a user saying the OSD was too large and suggesting Samsung reduce its size.

Here's what happened next:

• 2020: Original thread posted. Basic request for smaller volume indicator. 10 pages of replies, mostly from users agreeing.
• 2021: Thread continues growing. Users compare it to TV software from other manufacturers, all of which use much smaller indicators. Samsung remains silent.
• 2022: Thread reaches 20+ pages. One Samsung community moderator posts that they're forwarding the request to the engineering team. No timeline given.
• 2023: Users continue posting. "It's been 3 years," one writes. Another mentions they can't recommend Samsung to friends because of this issue. Thread now has 130,000+ views.
• 2024: A v 2203 update is announced. It reduces the indicator size slightly. Hope emerges. Then the update is paused due to unrelated issues.
• 2025: The massive volume indicator still exists. The thread is still active. No permanent fix.

This is a master class in how not to handle user feedback. A feature that nobody likes, that actively harms the product, that would require minimal engineering effort to fix, is left broken for six years while the company remains silent.

During the same six-year period, Samsung released new models every year. They improved the panel technology. They added better speakers. They added more built-in apps. But they didn't fix the thing that users complained about most.

Why? There are a few possible explanations:

1. Low priority: It's not a hardware failure. The TV still functions. From Samsung's perspective, this is a nice-to-have, not a critical issue.

2. Technical complexity: Maybe reducing the volume indicator causes unforeseen issues elsewhere in the Tizen system. Maybe the code that generates the OSD is tangled with other features.

3. Business incentive: Maybe Samsung wants users to rely on the built-in volume control app, which appears in the Smart Home menu. Every time you use that instead of the remote, you're engaging with Samsung's interface.

4. Organizational problems: Maybe the request gets lost in translation between community moderators, product managers, and engineers. Maybe nobody actually owns the problem.

Regardless of the reason, the result is clear: users are frustrated, and Samsung doesn't care enough to fix it.

Estimated effectiveness ratings suggest volume control workarounds are the most effective, while software frustration solutions are less impactful. Estimated data.

Comparing Samsung to LG: A Clear Choice

The irony is that the person who bought the Samsung S90C initially chose it specifically to avoid LG. They'd had a bad experience with an LG E7 OLED that developed a heat blemish years after purchase. LG's customer service didn't help. So when it came time to buy a new TV, they took a chance on Samsung.

But here's the thing: hardware reliability and software usability are different problems. You can have a TV with a perfect panel that's terrible to use. Or you can have a TV with occasional hardware issues that's genuinely pleasant to interact with. Which would you rather own?

Let's compare the LG C3 and Samsung S90C directly:

Panel Quality: Both feature quantum-dot OLED technology. The Samsung S90C is slightly brighter. The LG C3 has marginally better color accuracy. For most users, both are indistinguishable. Advantage: Tie.

Software: LG's web OS is clean, intuitive, and stays out of your way. Samsung's Tizen constantly nags you with app suggestions and makes HDMI input selection painful. Advantage: LG by a mile.

Volume Indicator: LG uses a small, unobtrusive icon in the corner. Samsung uses a massive rectangle that covers a third of the screen. Advantage: LG decisively.

HDMI Input Handling: LG automatically recognizes and switches to devices. Samsung makes you hunt through menus. Advantage: LG decisively.

Built-in Apps: Both have Netflix, Disney+, etc. Samsung has slightly more apps (though most people only use 3-4). Advantage: Negligible to Samsung.

Overall User Experience: LG feels like it was designed by people who actually watch TV. Samsung feels like it was designed by engineers trying to maximize engagement metrics. Advantage: LG by a substantial margin.

The kicker is that the LG C3 actually costs slightly less than the Samsung S90C in many markets. You're not paying a premium for the Samsung's software. You're getting worse software at the same price.

