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The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Original poster
Dec 15, 2010
31,397
20,651
UK
Just got my 4K Apple TV but cable I’m using says it needs a stronger cable to play HDR content...using 4K SDR at the moment...weird though as it looks brighter than HDR

UK based here...
 
Try using your existing HDMI cable and replace if necessary.

I have two 1080p Monoprice Redmere cables that work fine at 4k/60 for HDR and Dolby Vision.

I've had success with Amazon Basics 4k cables too.
 
Just got my 4K Apple TV but cable I’m using says it needs a stronger cable to play HDR content...using 4K SDR at the moment...weird though as it looks brighter than HDR

UK based here...
That is why I stopped using HDR. To me 4K SDR looks better than 4K HDR. I tried many cables and no matter what I did, 4K HDR appeared dim and washed out, whereas 4K SDR looks brighter and clearer. So I stuck with that setting and have been happy.
 
That is why I stopped using HDR. To me 4K SDR looks better than 4K HDR. I tried many cables and no matter what I did, 4K HDR appeared dim and washed out, whereas 4K SDR looks brighter and clearer. So I stuck with that setting and have been happy.
Glad it isn’t just me then.

When i put on the NBA with HDR on the quailty seemed far worse and too dark.

4K SDR seems great still.

Seeing as i have just got this 4K Apple TV is there any settings that need to be changed from what has come default with the box?
 
Forcing HDR with SDR material does not look good to me.

For the ATV 4k, I recommend setting it to 4k/60 SDR, match frame rate on, and match range on. Once set, the atv should automatically enable and disable hdr/DV to match the source material. Frame rate matching will result in a smoother image.
 
Hi buddy!
Definitely the 'Match' content needs to be on. One gives auto frame rate (movies are usually 23.967 fps then there's 25fps in the UK or 30fps or 50 or 60.) When it's on the default setting, everything will be playing at 60 or 50fps which causes judder or jerky pans. The other setting switches between SDR, HDR and Dolby Vision automatically depending on content. Very clever.

HDMI leads wise, I ALWAYS use the Apple tested lead from their site. Also for attention to detail freaks like me, it matches the design of the mains lead plug. Some don't notice but damn, I do :) This was also the FIRST HDMI 2.1 sec lead to hit the market :) Quality leads are important to me as once you've bought them, you simply forget about them and simply enjoy a 100% reliable experience!
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/HLL52ZM/A/belkin-ultra-high-speed-4k-hdmi-cable-2m?fnode=a9

It's important that everything looks great as I have my chic & sexy Apple TV 4K on display on my low level unit.

I also bought a QED Ethernet cable however, I've never needed to use it at my present home as the 5ghz WiFi signal seems to be 100% reliable (unlike 2.4) with no neighbours clashing and it buffers instantly even on 4K Dolby Vision films.
(2.4ghz WiFi in UK streets is very crowded. Usually only channel 1, 6 and 11 are available however when I do a scan, my neighbours are using 2,4, 7, 9, 10, 12 which knocks out 1, 6 and 11 - an example I have 4000mbps fibre. it's 402mbps on the 5ghz setting, the other evening the 2.4ghz registered just 0.3mbps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
 
Hi buddy!
Definitely the 'Match' content needs to be on. One gives auto frame rate (movies are usually 23.967 fps then there's 25fps in the UK or 30fps or 50 or 60.) When it's on the default setting, everything will be playing at 60 or 50fps which causes judder or jerky pans. The other setting switches between SDR, HDR and Dolby Vision automatically depending on content. Very clever.

HDMI leads wise, I ALWAYS use the Apple tested lead from their site. Also for attention to detail freaks like me, it matches the design of the mains lead plug. Some don't notice but damn, I do :) This was also the FIRST HDMI 2.1 sec lead to hit the market :) Quality leads are important to me as once you've bought them, you simply forget about them and simply enjoy a 100% reliable experience!
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/HLL52ZM/A/belkin-ultra-high-speed-4k-hdmi-cable-2m?fnode=a9

It's important that everything looks great as I have my chic & sexy Apple TV 4K on display on my low level unit.

I also bought a QED Ethernet cable however, I've never needed to use it at my present home as the 5ghz WiFi signal seems to be 100% reliable (unlike 2.4) with no neighbours clashing and it buffers instantly even on 4K Dolby Vision films.
(2.4ghz WiFi in UK streets is very crowded. Usually only channel 1, 6 and 11 are available however when I do a scan, my neighbours are using 2,4, 7, 9, 10, 12 which knocks out 1, 6 and 11 - an example I have 4000mbps fibre. it's 402mbps on the 5ghz setting, the other evening the 2.4ghz registered just 0.3mbps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

Great stuff

Thanks for your reply. Hard to know how to make the most of 4K content

Do you have HDR 60 on yours or you use SDR?
 
