[pen2paper]

At my wits' end trying to get this to work, and hoping someone might be able to help.

Have a HTPC setup running Win11 connected to a 4K Philips TV, bought new, which has never displayed a 4K signal. Sent off for repair within warranty only to be told nothing wrong. Technician who collected the set suspected main board failure due to heavy posterising on multiple sources, including native streaming apps. I don't compress any of my media stored externally, so can't explain it. Have done my best to ensure the Kodi YouTube app receives either FHD or 4K, but even IMAX trailers look compressed. Xbox One goes blank when I try to enable 4K. Bought a replacement 4K cable, but no change.

Windows display properties are set to 3840 x 2160 50hz. Advanced Display Settings currently reads: 8-bit depth, YCbCr444, SDR, HDR Certification Dolby Vision. Just performed complete reinstall/repair AMD chipset drivers with no discernible difference. When HDR is enabled, anything remotely 'light' on screen is glaring and uncomfortable to look at. Meanwhile, Kodi GUI is dull and desaturated. Content plays fine either way, but I'd be amazed if actually being upscaled to 4K - 1080p seems to be the limit. Tried the Windows HDR tool without success.

Something else I noticed - media seems to play best if DXVA2 is not enabled. This is acceptable for modern content, but anything SD/interlaced doesn't look right (or, certainly doesn't play with expected smooth motion) unless DXVA2 is re-enabled.

Scrubbing interlaced media with DXVA2 enabled results in audio running smoothly, but massive visual disruption until it 'catches up.'

Very grateful for any advice, please.

[PatK]

Be aware that ALL media has some form of compression, it's just a matter of how much and what part of your hardware or O/S is doing the decoding and the type of algorithm in play. The best configuration is to let a dedicated gfx engine do the dirty work, but whatever works is best. Don't expect the processor in a TV to do much, an O/S with a good CPU sometimes will suffice, a good gfx engine is best.

Anything streaming is going to have heavy compression and is not going to give best results especially if your bandwidth to networking is in question, so don't use Youtube videos as any indication of picture quality. Download a few Samples (wiki) as indicators. Kodi's interface is scaled 1920x1080 native which is the likely explanation for the 'dull' look. My suggestion at this point is to send along a proper debug log with some information about your hardwareand hook-ups (cabling is not likely an issue), to help people that have knowledge in this area. 

---
To receive meaningful assistance you will need to provide a full debug log.

The instructions are here... debug log (wiki)

If you are using the Basic Method, then ensure the following is applied...
1.Enable debugging in Settings>System Settings>Logging,
2.Restart Kodi
3.Replicate the problem.
4.Upload the log to Kodi Paste Site manually or use the Kodi Logfile Uploader. (wiki) With either method post the link to the log back here.

If you are using the Advanced Method ensure you have correctly created and applied the advancedsettings.xml file (wiki)

In both instances, you should see the word DEBUG throughout the log.

Note: Full logs only. No partial or redacted logs
Do NOT post your logs directly into the forum. Use the Kodi Paste Site. Post the link to your pasted log in the forum

[pen2paper]

Thank you, PatK. My use of the word 'compression' here was intended to refer to any additional compression from source, but thanks again for clarifying.

The only cabling issue I can think of is an additional Pulse-Eight CEC HDMI module which supports up to 4k60 4:2:0 8-bit. I understand, even though my Windows display settings reports 8 bit depth, this is actually 8 bits per channel (4x8 making the full 32).

Debug log aside, which I shall look into shortly, I suppose I have two questions moving forward:

1. Is it possible to view Kodi GUI at 1080p whilst my desktop resolution is set to 4K - or is it worth setting desktop to 1920x1080, and whitelisting 4K resolutions?
2. Is is possible for DXVA2 to auto-enable for interlaced content only?

In Settings / Player, 'Adjust display HDR mode' is now enabled. In Settings / System, 'Use 10 bit for SDR' is now set to 'Always' which seems to be improving things on the posterising front.

