Little Confused Netflix Trouble on TV who should help?

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HI

I bough new LG TV with promise of Surround sound
so I started paying 40% more for netflix,
however netflix 5.1 doesn’t work on that TV.
5.1 does work in general though (other TV apps and Bluray input)

LG after days of support says Netflix bug in their maintained LG Store App, Netflix responsible

Netflix support pines me off to LG.

I’m not sure who I should push more, technology wise I believe the Netflix app is built maintained and is at fault.

But legally and correctly who should I be pushing?
I pay netflix for the service as ongoing revenue
I paid for the LG TV because it say it has UHD Netflix this plan defaults with HD 5.1 sound

Thanks

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Netflix probably do provide the service you pay for, however the TV you have does not then allow you full use of your Netflix and there could another reason for that (see further down for possible reasons).

I am however confused about what you expected from the TV. You first say you bought the TV with the expectation of 5.1 Surround Sound then further down you say you bought it for UHD.

These two terms are not the same, Surround Sound is the way the TV is able to split the sound into at least 4 full channels and one low frequency channel (sub woofer) (this is called 4.1 surround sound) so that when connected to appropriate hardware and speakers you feel as if you are immersed in the sound (there is also 5.1, 7.1 & 9.1 sound systems). The .1 means low frequency channel, so a 5.1 means 5 full spectrum sound channels and one low frequency channel. In layman’s terms this would usually mean 5 speakers and one sub woofer but could mean 4 speakers and a combined sub woofer and speaker set.

UHD refers to the amount of pixels (dots) on a screen and UHD means that on a given screen there should be at least native (design) resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels, along with an aspect ratio of at least 16:9, this level sometimes is called 4K and there is an 8K definition that is 7680 pixels horizontally and 4320 pixels vertically.

Your TV, does it support 5.1 surround sound? If so do you have the extra appropriate hardware to make use of the 5.1 surround sound eg Speakers and possibly amplifier. If you don’t have the extra hardware your TV will not be able to deliver the service you require and you will need to purchase the additional items (or you can choose to remain with stereo sound). If it supports 5.1 and you have the hardware and it still does not provide the service then LG is the responsible party as their product does not meet the stated criteria, and would then be covered under ACL (Australian Consumer Law).

If the Sales person/people made representations as to the fitness for the purpose ie UHD and 5.1 surround sound, you would also probably have a claim under ACL as you would not have purchased the product if you had known of the inability to provide what you wanted. In this case I would be demanding the response from the business you purchased it from in the first instance.

Choice does provide a help service to their members and if you need to contact them to get their help see the following link: https://www.choice.com.au/choice-help-form

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I think I accidentally learnt more from @grahroll 's reply than I expected to today - I remember when it was great to play ‘stereo’ records … dad never sprung for quadraphonic … but I digress …

From this it seems apparent that neither LG nor Netflix are confident in saying what is actually supported? Both companies should know for a given hardware configuration and for a given software release and subscription level exactly what features are and are not supported. For Netflix to palm you back off to LG it would seem to me they should be able to say your expectation on service level for a given configuration scenario is ok, there is a problem with your LG hardware/etc. LG should be able to do the same in the opposite sense.

As @grahroll said though - the terms you’ve used are not interchangeable - you’d need to make sure both LG and Netflix have a very accurate description of your hardware (tele, speakers, amp, etc) config and the rev’s of any relevant firmware.

You also need a clear picture of who has promised you what, very specifically.

[quote=“carlos, post:1, topic:14791, full:true”][…]
I paid for the LG TV because it say it has UHD Netfix
[…]
[/quote]

@Grahroll - does the TV ‘know’ you don’t have the hardware for 5.1 (ie sub and rears?) or does it just pump out herps and derps to channels that aren’t there - blissfully unaware they are vapourising?

Re support - I’m a big fan of dumb screens. I bought a Sony a few years back, it supported youtube and skype and a few things which I used half-heartedly and I plugged a jailbroken apple-tv2 into it for XBMC now Kodi and I have a laptop and a couple of raspberry pi’s and a Chromecast. Surprisingly (not) the in-tele support from Sony has gone the way of the dinosaur. Haven’t seen a software update for ages and apps are either removed or don’t work. I’m glad I use it essentially as a dumb screen. Still works well, pumps a good sound through a couple of external Bose (I get both channels - left and right) which can vacate a room. We typically watch Netflix via the Chromecast, which might be 720? enough for my eyesight for the 30 seconds before I nod off … I’m very wary of smart screens with embedded apps - watch how long they last…

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Have your tried a web search on your model of TV for audio issues? What happens if you include Netflix in that search? Also have you checked that you have the latest version of the Netflix app for your TV? Does your TV have a software auto-update facility? Is it turned on?

Here is my take on the situation just considering the logic. Your TV does render 5.1 sound with some sources but not Netflix. This suggest there is no problem with your hardware per se but with the combination of hardware and software. There are various ways this might happen, a bug in the Netflix software or an incompatibility, such as when the TV (either hardware or software) has been updated and but the Netflix app has not been updated to match. Netflix provides the source sound and video via its stream that is supposed to yield 5.1 sound. Netflix also provides the app that runs on your smart TV that is supposed to render their stream on to your TV including 5.1 sound. My guess is that it is most likely the Netflix app that does not work correctly on your hardware and so it is their responsibility.

How about you ask Netflix to escalate the problem and give them a reasonable time to fix it. If they won’t - walk.

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It doesn’t know per se. You could plug a sound bar or a sound system in that may only pump out 2 real channels but does some “trickery” which provides a “software version” of Surround sound, & of course the sound bar could pump out all the channels (depends on the bar). The TV of course using it’s own speakers ‘realises’ it can’t support S’sound on them so baulks at that.