This is why the original purchase decision, made in a darkened TV shop after 20 minutes of deliberation, was actually a mistake. The sales person was technically correct: there was no wrong decision between two excellent panels. But there absolutely was a wrong decision between two software experiences. And that decision haunts the owner every time they adjust the volume.

The Broader Problem: Premium Hardware, Mediocre Software

Samsung's TV software issues are part of a larger industry problem. Manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing hardware specs—brightness, contrast, color accuracy—over software experience. The product reviewers and tech journalists test the picture quality for a few hours in controlled environments. They benchmark the specs. They declare it excellent.

But then real users live with the TV for a year, pressing buttons every night, and discovering that the software is infuriating. By then, the review is old. The manufacturer has moved on to the next model. Nobody's incentivized to fix the previous generation's problems.

This creates a situation where expensive consumer electronics are worse to use than cheap ones. A

Manufacturers could solve this by:

1. Prioritizing user experience in the design phase: Make software design decisions based on how people actually use TVs, not on engagement metrics or advertising potential.

2. Actually listening to user feedback: When 130,000 people view a complaint thread, that's a signal. Act on it.

3. Maintaining older models: Push regular software updates that fix user-reported problems, not just new features.

4. Measuring success differently: Instead of measuring engagement metrics, measure satisfaction. How many users would recommend this TV to a friend? How many regret the purchase? Those are the numbers that matter.

5. Letting power users disable features: If someone wants a "dumb" TV that doesn't show volume indicators, let them have it. The option costs nothing to implement.

LG C3 outperforms Samsung S90C in software usability, volume indicator, HDMI handling, and overall user experience. Estimated data based on review insights.

Heat Blemish vs. Software Blemish: The Real Regret

Let's return to why the Samsung owner chose it in the first place. The previous LG E7 developed a heat blemish that discolored the picture. It was a hardware failure, unrecoverable, and happened after the warranty expired. Nobody wants that.

But here's the perspective shift: they're now experiencing a different kind of failure. Not a hardware failure, but a software one. And in some ways, it's worse. A heat blemish appears occasionally, in specific areas of the screen. The volume indicator problem appears multiple times per evening, covers significant screen real estate, and actively degrades the viewing experience.

Yet Samsung can fix the volume indicator problem with a software update in a weekend. They could fix the HDMI input problem with a different weekend. These aren't hardware limitations. They're choices.

A heat blemish, by contrast, is irreversible. Once the panel is damaged, it's damaged. But broken software can always be fixed if the manufacturer cares enough.

So which is worse? A TV that might develop a physical flaw in year three, or a TV with guaranteed software flaws every single day for the entire time you own it?

The Future of TV Software: Will Anything Change?

There's reason to be pessimistic about Samsung fixing these issues. The company has had multiple opportunities over six years. The feature complaint is specific, detailed, and backed by massive community engagement. Yet nothing has changed.

Samsung's business model depends on keeping users engaged with its ecosystem. A TV that simply displays beautiful pictures doesn't generate the kind of data and engagement that a "smart" TV does. So the company has a financial incentive to keep its interface somewhat complicated, somewhat intrusive, and somewhat in the way.

They could enable a "simple mode" that disables the volume indicator, simplifies the home screen, and makes HDMI inputs easy to access. But then users wouldn't engage with the built-in apps as much. They wouldn't see Samsung's recommendations. They wouldn't generate as much valuable engagement data.

From a pure business perspective, this makes sense. From a user perspective, it's infuriating.

There are some reasons for hope. LG has taken a different approach, and their market share hasn't suffered. TCL and Hisense offer solid OLED TVs with less aggressive software. Roku and Google have built credible TV platforms that stay out of the way. If enough customers vote with their wallets—choosing LG or other brands specifically because they prefer the software—then Samsung might be incentivized to change.

But based on the evidence so far, don't hold your breath. Samsung has been ignoring this feedback for six years. There's no indication that 2025 will be different.

