topic Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix in Android TV

Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 08:34:06 GMT

I have an 49XD8099 with Android 6.0.1. Simply put, to watch "The OA" from Netflix in HDR is unbearable. It's like if they added a wall of fog. Disabling the HDR the image improves considerably, still being a bit washed out. Other shows, when watched in HDR, don't look better either, so much that I decided to have a video mode with HDR off for Netflix only.

Too bad that doing so HDR gets disabled in all video modes (why? Just why?). Is it the Netflix app broken, The OA, or else? Also any chance to have only a mode with HDR disabled? Thanks.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 20:51:32 GMT

Hi @Jecht_Sin

Firstly thanks for posting about disabling Wifi-Direct in your other thread - another thing for people to try

Secondly - im just going though a few posts that have been missed recently and found this one - Reading through, I am unsure on how to help you to be honest - other than suggesting that you choose the non-hdr version of OA

In my opinion thus far - the jury is still out on the benefits of HDR for normal casual viewing. But it is annoying that there is no mode to choose 'Disable HDR'

Cheers

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

kinggo01 — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 21:03:39 GMT

HDR on TVs that doesn't meet the HDR specifications will always look awful and never will be HDR. Just like DD with just 2 speakers is not exactly a DD. And the idea of marketing TVs as HDR while they are not is just a bad idea. Sure, they can process HDR signal but display can't reproduce it in a way that it should look.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Kuschelmonschter — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 13:35:01 GMT

other than suggesting that you choose the non-hdr version of OA

Is that even possible on Netflix? Don't think so...

But it is annoying that there is no mode to choose 'Disable HDR'

I think there is, but only globally and only for ATV2 based TVs, see FlatpanelsHD review:

Before we wrap up and move on there is, however, one minor new feature in the picture settings menu that we would like to call attention to. In the picture menu there is now an option to turn off HDR on the TV - regardless of the video source. That may sound strange, especially given that Z9D is a high-end TV with proper hardware to reproduce HDR, but for mid-range TVs this is great news. This will finally make it possible to deactivate the HDR part of the signal on TVs that do not come close to having hardware to reproduce HDR, and just enjoy the 4K resolution instead. No more washed out "HDR pictures" on mid-range TVs – fingers crossed.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 22:25:45 GMT

@Kuschelmonschter wrote:

other than suggesting that you choose the non-hdr version of OA

Is that even possible on Netflix? Don't think so...

I believe it is possible on some 4K HDR content on Netfix.... Or was it Amazon, im now unsure. Basically you could choose the 1080p version over 4K HDR version instead due to it being in another category. I did it not long ago.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 05:39:26 GMT

You can indeed do it with Amazon Video. I did several tests there with The Grand Tour, comparing 1080p to 4K.

I couldn't find any way for Netflix. It is also not possible on a system level to disable HDR. At least not for ATV1. Maybe @Jecht_Sin or someone else has an idea how to achieve that. I think on ATV2 there is an option, see above quote and link to FlatpanelsHD.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

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Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 15:38:55 GMT

Well guys, thanks for answering. So a couple of things:

- After posting this I had a chat with Netflix, and no, there are no options to disable HDR in the player. The most one can do, from the settings in the web browser, is to reduce the available bandwidth, so that it will stream at 1080p. - The other option is to simply disable the HDR in the settings for a channel, but that disables it everywhere.

- I discovered that putting the subtitles in a semi transparent window (again, it must be done from the Web browser) does reduce the washed effect generally speaking.

Still the issue is mostly with "The OA" (which I could just avoid watching for this reason and for the other more important reason that it is a stupid show. What a waste of time). Other HDR videos in Netflix look much better, and "Grand Tour" in Amazon looks amazing. So do the HDR demo downloaded from the internet at full bit rates (and they look awful with HDR disabled).

I must also say that Netflix streaming quality, in my opinion, can be disappointing. Many UHD videos look granulated. I have a fiber connection so it isn't a bandwidth issue. I am honestly a bit surprised. Even Youtube videos look better!

PS: @Anonymous yeah, I confirm that after disabling "WiFi Direct" the WiFi is always up and running. Never had an issue since then! Apart some reboots, but those happened after updating to v 6.1004..

