topic YouTube HDR... finally in Android TV

YouTube HDR... finally

Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 10:40:14 GMT

YouTube HDR content is finally available!

You will find a playlist here. However, these clips will be played as SDR on Sonys for now.

With youtube-dl you can find vp9.2 encodings for those clips:

330          webm       256x144    144p60  156k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 2.38MiB
331          webm       426x240    240p60  256k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 3.87MiB
332          webm       640x360    360p60  485k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 7.35MiB
333          webm       854x480    480p60  909k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 13.83MiB
334          webm       1280x720   720p60 1991k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 28.18MiB
335          webm       1920x1080  1080p60 3201k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 49.70MiB
336          webm       2560x1440  1440p60 11166k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 170.23MiB
337          webm       3840x2160  2160p60 20122k , vp9.2, 60fps, video only, 335.45MiB

Those are webm however which the native Video app won't play.

We will see whether we will get support for it soon, even for the early 2016 models with the old MediaTek SoC from last year. At least Sony promised that back at CES:

YouTube will also start streaming in HDR quality later this year, using a new VP9-Profile 2 codec that brings HDR support to Google’s VP9 video format. Sony’s Motoi Kawamura, Head of TV Product Planning for Sony Europe, confirmed to FlatpanelsHD that the 2016 models will support VP9-Profile 2 and be capable of streaming YouTube in HDR. We saw a demo at CES and it looked very good.

Source

Betreff: YouTube HDR... finally

Peter_S. — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 10:35:43 GMT

Hi Kuschelmonschter,

Thanks a lot for the news.

Apologies that this initial post had been removed by the automatic spam filter.

I've restored it now from spam quarantine.

Cheers

Peter

Betreff: YouTube HDR... finally

Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 10:38:36 GMT

Thanks for that! It was probably considered a double-posting. The only purpose is to have some things discussed with the British community also.

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Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 10:56:07 GMT

Thanks for the info.

"However, these clips will be played as SDR on Sonys for now."

Upon switching HDR on manually, it seems to playback in HDR - or is it my eyes playing tricks on me?

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Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:01:04 GMT

You mean the TV profile? Or the respective stream in YouTube? Can you actually chose the HDR stream? Does the HDR profile activate for any source? I will also have to investigate deeper in the evening.

Just switching to the respective HDR profile on TV won't give you the YouTube HDR stream I suppose.

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Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:09:08 GMT

No, HDR does not activate automatically - but the option enables itself in the Picture Mode - So its detecting HDR at some point, as if there is no HDR detected - the HDR Profile in Picture Mode is not there. So manually changing the profile to HDR seems to work.

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Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:10:21 GMT

Which TV do you use for testing?

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Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:12:01 GMT

KD-55XD8577 is my model. So still on Android 5.1.

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Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:13:30 GMT

OK, so a model from the spring 2016 line-up with last year's MT5890 chipset. I will post my findings in the evening when I get back home.

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Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:15:54 GMT

Correct

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Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 15:40:59 GMT

I also get the HDR Video profile for conventional 4K clips (like this one for example). It creates an artificial HDR effect there. So that's no indication for VP9.2 decoding.

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Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 20:27:27 GMT

Adding this Article from:

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1478587563

YouTube adds support for HDR video streaming

The company first announced that HDR video support was coming to YouTube at CES 2016 in January. Google has now pushed the button and says that you can enjoy HDR video on the new Chromecast Ultra and soon 2016 Samsung TVs.

YouTube in HDR

YouTube has been steadily adding support for high-end video formats, including 4K, 8K and HFR (High Frame Rate). It is now adding support for HDR, short for “High Dynamic Range”.

- “Today we are adding support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) videos on YouTube. HDR videos have higher contrast, revealing precise, detailed shadows and stunning highlights with more clarity than ever. Support for wide color gamut means colors are more vibrant. Simply put, HDR unlocks the most spectacular image quality we've ever streamed,” said Google.

The new video format covers two recent developments. The first is expanded dynamic range with deeper blacks, brighter whites, and improved highlights and shadow details. The second is a wider color space that covers more of the visible colors - up to Rec.2020 color gamut - than standard Rec.709.

To enjoy HDR video you need a HDR TV. HDR video is not comparable to HDR photography so the display needs specific hardware to reproduce the demanding video format. Google says that YouTube’s HDR streaming is available on the new ‘Chromecast Ultra’ and “soon” on Samsung 2016 “SUHD” and UHD TVs.

If you own another device you are out of luck for now but Google says that it “will work with partners to enable streaming of the HDR version”. The HDR videos are not available to watch on PCs yet.