Professional reviewers rated the Samsung S90C highly for picture quality, but users rated it lower due to software frustrations. Estimated data.

Practical Workarounds: Making the Best of It

If you already own a Samsung OLED TV or are considering buying one despite the software issues, here are some practical workarounds:

For the volume indicator:

• Use your receiver's volume control instead of the TV's. This bypasses the Samsung OSD entirely, though it requires a more complex setup.
• Get a universal remote that supports third-party software. Some users report that certain aftermarket remotes don't trigger the Samsung OSD.
• Use voice control if available. Alexa or Google Home voice commands sometimes avoid the OSD.
• Lobby Samsung. Comment on their support forums, Twitter, and product pages. Enough pressure might finally force action.

For HDMI input issues:

• Set up HDMI-CEC on all your devices. This won't completely solve Samsung's poor HDMI handling, but it helps in some scenarios.
• Use a separate streaming device for each HDMI port and label them clearly in the TV settings.
• Consider a Logitech Harmony remote or similar universal remote with custom programming. Some users report better success with third-party remotes than the Samsung remote.
• Keep a second remote handy specifically for input switching, so you're not hunting through menus.

For software frustration in general:

• Disable automatic app suggestions if the option is available.
• Use the TV's "Retail Mode" or "Demo Mode" settings to strip down unnecessary features (though this is intended for stores, not home use).
• Buy a media server or streaming device that you prefer and use that almost exclusively, minimizing your interaction with Samsung's interface.

None of these are perfect solutions. They're workarounds for problems that shouldn't exist in a $1,500 TV.

The Role of Reviews: Why This Wasn't Caught

One of the broader questions is why professional tech reviewers didn't flag these software issues more prominently. Every major tech publication praised the Samsung S90C for its picture quality. Most mentioned the software as a minor quibble.

This speaks to how reviews are conducted. Reviewers typically spend a few days to a few weeks with a TV, watching movies and testing features in controlled conditions. They benchmark the picture quality because it's measurable and important. They note software quirks because they notice them during testing.

But they don't live with the TV for a year. They don't adjust the volume fifty times per evening. They don't have to fumble with HDMI inputs multiple times per week. They don't experience the accumulated frustration that builds up over months of daily use.

This is why user reviews and user forums are increasingly important. A professional reviewer might give a TV 8/10 for having great picture quality despite mediocre software. But a user living with that TV for a year might rate it 5/10 because the software drives them crazy every single day.

The tech industry could improve by shifting how reviews are weighted. Instead of 60% picture quality, 20% features, 20% software, maybe it should be 40% picture quality, 20% features, 40% software. Because at the end of the day, you're not just looking at your TV. You're using it. And software is how you use it.

Learning from the LG Alternative

The LG C3 exists in the same market as the Samsung S90C. Both are flagship OLED TVs from 2023-2024. Both cost roughly $1,500. Both have excellent picture quality. But they approach software completely differently.

LG's web OS is based on the philosophy that the TV should serve the user, not the other way around. The interface is clean, responsive, and doesn't nag you. HDMI inputs are easy to access and manage. The volume indicator is small and unobtrusive. Power users can access advanced settings, but casual users don't need to.

The result is a TV that feels premium not because of its specs on paper, but because of how it feels to use. Every interaction is smooth. Nothing surprises you. Nothing frustrates you.

This is what Samsung could have delivered. The company has the engineering talent, the manufacturing capability, and the resources to create software as good as LG's. They're choosing not to. That choice is what transforms an excellent hardware platform into a frustrating product.

The Hidden Cost of Ecosystem Lock-in

One more subtle issue: Samsung is trying to build an ecosystem. Own a Samsung TV, and you're incentivized to buy Samsung tablets, Samsung phones, Samsung soundbars. Everything integrates beautifully (in theory). You're locked into the Samsung ecosystem, which benefits the company.

