No 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR support on iMac Pro

[sanichor]

I don't understand. Compatibility is announced by Apple https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina/features/

4K, 4K HDR, 4K Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10 content is available on all Mac models introduced in 2018 or later with 4K-resolution screens.

However, Macworld has written something else https://www.macworld.com/article/3444585/8-hidden-features-of-macos-catalina.html

As for full-on 4K HDR streaming, it’s enabled only on 2018 and later MacBook Pros and 2017 and later iMacs with the T2 chip. Unfortunately, that means that older 4K and 5K iMacs are out of luck.

 

[fathergll]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/dfcja8

Comments section of reddit has another user with 2019 iMac who can't get it working.

 

[priitv8]

Comments section of reddit has another user with 2019 iMac who can't get it working.

What could be the purpose of this struggle?
You can never enjoy HDR experience on any of current Macs, as the hardware is incapable. Sole exception being the Pro Display XDR.

 

[sanichor]

Without 1000cd/m2, all P3 screens can display the 10bits range color of HDR videos with Quicktime in Catalina. The difference is noticeable by comparing this video on VLC and Quicktime. https://4kmedia.org/sony-bravia-uhd-hdr-4k-demo/
There is more information on this reddit thread.

 

[Synchro3]

4K, 4K HDR, 4K Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10 content is available on all Mac models introduced in 2018 or later with 4K-resolution screens.

I have now an LG OLED55C9, always immediately indicating if a source is transmitting DolbyVision, HDR, Dolby Atmos footage etc.

However, the Apple TV app on my Mac Mini 2018 does not send DolbyVision nor HDR nor 4K, all my other devices do (Amazon FireTV 4K Stick -> DolbyVision / Raspberry 4 with LibreElec/KODI -> HDR). I think macOS does not support DolbyVision or HDR at all.

I'm now returning my Mac Mini to my working room connecting again with a normal 4K monitor.

The Mac Mini 2018 as a 4K media station for 4K television, even with Catalina, is just a fail.

 

[fathergll]

What could be the purpose of this struggle?
You can never enjoy HDR experience on any of current Macs, as the hardware is incapable. Sole exception being the Pro Display XDR.

It's still higher bit-rate content(UHD) vs HD

 

[Glockworkorange]

I thought this was very confusing too. As far as I was aware, the iMac Pro display is the same as that of the 2019 iMac, which is the same as that of the 2017 iMac... isn't it?

It would be a serious blow to find that lesser machines gain HDR support while the iMac Pro is left behind.

I know I'm way late on this thread, but none of the iMacs support HDR, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[priitv8]

It's still higher bit-rate content(UHD) vs HD

I see. UHD is totally different story and independent of HDR.
Although the marketers may want to leave different impression.

 

[SueperDrive]

I have now an LG OLED55C9, always immediately indicating if a source is transmitting DolbyVision, HDR, Dolby Atmos footage etc.

However, the Apple TV app on my Mac Mini 2018 does not send DolbyVision nor HDR nor 4K, all my other devices do (Amazon FireTV 4K Stick -> DolbyVision / Raspberry 4 with LibreElec/KODI -> HDR). I think macOS does not support DolbyVision or HDR at all.

I'm now returning my Mac Mini to my working room connecting again with a normal 4K monitor.

The Mac Mini 2018 as a 4K media station for 4K television, even with Catalina, is just a fail.

You can have DolbyVision from the Apple TV app by using AirPlay 2. DD will also be streamed. Not sure for DD+ / Atmos. But over cable i was not able to get the HDR signal working on my LG B9 with the 15" 2018 mbp. iPhone works too and now there is a built in Apple TV app so for movie wathing there is no need to turn the mac on.

The only way i can enable HDR over cable on the B9 is with my PC Desktop (nVidia GTX 1060). On bootcamp with the 555x there is no option to enable it. I don't know if its a driver issue since im using the Raden Pro bootcamp driver and haven't tried the Radeon RX drivers, or it's a hardware issue. But i'm using a Thunderbold 3 to HDMI 2.0 cable with 4K@60Hz support so it should not be the issue.

