Smart home technician helping fix SmartThings Hub HDR color issues

Steve H.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Samsung TV & SmartThings Hub, HDR10/HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HDMI 2.0/2.1, game consoles, streaming boxes, color calibration, Smart Calibration via SmartThings app

SmartThings Hub HDR colors look wrong — washed out, too dark, or over-saturated

Technician avatar Technician
Hey! Let’s track down why your SmartThings Hub is giving you wrong colors in HDR and make movies and games look normal again — without a technician visit.
A few quick questions so we don’t just poke random picture settings:
• What TV and SmartThings device are you using — Samsung 4K TV with the SmartThings Hub built in, or a separate Aeotec Smart Home Hub controlling scenes?
• When HDR is on, do colors look washed out and grey, too dark, or over-saturated / neon? Any green or pink tint?
• Does the issue happen only with HDR content (Netflix 4K HDR, Disney+, PS5/Xbox, Apple TV 4K) or also with normal SDR TV?
• Have you recently run Smart Calibration in the SmartThings app, changed picture mode, or updated TV / SmartThings firmware?
The more detail you share, the easier it is to fix your SmartThings Hub HDR wrong colors instead of just turning HDR off completely.
Customer
Samsung QLED 4K TV with SmartThings. I used the SmartThings Smart Calibration a few days ago and since then HDR looks terrible. On Netflix and Apple TV 4K, HDR movies are either too dark or weirdly washed out, skin tones look grey, and bright colors are neon. SDR looks fine. It feels like the SmartThings Hub is forcing wrong HDR colors or gamma. I didn’t touch HDMI cables, just used the app.
Technician avatar Technician
Got it, that’s a classic HDR color problem after SmartThings calibration.
A few things can cause wrong colors in HDR through SmartThings:
• Smart Calibration may have locked in incorrect gamma or color space for HDR while SDR stayed fine.
• The TV might be using a separate HDR picture mode for that HDMI input (Movie, Standard, Game HDR) with different color and tone mapping.
• HDMI input format (HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus) can be off, so your Apple TV or console sends HDR but the TV interprets the signal incorrectly.
• Mismatch between the TV’s black level / RGB range and the source’s output range — this often causes washed-out HDR or crushed blacks.

We’ll:
1) Check the TV’s HDR picture mode and reset only the HDR calibration.
2) Make sure the HDMI input is configured correctly for 4K HDR.
3) Align the Apple TV / console HDR output and color format.
If needed, we’ll re-run Smart Calibration via SmartThings in a safer way so HDR looks natural again.
Customer
The main HDMI input is used for my Apple TV 4K and PS5. With HDR on, faces look grey and highlights are blown out. If I force the Apple TV to SDR only, colors are fine again. I did notice the TV switches into a different picture mode when HDR triggers. So I guess the HDR picture settings with SmartThings are messed up now.
Technician avatar Technician
Exactly — Samsung TVs keep separate settings for HDR vs SDR and sometimes SmartThings calibrates one more aggressively than the other.
Step 1 — Fix the TV’s HDR picture mode
1) Play a known HDR title (Netflix, Disney+, or an HDR test video) so the TV switches into HDR mode.
2) On the TV, go to Settings > Picture. Confirm which mode HDR is using — ideally Movie or Filmmaker for normal viewing, or Game for consoles.
3) In Picture Expert settings, look for a Reset Picture option and reset only that input/mode so we undo any extreme Smart Calibration values.
4) Turn off aggressive processing for HDR for now: disable Dynamic Contrast, Contrast Enhancer, and crazy color enhancements that can make HDR skin tones look wrong.

After that reset, check quickly: with HDR still on, do the SmartThings Hub HDR wrong colors look any better (even if not perfect), or is it still totally off?
Customer
After resetting the HDR picture mode for that HDMI, it’s a bit better. Not as neon, but still kind of washed out. Blacks look grey and the HDR picture doesn’t “pop”. Built-in apps on the TV using HDR looks okay. It’s really worse through HDMI and SmartThings scenes that change the mode.
Technician avatar Technician
Good, we’re getting somewhere. If HDR from built-in apps looks fine but HDR over HDMI looks wrong, that points at HDMI signal / color space on that input.
Step 2 — Check HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus
1) On the TV, go to Settings > General > External Device Manager (or a similar menu) and find HDMI UHD Color or Input Signal Plus.
2) Make sure it’s enabled for the HDMI port the Apple TV and PS5 use. This tells the TV to expect full-bandwidth 4K HDR signals.

Step 3 — Black level and color space for HDR
3) Still on that HDMI input, check Picture > Expert Settings for Black Level or HDMI Video Range — set it to Auto or Limited if your device outputs Limited, not Full.
4) Set Color Space to Auto or Native first; if colors still look wrong, try a manual “Custom” color space recommended for your model.