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 15:57:15 GMT

The other option is to simply disable the HDR in the settings for a channel

What do you mean by channel? That's the option in the Sony settings, right? As described in the FlatpanelsHD review...

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 10:28:16 GMT

@Kuschelmonschter wrote:
The other option is to simply disable the HDR in the settings for a channel
What do you mean by channel? That's the option in the Sony settings, right? As described in the FlatpanelsHD review...

Sorry, sometime the English words flips in my brain. I meant an image mode. Then I have got also confused with the inputs (like HDMI 2 vs App (Video) ). Anyway, from Android changing the HDR to NO in a image mode (like custom) it puts HDR NO in all modes.

I am not sure if I disable the HDR in HDMI 2 (my PS4 for example) it turns it off in Android or other inputs as well.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Kuschelmonschter — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 11:23:19 GMT

So it is just a global setting not connected to any mode/profile. Better than nothing though. It only exists on ATV2 devices, but not on ATV1 devices...

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 11:56:08 GMT

@Kuschelmonschter wrote:
So it is just a global setting not connected to any mode/profile. Better than nothing though. It only exists on ATV2 devices, but not on ATV1 devices...

yes, if I change it in "Custom" for the Android apps, it changes it also in "Standard", "Cinema Home" etc at least for the same "input". Which is wrong, since it is a sub-option of each specific mode. At least they could put it in the main settings panel.

Actually I've just tested it now if it changes between inputs. I have setup the PS4's HDMI 2 image mode "Game" with HDR OFF, and back to YouTube HDR (in Custom) is Auto. So at least that one seems to work as it must. One last test: setting the HDR OFF in Game (HDMI 2) it goes off in all HDMI 2 image modes.. So it is global to the input. Well, that's not exactly what I was looking for (not at all).

Then I am not sure what you mean when you say ATV2 devices have it, while ATV1 devices don't. Could you please elaborate?

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Kuschelmonschter — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 12:00:27 GMT

Those are the two Sony Android TV (ATV) hardware platforms...

ATV1 is based on MediaTek MT5890 (FW 3.X):

all 2015 models, spring 2016 models (XD85, XD93, XD94)

ATV2 is based on MediaTek MT5891 (FW 6.X):

all models after summer 2016 (XD70, XD75, XD 80, XD83, ZD9 and the new XE models)

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 12:35:41 GMT

Awww... I thought it had something to do with DTV. Ok, it makes sense now. Thanks!

BTW @Kuschelmonschter, if you are interested this is how the HDR setting looks. It's in Italian but I suppose it is quite understandable by English people as well:

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

darrenj11 — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 15:31:50 GMT

I'm getting a static looking effect on skin or sky, with many hdr programmes on Netflix, I've tried playing with all the settings, what can be done about this, it looks rubbish.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

andresako — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 22:06:52 GMT

I have an atv2 tv (KD-49XD70) and I dont have the option to turn HDR off when using netflix, is there any workaround? Picture looks terrible

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 06:38:25 GMT

@andresako Use contrast at about 85, maybe lower the brightness to 15-20 and try pumping up the gamma to max (3). Still I am surprised the XD70 doesn't have the option, I thought it was available for all ATV2 Bravia with Android 7.0

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 07:38:34 GMT

I have noticed that the TV Show which has best colours in HDR is Star Trek Discovery. Never a washed effect. And the lights seem somehow fine. The fact is that this one plays.. at 1080p only (due to stupid agreements with CBS, apparently)! Should the lower resolution really make a difference?? I wish the colours were always looking like that at UHD resolution.

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

andresako — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 13:44:00 GMT

Thank you Jecht for the advice. Yes, pumping up the gamma improves the image a bit

Re: Awful HDR quality in Netflix

Jecht_Sin — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 10:03:01 GMT

According to a thread in Macrumors it seems that the issue may be caused by the fact that Netflix masters its content in Dolby Vision, to take advantage of the better features, and that may ruin the quality in HDR10 screens. It isn't the app because there are people complaing about the Netflix HDR from the Apple TV 4K.

I am not exactly sure how this thing works but, if true, it would be quite disappointing. So much for the extra price for UHD "to get better content". At least they could do a proper conversion.