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TheBuz · (This post was last modified: 2018-10-13, 21:46 by TheBuz.)

1st I would like to apologise for the bad image, when I took a screenshot both videos became washed out.

This is Windows 10 with HDR on in Windows settings

on the left is the default windows player, everything looks great. on the right is Kodi 18 Beta 3, completely washed out.

I am pretty sure i am missing something really simple, can anyone help?

edit: i should add that when HDR is enabled in windows settings, all of the windows interface looks washed out

jools5000 · (This post was last modified: 2018-10-13, 22:18 by jools5000.)

Kodi 18 doesn't support HDR output on Windows, all output is deisgned for screens in SDR mode, Kodi on its own will not pass through the HDR metadata activating the TV's HDR mode

The Windows settings are a bodge as that just tries to upscale everything to HDR which messes up SDR content, so its not a good idea

You have a couple of options
1) Try without HDR enabled in Windows, Kodi 18 performs tone mapping which converts the HDR to SDR so it looks 'normal' on standard screens. As you've also got HDR enabled in Windows this may be why its not working properly
2) Use an external player & MadVR for full HDR passthrough and auto switching (I use MPC-BE for HDR files) https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=209596
Note that you need a Nvidia/AMD GPU for MadVR HDR passthrough, it doesn't work with Intel graphics

You can also use the DSPlayer edition however this hasn't been updated to Leia yet (and maybe never will)

metzger2309 · 2018-10-21, 19:02

do you have an idea if kodi 18 will suport soon?
meanwhile HDR videos are running without problem under windows if HDR is swiched on. But if you start Kodi, the system and TV swiches to SDR Sad

So I think i should be possible... ?

jools5000 · 2018-10-21, 21:15

Not until Microsoft implements a standard way to allow the application to switch to SDR/HDR. Kodi devs dont want to implement a propritary API.

Background to here - this is from the guy who develops MadVR which is what most people use for HDR support on Windows
https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p...ost1810891

Warner306 · (This post was last modified: 2018-10-22, 17:06 by Warner306.)

The Windows OS HDR method works and is reliable, but it isn't very user-friendly. I'm not sure if afedchin would want to add Windows HDR support to Kodi as a temporary solution. For one, it would require some instruction inside Kodi if it was available because it causes incorrect playback of SDR content. Two, you would have to exit Kodi, enable HDR, go back to Kodi, play an HDR video and then exit Kodi again to disable HDR before playing SDR content. Using a desktop media player for HDR content could be just as easy.

Improvements in HDR video support for Windows could be slow because of the lack of current HDR video content on Windows and the absence of any cheap HDR computer monitors and laptops. Improving Windows HDR for grey market or illegal 4K UHD Blu-ray rips is not likely. 4K video games, by comparison, are not impacted nearly as much.

jools5000 · 2018-10-23, 10:01

I'd like to think it would be as simple as Kodi switching on the Windows HDR setting when playing HDR media, but I dont think its as easy as that (please correct me if I'm wrong). I'm pretty sure Kodi has to do more to pass through HDR.

The Windows method always seems wrong to me - Windows should not be upscaling SDR content or contantly running in HDR mode. Modern TV's are totally capable of auto switching, which mine does perfectly when using Chromecast or Amazon etc. Trying to remap the color space (Rec 709 vs Rec 2020) on the system is always going to give a quality trade off vs allowing the display to handle it.

I have a very small amount of HDR content and found it easier to use an external player for the time being, allowing Kodi to handle all SDR content internally.

Warner306 · 2018-10-23, 16:23

As far as I know, Kodi can't control the Windows OS HDR setting. It will always be a manual switch until some suitable API was made available.

I don't know why the decision was made to force HDR output, but that was the first attempt. This is still the early adopter stage of HDR media, so it isn't completely surprising that the experience isn't yet streamlined.

metzger2309 · 2018-10-30, 07:55

Hi jools5000, thanl you for reply...
Maybe I am wrong, but I think it should be possible to switch HDR on / off.
If I HDR on windows is on, KODI is switching HDR off by starting it. So there must be a option to switch on/off by apps. ...right? hope they will find a solution soon...

**willemd** · 2018-11-02, 15:32

(2018-10-22, 17:05)Warner306 Wrote: Improvements in HDR video support for Windows could be slow because of the lack of current HDR video content on Windows and the absence of any cheap HDR computer monitors and laptops. Improving Windows HDR for grey market or illegal 4K UHD Blu-ray rips is not likely.

Well, all you say is true, except for the lack of HDR content. I think Netflix has quite a large number of HDR 4K videos nowadays. That's actually legal content. Big Grin

I'm not sure if the inputstream Netflix plugin works with HDR in Windows yet, though, but supposedly it does work with Android. That makes me assume that it might work on Windows too, one day - if Kodi in Windows supports it.

randalstroup · 2019-01-27, 20:11

I've actually gotten Kodi to output 8-bit HDR once or twice on accident...don't ask me how. But it could have something to do with my PC going into sleep mode with Kodi running, but really not sure. At the same time, it seemed that the Windows HDR output was a little screwy, so when I toggled it off/on it seemed to force Kodi into non-HDR mode again.

accobra427 · 2019-01-31, 20:43

I have exactly the same problem after the update. The white level is to high on some 4k movies and others not. I have no clue to whats the problem

accobra427 · 2019-01-31, 20:51

And another thing I don't have an HDR tv so the settings in windows are of by default so i don't think that's the solution.

uVSthem · 2019-02-02, 19:33

(2019-01-31, 20:51)accobra427 Wrote: And another thing I don't have an HDR tv so the settings in windows are of by default so i don't think that's the solution.

I'm having the same issue. My TV is 4K but doesn't support HDR. Anything I play with HDR is too bright and washed out.

accobra427 · 2019-02-03, 16:00

(2019-02-02, 19:33)uVSthem Wrote:
(2019-01-31, 20:51)accobra427 Wrote: And another thing I don't have an HDR tv so the settings in windows are of by default so i don't think that's the solution.
I'm having the same issue. My TV is 4K but doesn't support HDR. Anything I play with HDR is too bright and washed out.

Do you want to know an ever weirder thing.... i do have a 4k tv with HDR as my main computer screen, so i installed kodi 18 on that one and hocus pocus 4k movies are running just fine. So i don't think it's a bug in the new update.

Just curious what OS are you running? my HTPC is running Win 10 Enterprise and my main computer is running Win 7 so it can be a bug with Win 10.

uVSthem · 2019-02-03, 17:45

(2019-02-03, 16:00)accobra427 Wrote:
(2019-02-02, 19:33)uVSthem Wrote:
(2019-01-31, 20:51)accobra427 Wrote: And another thing I don't have an HDR tv so the settings in windows are of by default so i don't think that's the solution.
I'm having the same issue. My TV is 4K but doesn't support HDR. Anything I play with HDR is too bright and washed out.
Do you want to know an ever weirder thing.... i do have a 4k tv with HDR as my main computer screen, so i installed kodi 18 on that one and hocus pocus 4k movies are running just fine. So i don't think it's a bug in the new update.

Just curious what OS are you running? my HTPC is running Win 10 Enterprise and my main computer is running Win 7 so it can be a bug with Win 10.

I'm running Win 10 Enterprise LTSC. Kodi 17 played HDR movies for me just fine.