Sometimes SmartThings scenes or the initial SmartThings Hub setup tag that input as “PC” or “Game”, changing color handling. After adjusting HDMI UHD Color and black level, check HDR again — any improvement in contrast and color?
Customer
Turning on Input Signal Plus for that HDMI helped a lot. HDR is brighter and less washed out. But some scenes are still a bit off. Blues and reds look slightly pushed. I think Smart Calibration in SmartThings changed something for HDR only. Is there a way to fix SmartThings HDR calibration without breaking SDR?
Technician avatar Technician
Yes — and we’ll also make sure the source devices aren’t forcing strange HDR formats.
Step 4 — Soften or re-run SmartThings Smart Calibration
• Open the SmartThings app, select your TV, and look for Smart Calibration.
• If you previously used the “Pro” or advanced mode, try the Basic calibration instead, which makes smaller changes and usually avoids extreme HDR gamma shifts.
• You can also reset calibration for that TV in SmartThings and then re-run it only in a moderately lit room, pointing the phone camera directly at the screen as Samsung suggests.

Step 5 — Fix HDR output settings on Apple TV / consoles
• On Apple TV 4K, go to Settings > Video and Audio. Set Format to 4K SDR and enable Match Dynamic Range and Match Frame Rate — this stops the box from forcing HDR on everything and respects true HDR content.
• On PS5/Xbox, check that Resolution is 4K, HDR is on “On When Supported”, and Color Format is set to YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit or Auto. Avoid strange “PC RGB Full” combinations that can cause washed out HDR if the TV expects Limited.

After that, test a couple of HDR titles again. Many SmartThings Hub wrong HDR color cases disappear once TV calibration, HDMI color space, and source output are all aligned.
Customer
I reset the SmartThings calibration to Basic and changed Apple TV to 4K SDR with Match Range. HDR now only kicks in on actual HDR content and it looks way better. Blacks are black again and the washed out HDR is mostly gone. PS5 also looks more natural after changing the color format. The SmartThings Hub HDR colors are almost normal now.
Technician avatar Technician
Nice — that’s exactly what we want to see.
One extra thing to check: sometimes SmartThings Hub scenes change picture mode behind the scenes and accidentally pull HDR into a bad mode.
Step 6 — Clean up SmartThings scenes that affect HDR
• In the SmartThings app, review your Automations/Scenes that run when you start “Movie Night”, “Gaming”, etc.
• Remove any steps that directly force a specific picture mode unless you really need them.
• Make sure you’re not switching between a calibrated Movie HDR mode and an overly bright Dynamic mode in the same scene — that can make colors look wrong whenever the hub runs automation.

From now on, let the TV handle HDR picture mode automatically and only fine-tune it manually when you’re actually watching HDR content.
Customer
I had a “Movie Night” scene that was forcing Dynamic mode. I removed that action, and now HDR looks the same whether I start it from the remote or SmartThings. Colors look way more natural. Anything else I should tweak for the best HDR picture without totally messing it up again?
Technician avatar Technician
Great catch — that explains a lot.
Best practices so SmartThings HDR colors stay correct
• Pick one HDR picture mode you like (usually Movie or Filmmaker) and leave it as the default for TV and movie apps.
• Use Game Mode only for consoles if you really need the lower input lag; calibrate that mode separately so HDR isn’t oversharpened or blown out.
• Keep HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus enabled on ports you use for HDR sources.
• If you use Smart Calibration via SmartThings again, start with Basic mode and save Pro mode for when you really want to fine-tune with a guide.
• Avoid stacking too many tweaks: if you use Smart Calibration, try not to also crank manual color and contrast settings on top — that’s how you end up with SmartThings Hub wrong colors in HDR again.

Stick to these and HDR should stay consistent across apps and devices.
Customer
When would you say it’s not just settings and might be an actual panel problem? Like if HDR still looks wrong even after everything we did, could the TV or HDMI port be bad?
Technician avatar Technician
Good question. You start suspecting hardware when:
• Built-in Picture Test on the TV (under Support / Device Care) shows the same color distortions even after a full picture reset.
• Strange color bands, lines, or blotches appear in both SDR and HDR and follow the screen, not the app or source.
• Only one HDMI port has bad HDR colors, no matter what you plug into it, while other ports are fine.