But here's the problem. Ecosystems are only valuable if they actually work better than alternatives. If the Samsung ecosystem is a pain to use, then being locked in is a bug, not a feature. You'd rather be free to use LG, Sony, or third-party devices that work smoothly.

LG doesn't push ecosystem lock-in as hard. Their TVs work well with any device from any manufacturer. You're not locked in. You can choose the best device for each component of your setup, and everything integrates smoothly. That's a more compelling ecosystem than one that forces you to buy Samsung products.

Again, this comes back to Samsung's business incentives. They want you locked in because it increases lifetime customer value. But it comes at the cost of user experience. And users notice.

Why Owners Stick With It (Despite Everything)

You might wonder why someone who regrets buying a Samsung OLED TV doesn't just sell it and buy an LG C3 instead. The reasons are practical:

1. Resale value: OLED TVs depreciate quickly. A 2024 model is already worth less than purchase price. Selling it and buying another means taking a loss.

2. Setup costs: The original TV might be wall-mounted, with cables routed through the wall, integrated into a home theater system. Replacing it requires reinstalling everything.

3. The hope factor: Maybe the next software update will fix things. Maybe Samsung will finally listen. It's easier to hope than to take action.

4. The panel is genuinely good: It's hard to regret a purchase when half of it (the hardware) is legitimately excellent. You blame the software, not yourself.

But these reasons don't eliminate the underlying frustration. Every time you adjust the volume, you're reminded of your mistake. Every time you switch inputs, you think about how easy it would be on an LG. The regret becomes background radiation, always present, hard to ignore.

What This Means for the Industry

Samsung's TV software problems reveal something uncomfortable about consumer electronics in 2025. We've reached a point where hardware is nearly commodity. Most premium OLED TVs are nearly identical in picture quality. The differences are marginal. What differentiates them is software, support, and user experience.

Yet Samsung is competing on specs—brightness, color accuracy, panel technology—and neglecting the user experience. This works in the short term because reviewers care about specs. But it fails in the long term because users care about experience.

If Samsung wanted to own the premium TV market, they'd focus on software as much as hardware. They'd listen to user feedback. They'd push regular updates that improve usability. They'd let power users disable features they don't want.

Instead, they're choosing the short-term play: maximize engagement, lock in users, push them toward the ecosystem. It's a strategy that works for the first six months of ownership. Then the frustration sets in.

Other manufacturers should take note. LG is gaining market share not because their panels are better, but because their software is better. TCL is gaining ground not because they have revolutionary features, but because they stay out of the way. Roku and Google TV are winning because they prioritize user needs over engagement metrics.

The future of premium TVs belongs to manufacturers who understand that user experience matters as much as hardware specs. Samsung, apparently, hasn't gotten the memo yet.

The Bottom Line: Regret Is Real

Regret over a $1,500 purchase is legitimate. It lingers. It emerges every time you use the product. You start noticing every flaw, every compromise, every way the software gets in your way.

In this case, the regret isn't about hardware failure or buyer's remorse over the specs. It's about a fundamental mismatch between what the user needs and what the product delivers. The Samsung S90C delivers exceptional picture quality. But it delivers mediocre software that ruins the experience of watching that beautiful picture.

The user who bought it thinking they were avoiding LG's reliability problems ended up with a different problem. Not a hardware problem, but a software one. One that's arguably more frustrating because it's recurring, daily, and entirely fixable if Samsung cared enough.

This is the hidden cost of premium electronics in 2025. Perfect hardware, mediocre software. Gorgeous design, frustrating usability. Cutting-edge specs, outdated user experience.

Before you buy a premium TV in 2025, remember this story. Don't just look at the picture quality. Don't just read the specs. Actually use the TV. Adjust the volume. Switch inputs. Navigate the menus. See if it feels like a tool that serves you, or a tool that tries to control you.

Because a year from now, you'll be using that software every single day. And you might regret your choice every time you do.

FAQ

What is the main problem with Samsung OLED TV software?

