[kadajawi]

The Rockchip RK3229 is why I'm asking. I'd like to get an RK3229 box, but not if its capabilities are not and will not be actually usable.

I don't mind if Kodi can't display actual 10 bit video, as long as it can decode the files and get them to my screen.

The big problem with that Rockchip is that Rockchip doesn't seem to have the best history of supporting open source projects, of tying in with Kodi etc. The hardware looks like (from what they say) it is quite capable, and could fulfill pretty much all my needs. The low price tag is a nice bonus. But yeah, will it work with Kodi? Maybe it will, eventually. If I see it correctly no actual hardware has shipped yet. It may take a while before we actually find out.

[Alan B'Stard]

Yes, the actual 10bit display is not so important; many displays are incapable of this anyway; I myself have nothing that supports it (although my laptop *is* available with 10bit display).
10bit colorspace is important for intermediate processing of animation, i.e color gradients which otherwise tend to develop color banding.
There's no perceivable difference for most live action visual meida, afaik (well, except maybe some dawns-sunsets).

[noggin]

Yes, the actual 10bit display is not so important; many displays are incapable of this anyway; I myself have nothing that supports it (although my laptop *is* available with 10bit display).
10bit colorspace is important for intermediate processing of animation, i.e color gradients which otherwise tend to develop color banding.
There's no perceivable difference for most live action visual meida, afaik (well, except maybe some dawns-sunsets).

You usually see it most on saturated colour gradients - blue skies are a killer. Even in the 80s Quantel were using dithering to mask 8-bit limitations with their Dynamic Rounding technique, which Sony licensed for use in DigiBeta too. I think the broadcast industry had realised 8 bit was only just about 'good enough' and not brilliant, which is why we went from 8-bit parallel digital video (on 25 pin D-types if it was standard 601 over 656) to 10-bit SDI in the early 90s, and why DigiBeta supports 10 bit (but earlier digital decks didn't ISTR)

Yes - it has benefits in processing and compression too (you get lower bitrates for a given PSNR if you use 10 bit rather than 8 bit sampling, as the greater bit depth helps reduce compression artefacts' visibility), but there are definite benefits on some content even if you don't use HDR techniques.

[Ned Scott]

I finally got around to testing a 1080 Hi10P video on the Nvidia Shield TV and WeTek Core. They both played the file without any issues, using software decoding. Everything was smooth and there were no skips, stutters, or drops, as far as my eyes can tell.

I'll see if I can find some more demanding Hi10P samples, as different groups can encode differently, etc. I know some people said they had issues, so if you have a specific file you want me to test, feel free to PM me.

[Alan B'Stard]

These seem to be commonly used testfiles, esp. the first one, rather crazy encode, 5.1-channel FLAC, tons of ref-frames and fancy a-ss subtitles with embedded fonts:
http://www.koi-sama.net/files/hi10/

[sabre22]

Hello, I read the post but as I speak Spanish I can not understand all the technicalities , I would like to ask if the minimum requirements to play 1080p Hi10P H64 is the Intel Celeron G530 as saying the second post and from there up. Because I want to build a HTPC or buy one armed but also look like anime and most are Hi10P 720p or 1080p , not to mention that some already use H265 720p would be sure to reproduce all, I do not care 4k . Leo the Chromebox has problems or is very fair to play

Thanks in advance

[Ned Scott]

Celeron Chromebox should be able to handle Hi10P.

[Matt Devo]

Celeron Chromebox should be able to handle Hi10P.

it sure does, without a hitch. It can handle most 1080p HEVC as well, as long as it's 24/30fps; 50/60fps stuff is too much.

[sabre22]

But Chromebox Celeron or chromebox i3 ?

[nickr]

Celeron

[sabre22]

Thanks, that was what I wanted to know

[Matt Devo]

But Chromebox Celeron or chromebox i3 ?

depends on the price difference. The i3 does give you a bit more headroom for Hi-10P and HEVC, so if it's only ~$30 more I'd go for it; plus, it usually has 4GB ram, and dual channel ram buys you a bit as well. For $50 more I'd pass.

[wrxtasy]

Celeron Chromebox should be able to handle Hi10P.

it sure does, without a hitch. It can handle most 1080p HEVC as well, as long as it's 24/30fps; 50/60fps stuff is too much.

Looks like the recent ffmpeg optimisations have benefitted all platforms with decent CPU's for Software HEVC and Hi10P decoding.

Added this info to the Pick the Right Kodi Box.

What 1080p HEVC Bitrates are we talking here ?

[Matt Devo]

Looks like the recent ffmpeg optimisations have benefitted all platforms with decent CPU's for Software HEVC and Hi10P decoding.

Added this info to the Pick the Right Kodi Box.

What 1080p HEVC Bitrates are we talking here ?

got a link to some test clips handy? If so, I'll test and let you know

edit: tested some of the samples linked from the samples wiki page, and it's hard to make a generalization based on bitrate and framerate because encoding profiles differ so greatly. I can say that all of the 1080p 24/30 fps samples linked from http://www.libde265.org/downloads-videos/ played without a problem, but the two "H.265 1080p (medium bitrate)" test files linked directly from the wiki page (also 24fps) pegged both CPU cores at nearly 100% and were not smooth to watch. If I had to generalize, it seems like most <10Mbps 24/30fps content wasn't a problem.

[Ned Scott]

Samples (wiki)