In those cases it can be a panel issue, T-Con board, or a damaged HDMI input — that’s when you check warranty options. But most of the time, wrong HDR colors with SmartThings are a settings/calibration problem like we just fixed.
If you ever get stuck between “almost right” and “still weird”, you can always open the chat and have an expert walk through live screenshots and exact menu paths for your model.
Customer
After resetting HDR picture mode, fixing HDMI settings, changing Apple TV to Match Range, and cleaning up SmartThings scenes, HDR finally looks like it should. No more washed out HDR and no more crazy neon colors. The SmartThings Hub HDR colors are back to normal and I didn’t have to pay for a technician. Thanks a lot!
Technician avatar Technician
Summary: when a SmartThings Hub gives you wrong colors in HDR, don’t rush to replace the TV. First, reset the HDR picture mode for the HDMI input, enable HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus, and correct black level and color space. Then fix your sources — use 4K SDR with Match Range on Apple TV, correct HDR output on consoles, and re-run SmartThings Smart Calibration in a gentle way. Clean up any scenes that force bad picture modes. In most cases, that’s enough to fix washed out, too dark, or oversaturated HDR without a technician. Not sure which combination of settings is right for your model? Open the chat and an expert will walk through it with you step by step.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when a SmartThings Hub shows wrong colors in HDR: play real HDR content so the TV enters HDR mode, then reset the HDR picture mode for that HDMI input and turn off extreme processing. Enable HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus for the port, set HDMI black level and color space correctly, and adjust Apple TV / console HDR output so it matches the TV. If Smart Calibration in the SmartThings app caused the issue, reset or re-run it in Basic mode. This usually restores natural HDR colors without needing a technician.

Why HDR colors look wrong when using SmartThings Hub

Most SmartThings Hub HDR wrong colors issues are caused by a mix of calibration and HDMI settings, not a broken panel. Smart Calibration in the SmartThings app can save an aggressive gamma or color profile that only applies in HDR, so SDR looks fine but HDR appears washed out or overly dark. Separate picture modes for HDR and SDR on each HDMI input mean the wrong mode can be linked to a scene or activity. On top of that, a mismatch between HDMI UHD Color, HDMI video range, and the source’s RGB/YCbCr output can easily make HDR look flat or neon. Fixing these mismatches step by step usually restores accurate HDR colors with SmartThings in the loop.

How to test if your SmartThings HDR colors are really fixed

After you adjust settings, you want to be sure HDR is truly fixed and not just better by chance. Play a few different HDR titles from streaming apps and a console, then switch between them while watching the HDR icon and picture mode on the TV. Colors should stay consistent — no huge change when SmartThings scenes run or when you swap HDMI sources. Run the TV’s built-in Picture Test, and compare built-in apps vs HDMI inputs. If HDR looks correct in the test and on internal apps but still wrong on one HDMI source, focus on that port’s HDMI UHD Color, black level, and the device’s HDR output. If everything looks natural and stable, your SmartThings Hub HDR color setup is in good shape.

SmartThings Hub wrong colors HDR — quick troubleshooting tips

Most “broken HDR” cases are just picture mode, HDMI, or Smart Calibration settings, not a dead TV.

Quick path: reset the HDR picture mode for the affected HDMI input, enable HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus, and align black level and color space with your Apple TV, PS5, or Xbox. Switch Apple TV 4K to 4K SDR with Match Dynamic Range so only true HDR content triggers HDR, and avoid forcing HDR for everything. If using SmartThings Smart Calibration, stick to Basic mode first or reset calibration if HDR colors look wrong afterwards. Once everything is aligned, HDR should look punchy and natural instead of washed out or neon.

Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your SmartThings Hub, Samsung TV model, and connected HDR devices, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before making decisions.

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FAQ

Why do HDR colors look wrong when using SmartThings Hub?

When HDR colors look wrong with SmartThings Hub, it’s usually because HDR and SDR use separate picture modes and calibration. Smart Calibration in the SmartThings app can change gamma and color space only for HDR, so SDR stays fine while HDR becomes washed out, too dark, or neon. Incorrect HDMI UHD Color settings or mismatched black level / RGB range between the TV and source can make HDR look flat or grey until those options are aligned.

How do I fix washed out HDR colors on my Samsung TV?

To fix washed out HDR, play HDR content so the TV is in HDR mode, reset the HDR picture settings for that HDMI input, then enable HDMI UHD Color / Input Signal Plus. Set black level to Auto or Limited to match your device, and keep color space on Auto or a recommended preset. On Apple TV or consoles, avoid forcing HDR for everything; use 4K SDR with Match Dynamic Range so only true HDR content activates HDR.

Can SmartThings Smart Calibration cause HDR color problems?

Yes, if Smart Calibration is run in poor lighting or with the phone camera positioned incorrectly, it can create an aggressive HDR profile that leads to SmartThings Hub wrong colors in HDR. If HDR looks wrong after calibration, you can reset picture settings on the TV, then either disable the calibration or re-run Smart Calibration in Basic mode to apply gentler corrections.

Do I need a technician if HDR colors are still wrong after these steps?

If HDR colors are still clearly distorted after you reset picture settings, fix HDMI UHD Color, and verify the source’s HDR output, run the TV’s built-in Picture Test. If the test image also looks wrong, or if you see persistent lines or patches regardless of source, the panel or video board could be failing and professional service may be needed. But most SmartThings HDR color issues are resolved with settings, not hardware repair.

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