A:Answer Hi Brian, We regret to hear that the TV had to be returned. Yes, Auto local dimming can be turned off, and set to low, medium, or high. But, there are various settings that you can configure in [Picture] settings to match the picture quality or brightness level depending on your personal preference to improve the viewed content on your Android TV. There are also Picture mode settings that provide preset adjustments for the type of picture you are viewing.
You may refer to the link below for more information about the picture adjustment settings of the TV:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/xbr-49x950h/articles/00190409
For future reference, we can also offer assistance on how to set up or operate the features and functions of your Sony TV by visiting our Sony Support website to download the help guide and look for additional information about your product. Also, you can chat with one of our agents who would be glad to help. You may reach our product support team through this link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/service?language=en_US.
Sincerely,
Sam