 

[BeatCrazy]

So now the iMac Pro supports HDR?! https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210980

I dunno what’s going on with Dolby Vision (maybe they just lump DV into the “HDR” category), or what happened to the regular iMac?

 

[Kevbasscat]

There has to be a reason for that

Excuse me I had to withdraw my statement as I was warned by a mod for injecting subject matter that belongs in another forum previously and I don't want to repeat that mistake. Suffice to say have very strong feelings about their reasons for that.

 

[Kier-XF]

So now the iMac Pro supports HDR?! https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210980

I dunno what’s going on with Dolby Vision (maybe they just lump DV into the “HDR” category), or what happened to the regular iMac?

Presumably this is a mistake, as my Displays panel certainly doesn't show that HDR option.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Presumably this is a mistake, as my Displays panel certainly doesn't show that HDR option.

That graphic is for when you have an external HDR monitor connected.
No way that is a mistake. That kind of table took work and legal review on Apple’s part.

 

[CWallace]

So now the iMac Pro supports HDR?! https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210980

It is possible they mean that it will play content mastered in Dolby Vision and HDR10-mastered, but will not display it in Dolby Vision or HDR10. The notes mention that can iMac Pro can display 4K content at 4K whereas the MacBook Pro does so at 2K (HD).

Then again, there are rumors the 2020 iMac Pro and MacBook Pros will have miniLED displays which would allow for actual HDR playback (like the Pro Display XDR can) so this could be an inadvertent leak about the new models?

 

[BeatCrazy]

It is possible they mean that it will play content mastered in Dolby Vision and HDR10-mastered, but will not display it in Dolby Vision or HDR10. The notes mention that can iMac Pro can display 4K content at 4K whereas the MacBook Pro does so at 2K (HD).

It’s says content can play back in HDR on the iMac Pro. Other, non-compatible devices, play back HDR10 content in SDR. It is explicit.

 

[CWallace]

It’s says content can play back in HDR on the iMac Pro. Other, non-compatible devices, play back HDR10 content in SDR. It is explicit.

Well then it's either a mistake or accidental confirmation of the rumor that the 2020 iMac Pro will have an HDR display.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Well then it's either a mistake or accidental confirmation of the rumor that the 2020 iMac Pro will have an HDR display.

Apple lawyers don’t let a product feature/spec leak out on a support doc web page

Why don’t you believe the 2017 iMac Pro has an HDR display?

 

[CWallace]

Apple lawyers don’t let a product feature/spec leak out on a support doc web page

Uh, the past few years have been proof enough that those kinds of leaks happen. Hell, they announced a new iPhone just before the actual event that launched it.

Why don’t you believe the 2017 iMac Pro has an HDR display?

It's the same panel as the regular iMac uses and that is not an HDR display. The LG part numbers are known and the specifications have been posted online and nowhere in them does it say the panel is an HDR display. Also one would think Apple would note HDR support in the ad copy for the iMac Pro like they do for the Pro Display XDR.

So if the iMac Pro can do it, so should my iMac 5K.

I use IINA and it will playback HDR10 content using color mapping, but it's not very good since my iMac 5K does not do local dimming (nor does the current iMac Pro). If the 2020 iMac Pro does indeed go to miniLED backlighting, then it will have local dimming and HDR content will look much better.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Uh, the past few years have been proof enough that those kinds of leaks happen. Hell, they announced a new iPhone just before the actual event that launched it.




It's the same panel as the regular iMac uses and that is not an HDR display. The LG part numbers are known and the specifications have been posted online and nowhere in them does it say the panel is an HDR display. Also one would think Apple would note HDR support in the ad copy for the iMac Pro like they do for the Pro Display XDR.

So if the iMac Pro can do it, so should my iMac 5K.