I will be sure to check out those samples, cheers. Surprised to hear that streaming platforms offer a 4K option if the quality is not expected to live up to the expectation.

[pen2paper]

https://www.demolandia.net/downloads.html?id=78563356

This sample file is behaving very strangely. All the colours are wrong. Going by the reference image, blue blocks are mint green, red blocks are magenta, and yellow blocks are peach coloured(!)

This is my television (HDR 10+): https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/43PUS6754_...ed/support


Update - after trying to switch between 3840x2160p and 1920x1080p and back to 3840x2160p, all of a sudden Kodi GUI looks as good as it usually does in 1080p - for the first time ever. Bizarre. Other problems still remain, but nice to see some kind of progress, I hope.

[PatK]

It's not about the TV it's the graphic engine that is key. If you have the desktop at 1080p, but play 4K movies... no issue the Kodi player is independent of the interface. Are you using two displays at the same time? The debug log will go a long way in showing the attributes.

[pen2paper]

No, just the one display. I know Xbox One is a different matter, but trying to select 4K on that results in *static* which I haven't seen for years. HDR10 isn't supported at all according to the console, but Dolby Vision is detected. I've always felt there was some kind of issue with the TV, but let's try and find out.

Logfile: https://paste.kodi.tv/lomofofeko

[PatK]

The gfx engine is being challenged here, note: The GPU default is operating at a frequency of 300 MHz, which can be boosted up to 1200 MHz. Its power draw is rated at 15 W maximum (if you decide to overclock keep in mind temps and power supply). I take it you are using the TV as your desktop at 4K? (you might want to reduce that to 1920x1080x60), see if Device 3 wasapi pass-through settings hold. I'm not sure if the Pulse-Eight CEC HDMI module is at issue, but if there's a way to eliminate it for a test, that would be something you might consider. I also note emby.kodi v1.0.7 installed and skin.embuary-matrix v19.0.1 and DXVA: Unsupported profile 2 for HEVC variable-length decoder which means that h265 codec is going to be an effort.

[pen2paper]

That's right, TV as desktop. If I lower the resolution, I lose the ability to select HDR in Windows - not that I think it's working, but I would love to find out what's happening as regard 4K.

I did try removing the CEC and didn't notice any discernible difference. Emby was an experiment that I just couldn't get to run smoothly, so I uninstalled. Can't explain why there's any trace in the log. I would like to completely remove that if possible.

Sorry, what's the significance of the skin, please? Is it outdated?

Could you also please explain what you mean by DXVA and the unsupported profile? Not sure what would be best, moving forward. Thanks again, so much for taking a look. I shall investigate overclocking...

[PatK]

If I lower the resolution, I lose the ability to select HDR in Windows - not that I think it's working, but I would love to find out what's happening as regard 4K.

Windows At desktop level, 10+ bit is not going to give or take anything much at this point, but Kodi player will make the switch to 4K as needed, so use the recommendation of keeping it off in windows for Kodi.

Sorry, what's the significance of the skin, please? Is it outdated?

Not sure, labelled Matrix makes me suspicious that it's not current with Kodi 21

I shall investigate overclocking...

Yes please, and while you're at it check if there's a beta driver for the gfx available.

[CrystalP]

Your TV most likely as a setting per input to enable full capabilities for 4k/hdr/wcg (each manufacturer calls it differently), make sure that's turned on. Windows showing 8 bit in advanced display settings is suspicious. YCbCr 4:4:4 works, RGB is more standard.
Maybe you messed with the AMD settings but could be related to said tv setting too.
The sample with wrong colors is dolby vision without hdr10 fallback, which is not supported by Kodi on Windows.
The AMD driver version is not detected correctly, which disables some more efficient codes paths. You could try a v21 nightly which includes a fix.
As usual for troubleshooting try with the most up to date drivers available.
The "Unsupported profile 2 for HEVC variable-length decoder, main" is not a problem and happens on all computers for 10 bit hevc.