Great stuff

Thanks for your reply. Hard to know how to make the most of 4K content

Do you have HDR 60 on yours or you use SDR?
Ar man, i'm sure that you'll love it! I believe that LCD TVs are not ideal for HDR compared to OLED. One thing to remember with LCD is that you MUST have the backlight in the HDR setting on FULL to take advantage. This creates problems when ATV at first sent everything out as HDR as having a backlit on full 1. Uses more electricity 2. Stresses the LCD panel over time.
I have the LG OLED B7 and my settings are SDR 60 with MATCH FRAME & MATCH CONTENT. This means that the UI is going out in SDR along with my apps and 1080p iTunes films which my favourite films are in. However when I watch a iTunes 4K Dolby Vision film such as Mama Mia, Bohemium Rhapsody etc then it automatically changes etc.

You should find that your LG TV has a different group of picture settings when in HDR mode, hence why things are not looking optimised right now.

Have a good play with it.

You'll also find that you can change the UI screen from white to black and have an 'auto' setting which puts it in white during the day and then black on an evening - great for me and my crowd as we watch film in candlelight!

I'm sure that you'll soon discover that this is the best lil box ever and you'll wonder why it took so long to get one - a bit like the first time you buy and use an iPhone :)

PS Try that HDMI lead too.

Please report back if you have any other queries or problems! NJOY!!!!
 
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Ar man, i'm sure that you'll love it! I believe that LCD TVs are not ideal for HDR compared to OLED. One thing to remember with LCD is that you MUST have the backlight in the HDR setting on FULL to take advantage. This creates problems when ATV at first sent everything out as HDR as having a backlit on full 1. Uses more electricity 2. Stresses the LCD panel over time.
I have the LG OLED B7 and my settings are SDR 60 with MATCH FRAME & MATCH CONTENT. This means that the UI is going out in SDR along with my apps and 1080p iTunes films which my favourite films are in. However when I watch a iTunes 4K Dolby Vision film such as Mama Mia, Bohemium Rhapsody etc then it automatically changes etc.

You should find that your LG TV has a different group of picture settings when in HDR mode, hence why things are not looking optimised right now.

Have a good play with it.

You'll also find that you can change the UI screen from white to black and have an 'auto' setting which puts it in white during the day and then black on an evening - great for me and my crowd as we watch film in candlelight!

I'm sure that you'll soon discover that this is the best lil box ever and you'll wonder why it took so long to get one - a bit like the first time you buy and use an iPhone :)

PS Try that HDMI lead too.

Please report back if you have any other queries or problems! NJOY!!!!

Thanks for your advice

And yes I’ve just ordered the cable you linked to. Think will take advantage of what’s needed as when testing the connection my cable isn’t strong enough even on SDR and I’ve switched match content on too :) oh and put on auto for the UI
 
Thanks for your advice

And yes I’ve just ordered the cable you linked to. Think will take advantage of what’s needed as when testing the connection my cable isn’t strong enough even on SDR and I’ve switched match content on too :) oh and put on auto for the UI
Excellent! Hopefully you'll have it by the weekend!
 
To my surprise the cable has arrived today and least now not error message has come up with this cable like the last one.

Keeping SDR on though as for my TV produces better colours.
 
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Just got my 4K Apple TV but cable I’m using says it needs a stronger cable to play HDR content...using 4K SDR at the moment...weird though as it looks brighter than HDR

UK based here...

That is why I stopped using HDR. To me 4K SDR looks better than 4K HDR. I tried many cables and no matter what I did, 4K HDR appeared dim and washed out, whereas 4K SDR looks brighter and clearer. So I stuck with that setting and have been happy.

Keep whatever makes you happy for sure however I can tell you the issue you are experiencing if you wanted to mess around with it in yourself spare time.

Keep in mind HDR used in this context (video) is a wider color space (bt2020), higher bit depth (10-bit), higher levels of peak brightness, better contrast in dark and bright areas, etc etc. Everything only enhances image quality.

The problem comes in if you took an HDR signal and received a 10 bit bt2020 colors space and displaying it as 8 bit rt709 color space (SDR). And if you took your brightness scale and added a 50% onto the end but didn't increase where it was previously set for SDR. In the end you would get a washed out pale image that was very dark because you are using SDR settings and calibration for HDR content.

Again if you are happy with SDR just leave it however there are some quick things you can do to improve it.

Enable UHD colors, UHD deep colors, true colors, uhd whatever colors, every manufacturer calls it something different however the things that is similar between them is this is a setting for individual HDMI ports. So you want to find which HDMI port you AppleTV4k is on and turn it on for that port. That will allow your TV is interrupt and display the wider color space being sent to it.

For brightness I would start HERE, look for your TV and see if they have suggestions for a generic calibration. Keep in mind 1000nits is the goal for HDR and no TV can realistically hit that. HDR can be darker as well due to the wide range of colors bit depth , etc etc. Since the peak is unattainable I would set the backlight to 100 and calibrate everything else from there.

Increasing the blacklight and turning on UDH wide color or whatever they called it will make a world of difference. Once you do that turn HDR 4k on in the AppleTV settings.
 
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