I use IINA and it will playback HDR10 content using color mapping, but it's not very good since my iMac 5K does not do local dimming (nor does the current iMac Pro). If the 2020 iMac Pro does indeed go to miniLED backlighting, then it will have local dimming and HDR content will look much better.

iMac Pro has different graphics card and different drivers than reg iMac. So, HDR is possible, because it’s physically different than reg iMac.

What would you like me to do to demo that the iMac Pro can indeed display HDR, per Apple’s own specs?

 

[CWallace]

iMac Pro has different graphics card and different drivers than reg iMac. So, HDR is possible, because it’s physically different than reg iMac.

You need a display that supports High Dynamic Range to display High Dynamic Range content.

I can watch HDR content on my non-HDR ASUS gaming monitor with an app that supports color mapping and it will look a bit better with that color mapping than without, but when I watch that same HDR content on my HDR LG OLED TV it looks vastly better.

But anyway, not worth cluttering up this thread with intractable debate. Believe what you wish to believe and so shall I.

 

[BeatCrazy]

You need a display that supports High Dynamic Range to display High Dynamic Range content.

I can watch HDR content on my non-HDR ASUS gaming monitor with an app that supports color mapping and it will look a bit better with that color mapping than without, but when I watch that same HDR content on my HDR LG OLED TV it looks vastly better - and much closer to what the creator of said content intended.

But anyway, not worth cluttering up this thread with intractable debate. Believe what you wish to believe and so shall I.

Per Apple, the iMac Pro has a display that supports HDR, and it is clear as day that I have the option on the iMac Pro to play back HDR Apple TV content (but don’t on my other non-HDR Apple devices), just like I do on my Apple TV 4K. Which, incidentally, is connected to my 4K LG OLED like yours.

 

[EugW]

You can play HDR content on the iMacs and iMac Pro, but it’s not true HDR. It’s wide colour gamut, but the contrast ratio isn’t enough to call it true HDR.

QuickTime has built-in support for HDR playback. It even works on the iPads. It gets dithered as necessary.

Here is For All Mankind in Apple TV+ on my iPad Pro 10.5. Note the Dolby Vision logo, which is HDR with dynamic metadata. However, none of the iPads or iPad Pros are HDR. Not a single one. But it looks way better than the cheap iPads because of the wide colour gamut support.

Note that TVs with similar display specs as the iMac Pro will actually market the TVs as HDR, but Apple doesn’t.

BTW, one reason I’m waiting to upgrade my iPad Pro and not getting the 2020 model now is because the next one might come with mini-LED, which might make the iPad Pros look closer to real HDR.

 

[BeatCrazy]

So I ordered the LG 27UL850-W with HDR400 rating. I'll use this in another room, but tonight I decided to hook it up to my iMac Pro.

And boom, there we have it: iMac Pro HDR support on both internal and external displays.

 

[priitv8]

To my big surprise, HDR is now, with Catalina, also properly rendered on my 2019 iMac.
Haven't measured the peak brightness yet, but the difference to SDR is obvious.

 

[g0ren]

I'm honestly really confused even after reading every page in this topic. I've got an 2019 iMac with an i9 and Vega48 and the TV app doesn't have a dedicated section for 4K HDR. The little logos do show up when you click into the video page but it's still really confusing.

As has been pointed out, the iMac Pro can apparently do HDR, but the 2019 iMac isn't on there.

Play HDR video on Mac - Apple Support

Support for high dynamic range (HDR) video, such as HDR movies and TV shows from Apple or other providers, requires the latest version of macOS, a compatible Mac model, and an HDR10-compatible display, TV, or projector.

support.apple.com

Yet, at the same time, the 2019 iMac can drive the Pro Display XDR in 6K HDR but the iMac Pro can't?

Set up and use Apple Pro Display XDR - Apple Support

Learn about Pro Display XDR and how to set up and use it with your Mac.

support.apple.com

How does any of that make sense? Why wouldn't the 2019 iMac be on the first page?