What Should My Display Settings Be?

[mnsportsgeek]

I just got a new 4K TV with Dolby Vision and HDR10. There is so much information out there about how ATV4K sucks at handling Dolby Vision and everyone has a recommendation on what to to use for display settings. I’m wondering what the universal accepted solution is if there is any at all.

Some people say to set the ATV to display 4K SDR (60Hz) with a 4:2:2 Chroma and the TV will still display HDR content as it should be displayed.

I’ve also read some people just choose Dolby Vision in the ATV settings and forget it.

Second question is should I be leaving Dynamic Range and Frame Rate matching on?

Last question is is it normal to get a 5 or so second black screen when the TV is switching back and forth between Dolby Vision and SDR?

My goal is to ultimately get an accurate picture that isn’t going to over stress the TV by constantly forcing HDR.

 

[Audit13]

Go with 4k 60 SDR, match frame rate, and match range. I didn't choose DV as the default output because I find the main screen too bright and colours look strange with non-DV/non-HDR content

The tv should automatically switch to Dolby Vision or HDR when the ATV sends a DV or HDR signal.

I recommend choosing what looks best to you.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Go with 4k 60 SDR, match frame rate, and match range. I didn't choose DV as the default output because I find the main screen too bright and colours look strange with non-DV/non-HDR content

The tv should automatically switch to Dolby Vision or HDR when the ATV sends a DV or HDR signal.

I recommend choosing what looks best to you.

I think I'm leaning towards that because right now with Dolby Vision activated in the settings it plays everything in the DirecTV Now App in Dolby Vision and I don't want things forced into Dolby Vision. It doesn't seem to do this with Netflix as non HDR content in Netflix will switch to SDR. I don't know if that's a DirecTV Now issue in their app or just another example of the ATV4K sucking at HDR management.

I wish the match dynamic range setting actually worked consistently. It seems so backwards to set the resolution in the settings to a lower setting. The ATV should know that if dynamic range matching is turned on, it should switch to the right dynamic range.

 

[Audit13]

I think the "match dynamic range" only works when the default display is 4k SDR.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I think the "match dynamic range" only works when the default display is 4k SDR.

I suppose that makes sense, I just don’t understand how a user is supposed to know that without visiting a forum like this or talking to support.

 

[priitv8]

I suppose that makes sense, I just don’t understand how a user is supposed to know that without visiting a forum like this or talking to support.

I use the “RTFM” method.
Also Apple support is very helpful:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208288

 

[570934]

I think I'm leaning towards that because right now with Dolby Vision activated in the settings it plays everything in the DirecTV Now App in Dolby Vision and I don't want things forced into Dolby Vision. It doesn't seem to do this with Netflix as non HDR content in Netflix will switch to SDR. I don't know if that's a DirecTV Now issue in their app or just another example of the ATV4K sucking at HDR management.

I wish the match dynamic range setting actually worked consistently. It seems so backwards to set the resolution in the settings to a lower setting. The ATV should know that if dynamic range matching is turned on, it should switch to the right dynamic range.

Not sure about DirectTV app, but certainly Netflix and Prime do switch properly. The ATV will only switch when the correct information is present in the streaming file's metadata, otherwise it would know what to do and default to what the default setting.
Still, best option is 4K SDR as default and match content to range and rate.