You Inquired: OLED versus QLED at a distance and resolving Dolby Atmos problems.

      On today's episode of You Asked: How long is the lifespan of your OLED TV? Will you really see a difference among various TV types? And what prevents Dolby Atmos from transmitting from your Blu-ray player to your speakers?

      Can you differentiate between OLED and QLED from a distance?

      QLED vs OLED: Bravia 9 vs Sony A95L Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

      @mk1976mk asks: Can an average viewer seated 15 feet away truly discern the difference (between OLED and QLED)?

      If the TVs are placed side by side, yes, you’ll notice a difference, particularly with HDR or content featuring significant contrast. The difference in black levels is noticeable, at least in person. You will likely observe a difference in color as well since it works in conjunction with contrast. Increased contrast enhances color saturation, which often makes OLED better in many instances.

      However, regarding brightness, if you're in a room with windows, a QLED TV might have an edge.

      If the TVs are not side by side, you probably wouldn’t realize what you're missing unless you've used an OLED TV for a while and are accustomed to its display. Most TVs discussed, including various QLED models that continue to improve contrast annually, look impressive on their own and would satisfy 99 percent of viewers with their picture quality.

      What is the expected lifespan of an OLED TV?

      LG C1 OLED Dan Baker / Digital Trends

      @freg1959 asks: I purchased an LG C1 new in December 2021. How long can I expect this model to last? It averages 10 hours of use per day.

      Good news! I believe it will last you a long time, whether you want it to or not.

      According to Consumer Affairs, LG states that their OLEDs can last up to 100,000 hours. Some sources suggest a range between 30,000 and 100,000 hours. That’s quite a broad range, but let's do the math. Watching the TV for 10 hours each day results in 3,650 hours annually. To reach the lower end of that range, it would take more than eight years. At that rate, it would take over 27 years to reach 100,000 hours.

      It’s obvious that I doubt what it means for a TV to last 100,000 hours. I certainly wouldn’t expect the picture quality to remain the same as it was during its early years. Plus, who actually keeps a TV for 27 years? Although some of our parents may have certainly attempted to reach that milestone.

      For your LG OLED, I would be more concerned about the type of content being displayed during those 10 hours daily. If you frequently watch content with static logos on the screen, such as sports or news, be sure to utilize some of LG’s OLED care features.

      Why isn’t Dolby Atmos functioning correctly?

      Digital Trends

      Sebastian asks: Hi, I have a question regarding my home theater setup. My PlayStation 5 Pro is connected to a Govee AI Sync Box 2, which connects to my JBL Bar 1300X soundbar, and that is connected through eARC to my LG C2 OLED TV. When I play 4K Blu-ray discs, my soundbar shows “Dolby TrueHD,” while my console shows “Dolby Atmos (TrueHD).” However, I’ve observed that during scenes that should highlight Dolby Atmos effects, the audio doesn't feel as immersive as when I stream the same content. For instance, in The Batman, during the opening narration with the helicopter flyover, the Atmos effect is clearly noticeable when streaming on HBO Max. Yet, when watching the same scene on the 4K Blu-ray, the overhead effect is significantly less noticeable or seems missing. I’ve done a lot of research but haven’t found a clear explanation. Can you help me understand what might be causing this?

      Hi Sebastian. Thanks for your question. I think I can assist you.

      Govee

      I suspect the issue lies with the Govee AI Sync Box 2. I’m not particularly familiar with that specific device, but from what I’ve seen, it appears there have been passthrough issues. This indicates that it isn’t transmitting the format from the source to the TV or speaker configuration properly. This seems to affect both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

      That could explain why your PS5 indicates Atmos, but your soundbar does not.

      Some users have mentioned that a firmware update resolved their issues. If you haven’t checked for updates and applied them yet, I recommend doing that first.

      If that doesn’t resolve it, consider trying a few different setups.

      You might change the order of your connections by linking your PS5 directly to your soundbar, then to your LG C2 using its eARC port, and then out to the Govee box. Or try connecting PS5 to the TV, then from its eARC out to the