Your High Dynamic Range Experience

[sandeepmohan]

I picked up a Sony 55" X75F recently.

I have not meddled with 4k or High Dynamic Range before on a TV so know little about it. I know what the technology is though.

My only source for 4K HDR is Amazon Prime and Netflix. I have tried the former and the picture quality was rather disappointing. The only reason I get on to Amazon Prime is for The Grand Tour and this is steamed in 4K HDR. The picture on my Tv seemed rather dull. The two episodes that are there on Prime right now are Detroit and Colombia Special. (The broadcast and production quality of the GT is nothing short of stellar). Both these episodes look like they were shot in over cast conditions. At least this is how it looks on my Tv. I don't find any noticeable difference in resolution too. It all looks like a standard 2K non HDR broadcast. In fact, some YouTube and standard 2K streams looks so much better and have more detail in them.

The TV is connected using an ethernet cable to the router and there is plenty of bandwith to play with so I know this isn't the issue. Apart from a little stuttering when you start a 4k HDR program, the streaming stables out in a few seconds. The info panel indicates it is HDR too and so does the Picture Settings menu indicate this (Which it does not otherwise).

I have switched off pretty much every picture enhancement gimmick (or for real) there is in Picture Settings. The settings are also toned down from factory default. I can't stand that artificial film mode.

I am sure 4k Blu Ray will be a different ball game but before I head down that road, I wanted to hear from you folks about 4K HDR streaming experience or even Blu Ray.

 

[indy]

I picked up a Sony 55" X75F recently.

I have not meddled with 4k or High Dynamic Range before on a TV so know little about it. I know what the technology is though.

My only source for 4K HDR is Amazon Prime and Netflix. I have tried the former and the picture quality was rather disappointing. The only reason I get on to Amazon Prime is for The Grand Tour and this is steamed in 4K HDR. The picture on my Tv seemed rather dull. The two episodes that are there on Prime right now are Detroit and Colombia Special. (The broadcast and production quality of the GT is nothing short of stellar). Both these episodes look like they were shot in over cast conditions. At least this is how it looks on my Tv. I don't find any noticeable difference in resolution too. It all looks like a standard 2K non HDR broadcast. In fact, some YouTube and standard 2K streams looks so much better and have more detail in them.

The TV is connected using an ethernet cable to the router and there is plenty of bandwith to play with so I know this isn't the issue. Apart from a little stuttering when you start a 4k HDR program, the streaming stables out in a few seconds. The info panel indicates it is HDR too and so does the Picture Settings menu indicate this (Which it does not otherwise).

I have switched off pretty much every picture enhancement gimmick (or for real) there is in Picture Settings. The settings are also toned down from factory default. I can't stand that artificial film mode.

I am sure 4k Blu Ray will be a different ball game but before I head down that road, I wanted to hear from you folks about 4K HDR streaming experience or even Blu Ray.

Download a few 4k clips from the internet and play them using the inbuilt video player or KODI. These sites have downloadable clips:

https://4kmedia.org/tag/hdr/
https://www.harmonicinc.com/free-4k-demo-footage/

 

[raghupb]

GT is a bad example.
Try "Man In The High Castle"
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[HE-MAN]

What are you smoking bruh, GT is absolute stunning in HDR. Every show or Movie goes for a different HDR feel. GT is geared more towards Natural look. You have calibrate your HDR PQ. There is a Demo calibration Disc for HDR available. Try Jack Ryan on Prime Video its Dolby Vision and Atmos.

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Is there any tool or guide that helps us caliberate the tv to get the correct HDR or dB vision or 4K setting?

 

[sandeepmohan]

There is a Demo calibration Disc for HDR available. Try Jack Ryan on Prime Video its Dolby Vision and Atmos.

To calibrate, I need a 4k Blu Ray player which I do not own right now. I have a non HDR Blu Ray player.

Try Jack Ryan on Prime Video its Dolby Vision and Atmos.

The former isn't supported by this particular TV and the latter is related to Sound, which isn't what I am after.

 

[HE-MAN]

Netflix is all DV when comes to HDR, Prime does HDR10. Okay if your Tv has Black Level setting set it to Low or Equivalent setting and Gamma set to Medium. Do you have Pc with Nvidia GPU that you can connect to your Tv?

 

[sandeepmohan]

GT is a bad example.
Try "Man In The High Castle"

Watched Man in the High Castle. Way better results from a resolution as well as the contrast/color palette. I feel there is good use of HDR here. Even though the era being presented is from 1940's, it is beautifully captured and presented.

I still feel that brightness is compromised but I am beginning to wonder if it is the limitation of the TV itself. The X75F is far from Sony's finest so I have to live with what I've got.

 

[Dirac]

Most of the Netflix movies are not bright or have punchy colours. It is in tune with the so called "directors intent and his choice of colour palette". They are also in 24hz.

 

[alex]

Netflix anyway has bitrate limitations of ~15MBPS. so DV/ HDR 4K videos don't look that great compared to same video 4K disc/ downloaded rip which have bitrate much higher. To my eyes, even DV videos on netflix look rather unimpressive on my 65 inch LG OLED. Netflix is more about accessibility to these shows than quality imho.

 

[sandeepmohan]

As a bit of a surprise, I have now discovered that YouTube 4K HDR videos offer a far more convincing experience compared to Amazon. The Man in the High Castle was a definite step up but still not happy with the overall result and all the bragging around 4K HDR that I have been reading so much about.

Yesterday; I flipped through some Sony specific HDR videos on You Tube and boy oh boy, the picture truly stood out. The color gradation, brightness levels, resolution detail was an eye opener. I tried a mix of footage. Fireworks and random scenes from forests, food, penguins in the arctic, etc. There was a particular scene where there was a close up of a Penguin, the reflection of the sun bouncing off its chest. There was slight reflection from the fur mixed with a little yellow/gold color tone which is something that stood out. Color volume is incredible and something I have not experienced before.

Most important, the picture looked terrific even with the picture settings toned down. The Grand Tour, even with everything maxed out looks dull and artificial. This show looks like a really bad upscale job than true 4K.

 

[Dirac]

As a bit of a surprise, I have now discovered that YouTube 4K HDR videos offer a far more convincing experience compared to Amazon. The Man in the High Castle was a definite step up but still not happy with the overall result and all the bragging around 4K HDR that I have been reading so much about.

Yesterday; I flipped through some Sony specific HDR videos on You Tube and boy oh boy, the picture truly stood out. The color gradation, brightness levels, resolution detail was an eye opener. I tried a mix of footage. Fireworks and random scenes from forests, food, penguins in the arctic, etc. There was a particular scene where there was a close up of a Penguin, the reflection of the sun bouncing off its chest. There was slight reflection from the fur mixed with a little yellow/gold color tone which is something that stood out. Color volume is incredible and something I have not experienced before.

Most important, the picture looked terrific even with the picture settings toned down. The Grand Tour, even with everything maxed out looks dull and artificial. This show looks like a really bad upscale job than true 4K.

Also watch Bulgaria 4k, costarica 4k videos on youtube. They are great.