topic Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help! in Android TV

SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 11:28:27 GMT

Hello all!

I hope you can help with an issue I’ve been experiencing with watching any UHD HDR content on Sky Q, Netflix etc on the SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005.

The Problem ☹️

When I’ve downloaded any films via Sky Q which are in Ultra HD AND HDR, they are very very dark. If I download a film in just Ultra HD, without the HDR then it is much brighter.

This also happens with HDR Netflix content too.

Any ideas why? From the research I’ve done, this TV should be capable of playing all of this content without experiencing the dark washed out colours!

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 11:34:06 GMT

Here are photos to try and help explain!

The new Sonic movie below when downloaded in both formats. With HDR, it is much more darker and washed out!

UHD

UHD + HDR

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

royabrown2 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 17:49:01 GMT

Please ignore.

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Joe_Dohn — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 18:11:39 GMT

Try using the Action Menu button on your remote and then changing the HDR and brightness settings around while watching the movie.

You can update the TV via a USB stick btw.

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 13:57:26 GMT

Hi Joe,

thanks for your reply.

the options I have for HDR mode are

HDR10

HLG

or Auto

The brightness is already set to max.

does this mean if I change this, I’ll have to change the settings every time I want to watch a move in HDR UHD?

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 15:03:54 GMT

Hi @Oldfish1

Looking at your images I very much doubt that HDR is kicking in. If it was then the “Sonic The Hedgehog” text would be must brighter. If you press the Action Menu -> Picture, does it indicate HDR in the top right hand corner.

Also just checking, what hardware version is your Sky Q box? Is it 32B0,1or2. Also are you connecting it direct to the TV in HDMI 2 or 3 with Enhanced format set on plus you are using the Sky Q supplied HDMI short lead?

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:47:13 GMT

Hello!

Thanks for your response, really appreciate trying to get to the bottom of this.

You’re correct, HDR is not kicking in. Currently the HDR mode is set to auto, which when playing normal UHD content is obviously fine. But any HDR UHD content is dark.

When I manually change it to HDR10, the picture is much better. But that seems like a bug to manually change it every time I load up a film from the SKY Q menu.

Sky Q’s hardware version is 32B106.

Im using the short sky supplied HDMI cable, and its in HDMI3.

I hope this helps to answer your questions,

Thank you

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 13:31:09 GMT

Hi @Oldfish1

Yes, 32B1xx is fine for HDR.

Is the HDMI lead connected direct to the TV (not through a soundbar etc.).

Have you set the HDMI signal format to Enhanced format. If you are on the latest software. Home -> Settings -> Watching TV -> External inputs -> HDMI signal format -> Enhanced format. If you are on an earlier software release it will be in a different place.

Have you set the Sky Q Picture resolution to 2160p 10-bit (note HDR will not work with 8-bit).

The TV HDR should be on Auto.

Note Sky Q outputs HDR as HLG (not HDR10).

I will attempt to get an example of Sky Q showing Sonic in HDR on my KD-55XE9305.

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 13:47:14 GMT

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

HannahEd01 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:39:32 GMT

Try disabling the light sensor. Let me know if that worked.

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:53:58 GMT

Hello,

thanks for your reply.

Yes all of those suggestions were already in place. Sky is set to 10bit, the HDMI goes straight into the tv, enhanced format is set, and the light sensor is turned off.

any other ideas?

does your picture display bright and colourful automatically then once you play a film?

thanks

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:28:58 GMT

@Oldfish1 wrote:
does your picture display bright and colourful automatically then once you play a film?

Hi @Oldfish1 Yes, HDR is set to Auto so it kicks in automatically if it detects a HDR signal. I’m sorry I have exhausted everything, it appears that your setup is exactly the same as mine apart from my light sensor is on. To cross all the Ts, the HDMI lead is the one included with the Sky Q box and not an old one left from Sky+HD which is not high speed.

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:06:56 GMT

Thank you,

Yes it is the HDMI cable which came with the Sky Q box.

can you send a picture of your “picture information” that appears when viewing HDR content?

you mentioned it appears at the top right of the screen. It’s so strange that with the same settings I’m experiencing this small, but frustrating issue! Especially with a moderately priced TV

thanks

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:19:23 GMT

Hi @Oldfish1 Please see the image on the previous page (if it is not showing please let me know). My picture setting are very simple - Default Standard! as you can see on the image.

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:22:32 GMT

Sorry I meant in relation to your earlier post

“If you press the Action Menu -> Picture, does it indicate HDR in the top right hand corner.”

or is that what your image shows already?

perhaps if the tv is not detecting it through Sky Q, I should try a new HDMI cable?

do you have Sky Q also?

thank you

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:41:11 GMT

Hi @Oldfish1

Are you not seeing my picture with HDR in the top right corner? The fact your settings are blue could indicate you are on an old software version. I am on the latest v6.7140. The picture is coming from Sky Q which I have!

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/lcd-tvs-android-xf90xx_x90xxf-series/kd-55xf9005/downloads/00017085

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 18:15:13 GMT

This is the software version ( I think)

even though I have automatic downloads on, and when I search for a software update it tells me it is up to date already...

so do you think this could be the cause of it?

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 18:29:29 GMT

Hi @Oldfish1

You are on v6.6575. The latest version 6.7140 which is a big one that takes you to Android Pie (9.0). Your guess is as good as anybody’s as to if it is the cause but being on the latest software release is a good starting point. If you want to try the update then you will have to do it manually.

Resetting your TV to factory default or first try a soft reset may also provide a cure. It will give you a clean TV to try.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/kd-55xf9005/articles/00170595

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/lcd-tvs-android-xf90xx_x90xxf-series/kd-55xf9005/downloads/00017085

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

LightFoot — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:52:02 GMT

Hi @Oldfish1 Another thought, is your Sky Q box on the latest software Q140.000.37.00L (58j9n5g)?

Re: SONY BRAVIA KD55XF9005 HDR Content Dark - Please Help!

Oldfish1 — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:28:52 GMT

Hey!

It appears that the big update to the tv has done the trick. Strange that a manual software download was needed even when auto was enabled. But hey!

Sky now detects when HDR content is displaying as I get the ‘HDR’ in the top right corner when viewing settings.

now it’s just a case of me finding the right or most ‘suitable’ picture settings for it. As it’s restored all my settings.

What do you have set in the picture / advanced picture settings? Or should I say, “what have you actually changed”

thanks for your help with this