On reading @carlos’s post more closely, I note they do have 5.1 S’sound for other things. Thus the issue is either Netflix not supplying the necessary stream (I also note that Netflix have a very limited stable of 4K and possibly 5.1 S’sound shows)…unlikely but possible or LG have an app that doesn’t properly support the stream…more likely and probable. The remedy then hinges more on how the product was described by the Sales or if properly described that LG failed to provide a product that worked as required.

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Yes although I do appreciate the long technical description probably helps some visitors

I am also very knowledgeable and a highly aware of the terminology
Netflix HD and UHD does include 5.1 as the default output, so Netflix is unusable without manually changing the audio source every video or changing the TV to default to down scale all outputs to stereo.

My question was not about technology but who is responsible to fix it.
If i pay for an android app from X and X listed as recommend use of a Samsung S6 phone, i wouldn’t contact Samsung to fix the X company App if it doesn’t function on S6?

To make it clear I have a pioneer VSX 521 sound system with ARC over HDMI connected
The TV lg uj752

both are exceptional products and both capable and TV does deliver 5.1 in DD+ and DTS to the Pioneer system.

The TV has a PS4 in HDMI port 3 and delivers 5.1 sound over HDMI via the TV ARC in DTS format,
The TVs LG Youtube app and Video Media player App deliver DD+ 5.1 sound via ARC without concern.

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I’m with you re: dumb screens, i spent fortnights salary on a Samsung Smart TV and they stopped supporting it within a year, the refresh in lineup was incompatible so all apps and webservices stopped working also.
The next TV I got the dumbest i could find maximum number of HDMI best possible picture
for externally easily upgraded and swapped media devices
It was a basic smart toshiba was not very internet nothing internet ever worked from day one but picture was great sound great and menu simple on to last source, 20 button remote.

Picture Quality, Warranty, and usability trumps all,
however Smart TVs are now the minimum product that can be sourced, LG Samsung and Sony don’t produce so called Dumb screens in the field.
You pretty much must get a digital LED computer monitor or advertising display if you want a dumb screen but these are typically significantly more expensive and have no inbuilt audio.

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I placed the information in the thread because I did not know what your capabilities or knowledge were. Some people tell me something doesn’t work, I then start at the basics and move forward testing each step and many times it is the basic stuff that they have not understood or have failed to use properly. I am glad you have the knowledge as it makes it easier to offer other solutions. I also added in a post further down:

Please read my advice with a “grain of salt” as I am not a lawyer and my advice is my opinion.

You purchased the TV because it was sold as if it could do what you wanted it to do, but it can’t. Was it LG or the sales people/person who said it supported the Netflix UHD? If LG made the claim that it has the UHD Netflix support (This is based on your post but I wasn’t sure who you meant by “it”) & LG provide the app on their store to carry out the function you want and it does not do that, they should have removed the app or made known it would not support the Netflix UHD service fully and as they publicised that the TV was able to do it then they need to amend that offer of suitability. That part is not Netfix’s concern, if it doesn’t work on that TV then LG needs to get it fixed and/or advise the UHD Netflix service does not work on it. So the ball resides in LG’s court.

I offered the advice if it was the Sales people who made representations of suitability and they are subsequently incorrect they have to offer you reparations under ACL.

Basically it comes down to you would not have made the purchase if you had been aware that it would not perform what you had been told it would do or had not been accurately described. The part of the ACL that would affect you is:

  • are fit for any purpose that the consumer made known to the business before buying (either expressly or by implication), or the purpose for which the business said it would be fit for
  • have been accurately described

Then this what you are entitled to:

"If you sell a customer a product that fails to meet one or more of the consumer guarantees, they are entitled to a remedy – either a repair, replacement or refund and compensation for any consequential loss – depending on the circumstances.

Generally, if the problem is minor, the seller can choose whether to remedy the problem with a replacement, repair or refund. If you choose to repair and it takes too long, the consumer can get someone else to fix the problem and ask you to pay reasonable costs, or reject the good and get a full refund or replacement.

If the problem is major or cannot be fixed, the consumer can choose to:

  • reject the goods and obtain a full refund or replacement, or
  • keep the goods and seek compensation for the reduction in value of the goods.

A purchased item has a major problem when it:

  • **has a problem that would have stopped someone from buying the item if they had known about it**

  • is unsafe

  • is significantly different from the sample or description

  • **doesn’t do what you said it would, or what the consumer asked for and can’t easily be fixed.**"

So firstly if the Sales made the declaration of suitability get them to offer compensation or rectify the problem, this could among other things be a refund, or replacement with a suitable offer, you might need to pay the difference if the replacement is a dearer model/make.

Then if that is not what transpired and instead it was LG’s assertion that it could then LG need to make good, and the ACL makes clear what that fix can be as addressed above. This doesn’t mean that the Store that sold you the item is not responsible…they are and you can seek the remedy from them…again from your rights come this:

“The seller also must not refuse to deal with a customer about the returned good and tell them to deal with the manufacturer instead.”

Also if you are a member of Choice I do strongly recommend you contact their help service to get their advice and support. I mentioned the form link in my first post if you need it.

While reading forums about your issue my impression was Sony and Samsung support the Netflix UHD playback more actively than LG do. This may be, brand wise, something to explore if you do decide to change TVs.

If you haven’t already gone to Netflix’s Help section on 5.1 sound issues the link is Can't get 5.1 surround sound and their final bit of advice in this section is “If you are still experiencing issues with 5.1 audio, your current setup may not be supported. To get back to streaming, try switching to stereo as an alternate to 5.1.”

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