Google did specify why that is but told FlatpanelsHD at CES 2016 that HDR streaming via YouTube requires VP9 Profile2, which is a compression format and a free alternative to the HEVC format. VP9 Profile 2 requires upgraded hardware so that is why only 2016 products appear to support YouTube in HDR. TV products with VP9 Profile1 were first launched in late 2014.

So unless anything has changed in the meantime, Google is using the HDR10 format compressed in VP9 (Profile2).
"

Betreff: YouTube HDR... finally

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 20:33:30 GMT

@Kuschelmonschter

According to:

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1456483738

YouTube will start supporting HDR quality in 2016, too, and to enjoy it your TV needs to support VP9-Profile2. Sony says that its 2016 TVs do indeed support that.
"

This article was published 26 Feb 2016 - So a 'normal' person would assume ALL 2016 models.

Time to clarrify again with Sony I guess.

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Kuschelmonschter — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 05:54:42 GMT

Also see the quote from my initial posting:

YouTube will also start streaming in HDR quality later this year, using a new VP9-Profile 2 codec that brings HDR support to Google’s VP9 video format. Sony’s Motoi Kawamura, Head of TV Product Planning for Sony Europe, confirmed to FlatpanelsHD that the 2016 models will support VP9-Profile 2 and be capable of streaming YouTube in HDR. We saw a demo at CES and it looked very good.

Source

I can’t confirm VP9-profile 2 working with latest firmware. Also the HDR content on YouTube is played as SDR only on the Sony. The 'HDR Video' profile seems to be enabled for any 4K content, also conventional 8-bit SDR, adding an ugly artificial effect.

I really hope that Sony/MediaTek can pull support out of the old MT5890. It would not be acceptable to me that the affordable high-end March 2016 models from the spring line-up, which can actually reproduce HDR thanks to local dimming (XD93/XD94), can’t play YouTube HDR content (and probably lots of future HDR stuff too), but the entry-level models from July 2016 (XD70/XD75, XD80/XD83) with the updated MT5891 can. Consider that all are models from 2016 and there are only 3-4 months between the spring and the summer releases. So after 3-4 months on the market, the March 2016 models would already be rendered out of date. That would be pretty bad mismanagement and misinformation on Sony’s behalf.

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Anonymous — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 05:34:10 GMT

The funny thing is, I read your post and still didnt see the Sony confirming part....

I have to agree with you, if the early 2016 models are not capable of VP9p2, then a massive screw-up would entail, and loads of unhappy customers too....

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Kuschelmonschter — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 06:13:40 GMT

I am sure it takes another half a year until software support is added. Only then will we know, whether this is only available on models after July 2016 (XD80, XD83, XD75, ZD9), or also on the March 2016 models (XD85, XD93, XD94) with last year's processor. Google/YouTube seems to have other partners in order to show off their HDR content and it is not even in their own Android TV camp which is a statement already...

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yautjawarrior — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 15:18:40 GMT

Tried this on my 55-X8509C last night, HDR doesn't switch automatically but selecting HDR picture mode really makes the colours pop, big time, more than normal videos, so I'm guessing HDR is working on these videos. Will the YouTube app be getting an update to allow for auto HDR switching ?

Also has anyone else had a problem with the YouTube app being really slow at streaming ? I have 76 Mbps internet, so more than fast enough and my PC has no problems streaming 4k videos on YouTube but the TV is constantly buffereing with 4k and sometimes 1440p videos too.

Funny thing is, the TV has no problem with 4k Netflix, so I'm thinking its a YouTube app issue. Anyone else had this ?

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Kuschelmonschter — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 15:36:00 GMT

Please read all posts in this topic! That's just fake HDR applied to conventional 4K SDR VP9. Totally oversaturated with pumped up contrast. No dynamic range enhancement at all. If you like that effect, you probably don't need any HDR at all...

Again... The Sonys currently don't play the VP9.2 HDR stream but only the VP9 SDR one. Via picture mode, it is only possible to apply a ridiculous fake HDR effect to 4K content.

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yautjawarrior — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 15:50:15 GMT

Wasn't really if it was working or not tbh with it not switching automatically, like other content does but the colours did look stunning. I agree, they were very oversaturated though. As my TV is calibrated for REC 709 colours, I thought I would need to make adjustments when using BT2020 anyway. I guess the stunning 4k picture quality with the really vibrant colours fooled me for a moment.

Don't suppose you have any info / help on the YouTube app's crappy 4k streaming ?

Either way, thanks for the reply.

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Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 07:00:18 GMT

Seems like non of the number 1 supporters is getting any feedback from Sony on this matter. Not even on the U.S. forums are they making any statements. Bad omen...

I assume that Sony will artificially restrict VP9.2 decoding to ZD9. Wouldn't it look stupid if they put it on the entry-level models like XD75/XD80 but not on the high-end models like XD93/XD94?