[pen2paper]

Thank you, too, CrystalP

>Windows showing 8 bit in advanced display settings is suspicious.

I have read that Windows reports '8 bit depth' in Advanced Display even if, in my case, Display Adapter Properties for Display 1>List All Modes is set to "3840 by 2160, True Color (32 Bit), 50 Hertz". Windows apparently reports 8 bits, though it actually means 8 bits for each of the four channels(?)

I tried reducing the desktop to 1080p and in Advanced Display, under Color Space, it now reads "High Dynamic Range (HDR)", with HDR certification listed as "Dolby Vision". Though, the picture is still murky and dull.

>Your TV most likely as a setting per input to enable full capabilities for 4k

It apparently does. I can select Settings>Picture Style to confirm HDR status - and this is only enabled when 'Use HDR' is set to 'on' in System>Display in Windows. Resolution can either be 1080p or 4K to enable HDR, it seems. For the TV's native Advanced Picture settings, there is an option for HDR Plus, which, if set to Automatic/Maximum, bleaches out the picture, and when set to Off, results in a dull, murky image. Nothing in between looks good either.

In the TV's General Settings>Input Sources, HDMI 1 is set to HDMI Ultra HD>Optimal rather than 'standard.' HDMI Auto Game Mode is set to 'Off'. I can't see anything in the manual which suggests only certain HDMI ports support 4K functionality... An on-screen message reads:

"To change the settings, switch to the HDMI source first. Select Optimal to enable the highest quality HDMI signal for 4K Ultra HD and HDR content (4K60 4:4:4, 4K60 10-bit HDR). Select Standard if the picture of sound are distorted."

>Maybe you messed with the AMD settings but could be related to said tv setting too.

I tried reinstalling AMD drivers using the automatic installer, that's all - everything has been restored to factory settings, except for any Performance related tabs which I have tried to set to 'full'. Same with Windows for Power Mode - the closest I've been able to get to overclocking.

>The sample with wrong colors is dolby vision without hdr10 fallback, which is not supported by Kodi on Windows.

Curiously, both HDR sample clips I downloaded crash VLC. Kodi plays them both, but the image isn't correct for either, as previously reported. Are there any 4K sample files that you recommend I try for Kodi, please?

>The AMD driver version is not detected correctly, which disables some more efficient codes paths. You could try a v21 nightly which includes a fix.

Trying latest Omega, but no difference, sadly.

[pen2paper]

Have also noticed that when I try to play problematic SD interlaced media through VLC, lag, missed frames, audio issues, etc, are virtually non-existent. The problem seems to be with Kodi.

I recall, when using a Raspberry Pi, deinterlacing options seemed more varied. It is worth flagging this as a bug, perhaps?

---

Something else - the SD interlaced footage that appears stuttery on playback... if I set render method to software, the lag/render issues are reduced almost entirely, which is good progress. However, to ensure smooth motion, I have to open video settings after pressing play and toggle Interlacing from on to off and back to on again. Ideally, I would prefer not to have to do this every single time.

[PatK]

set render method to software

Indicating the CPU handles the video better, suggest overclocking. RE: VLC there is always the opportunity to use it as the player via External players (wiki) a playercorefactory.xml file.

[pen2paper]

Thank you. I've tried adding code to playercodefactory.xml but is there any way to check if VLC is now the default player?

EDIT - In fact, Kodi now crashes when I try to open a video, so have reverted. Any tips on correct code, please?

[PatK]

From the wiki External players (wiki) the debug log will show if your playercorefactory.xml is appreciated. Ensure your editor is not adding wrong extension.

VLC
 

Code:

<playercorefactory>
  <players>
    <player name="VLC" type="ExternalPlayer" audio="false" video="true">
      <filename>/usr/bin/vlc</filename>
      <args>--fullscreen "{1}"</args>
      <hidexbmc>false</hidexbmc>
    </player>
  </players>
  <rules action="prepend">
    <rule video="true" player="VLC"/>
  </rules>
</playercorefactory>