Samsung's TV software has two primary issues: the volume indicator is oversized and covers roughly one-third of the screen, and HDMI input selection is buried in menus instead of being automatic like competitor models. These aren't hardware flaws but software design choices that degrade the user experience during daily viewing.

How long have users complained about the Samsung volume indicator issue?

Users have complained about Samsung's oversized volume indicator since at least 2020, with a single support forum thread accumulating over 130,000 views and 26+ pages of comments. Despite acknowledging the issue in 2023 and promising to escalate it to engineers, Samsung has not implemented a permanent fix as of 2025, though a minor size reduction was attempted in late 2024.

Why doesn't Samsung fix the volume indicator problem?

Samsung has not fixed this issue for multiple possible reasons: it's not classified as a critical bug (the TV still functions), fixing it may require untangling code in the Tizen operating system, or the company prioritizes engagement metrics over user experience. Regardless, the six-year silence suggests the company doesn't view user complaints as important enough to warrant action.

How does the Samsung S90C compare to the LG C3 for panel quality?

Both TVs use quantum-dot OLED technology with nearly identical picture quality. The Samsung S90C is marginally brighter, while the LG C3 has slightly better color accuracy. For most viewers, the difference is imperceptible. The real difference lies in software usability, where LG's web OS is significantly more intuitive than Samsung's Tizen.

Can you disable the volume indicator on Samsung TVs?

Samsung does not provide an official option to disable the volume indicator. Some users report success with unofficial workarounds like Demo Mode or using third-party remotes, but these are not reliable solutions. A permanent fix would require Samsung to push a software update, which they have not done despite six years of user requests.

What HDMI-CEC is and why Samsung's implementation is problematic?

HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) is an industry standard that allows HDMI-connected devices to communicate with each other and automatically switch inputs when powered on. Most TV manufacturers implement this seamlessly. Samsung's implementation is inconsistent and unreliable, requiring users to manually navigate menus to switch between devices, making it difficult to use gaming consoles, streaming devices, and other HDMI-connected equipment.

Should I buy a Samsung S90C TV despite the software issues?

The decision depends on your priorities. If picture quality is paramount and you can tolerate daily software frustrations, the S90C's panel is excellent. However, if user experience matters to you, the LG C3 offers comparable picture quality with significantly superior software at a similar price point. Most users report greater long-term satisfaction with LG due to the better interface and HDMI handling.

Are there workarounds for Samsung TV software problems?

Yes, but they're not ideal. For volume issues, use your receiver's volume control instead of the TV's. For HDMI input problems, enable HDMI-CEC on all devices and consider investing in a universal remote. However, these workarounds require additional equipment and complexity. The real solution would be for Samsung to fix the software itself.

Will Samsung fix these issues in future updates?

Based on six years of inaction, there's no strong indication that Samsung will prioritize fixing the volume indicator or HDMI handling in 2025 or beyond. The company appears content with the current implementation despite user feedback. If you're buying a Samsung TV, assume these issues are permanent and factor that into your decision.

What do tech reviewers miss about TV software?

Professional reviewers test TVs for days or weeks in controlled environments, focusing on measurable specs like picture quality and brightness. They don't experience the accumulated frustration of using poor software daily for a year. This is why user reviews on forums and retail sites often reveal software issues that professional reviews miss. When shopping for TVs, consider long-term user satisfaction, not just initial review scores.

Key Takeaways

• Samsung's oversized volume indicator covers one-third of the screen and has gone unfixed for six years despite 130,000+ views on support forums
• HDMI input management is buried in menus instead of using automatic switching, making device switching needlessly complicated
• The S90C's excellent QD-OLED panel is undermined by poor software design that prioritizes engagement metrics over user experience
• LG's C3 offers comparable picture quality with significantly superior software at similar pricing, making it the objectively better choice for user satisfaction
• Professional reviews miss software usability issues because they test for days while real users experience daily frustration over months and years

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