topic Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr in Android TV

BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

darrenj11 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 10:06:52 GMT

10th December this will be available on uhd and hdr on Sony 2017 models.

Did anyone hear of a plan to introduce the BBC hdr to older Sony models? I believe they are using a different type of hdr than currently installed on the 2015 /2016 models.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

jowilso7943 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:41:24 GMT

Actually many 2017 Sony TVs will not be able to play this. The list of supported devices (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/latest-news/blue-planet-II-uhd) does not include XE80, XE90, XE93, ZD9 or A1 models - supposedly Sony’s premium ones.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

darrenj11 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:44:03 GMT

This is bad news, was there ever a mention of support for this by Sony I'm
trying to recall

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:45:11 GMT

I am pretty gutted about this as the XE90 is supposed to support HLG now yet it's not listed as supported? Really not happy.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:08:01 GMT

I have asked Sony support the question. I don't expect a positive response. One of the reasons I bought the XE90 was for HLG support which was promised. It will be another example of Sony failing to deliver.

Edit: it looks like none of the Android TVs are supported. Seems Android is to blame again?

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

sj.taylor — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:45:16 GMT

Yep, all the 7xxx models listed there are non-android non-youview... meh 😞

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

sj.taylor — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:47:40 GMT

Lets hope they're working on the 8xxx models.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:58:14 GMT

Must admit this is the first time I've bought a supposed premium set which has worse support than the cheaper models in the range. More fool me.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

sj.taylor — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:04:48 GMT

Additionally, it will only be available until the 9th January! I hope we get support FAST!

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

lotkas — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:13:02 GMT

In the firmware v6.2671 there is a support for HLG so i assume it will work as designed on the following models

KD-77A1
KD-75XE9405
KD-75XE9005
KD-75XE8596
KD-65XE9305
KD-65XE9005
KD-65XE8599
KD-65XE8596
KD-65XE8588
KD-65XE8577
KD-65XE8505
KD-65A1
KD-55XE9305
KD-55XE9005
KD-55XE8599
KD-55XE8596
KD-55XE8588
KD-55XE8577
KD-55XE8505
KD-55XE8396
KD-55XE8096
KD-55A1
KD-49XE9005
KD-49XE8396
KD-49XE8099
KD-49XE8096
KD-49XE8088
KD-49XE8077
KD-49XE8005
KD-49XE8004
KD-43XE8396
KD-43XE8099
KD-43XE8096
KD-43XE8077
KD-43XE8005
KD-43XE8004

This firmware update introduces Android Nougat to Sony's Android TV and supports:

Picture-in-Picture mode
Half-screen settings mode
Task-switching (quickly access recently used apps)
Multiple Google accounts
Google Cast 4K content via built-in Chromecast
Ability to switch to TV viewing mode from Home menu with PROG +/- or number buttons
A2DP (Bluetooth headphone) functionality

Applicable for XE85, XE90, XE93, XE94 and A1 Series

Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) HDR content
New sound setting (Dialogue mode)
Voice search web browser functionality
Improved category list design
Improved Wi-Fi password input screen

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

maharri9651 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:23:35 GMT

Just checked my KD43XD8088 and it indeed has HLG, so either the BBC list is incomplete, or there is another issue preventing access to Iplayer UHD.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:30:07 GMT

It's probably something to do with Android TV as all the models listed on the BBC website for UHD do not have Android TV

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

maharri9651 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:33:56 GMT

Well thats unfortunate, may be worth checking if all the TV's on the list from other manufacturers are also non android or is it a Sony specific problem

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 22:43:15 GMT

It appears it's down to Sony not Android. You decide based on this BBC employees tweet.

https://twitter.com/_craigt_/status/938134629000900608

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

jowilso7943 — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 14:59:29 GMT

It’s also been announced today that non-Android Sony TVs will receive a Freeview Play update, but Android models won’t.

@stormyuk wrote:
It appears it's down to Sony not Android. You decide based on this BBC employees tweet.

https://twitter.com/_craigt_/status/938134629000900608

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 15:41:35 GMT

Yeh, I noticed that. I wonder if Freeview Play comes bundled with a newer and more capable iPlayer version and that the Android TV version we have with Youview is left behind.

Theoretcially HLG support is there on the TV, but both Sony and the BBC remain very tight lipped what the issue is with bringing 4K iPlayer to the Android TV range.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

pajo100 — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 01:28:08 GMT

Must check my 2015 model X9305 for this as I use a different iplayer app.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

Tufftybob — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 02:18:28 GMT

Hi lotkas

I just gave you a kudos, if only b'cos your list is the only one I have seen since I bought MY tv that actually lists MY tv.

I was told 'pre-sale' that MY 4k tv was likely 'better than some other brands' b'cos of the 'hdr' capability.

Whateverrrrrrr zzzzzz!

All I know (now) is that the picture is excellent - especially for things like Blue Planet II from BBC iPlayer (whether accessed via the Smart TV app, or via my Sky+ HD Box, or via the BBC iPlayer app on my 2nd Gen Amazon Fire TV Box) - but also that HDR Image Quality is only going to be accessible or viewable when 'content' is made available for it.

So this, and other tv's have yet another 'quality improvement feature' added (that we are paying for) designed for content that does NOT exist (yet?).

I am feeling another bit of deja vu, just as with broadcasted 3D content being so scarce that the 3D tv's were or ARE waste of time & money (just my opinion).

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

lotkas — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 08:58:17 GMT

There are more informations released about supported devices.

Apparently Blue Planet 2 on iPlayer will run at 25fps via DVB-DASH adaptive bitrate streaming and HEVC (Main 10 Profile, Level 5.1) compression, primarily because it supports the 10-bit data path required for the HDR television signal.
The BBC said that the highest HD quality they currently deliver on iPlayer is 1280×720 at 50 fps (720p/50) at around 5Mbps. By using HEVC, they can increase the resolution to 1600×900, and add both wide colour gamut and HDR “for the same bitrate” (note: this isn’t yet at 4K quality, but see below).
A table produced by the broadcaster for their 4K test states that the top quality will require a speed of about 22.7Mbps. “So even if you have broadband below 20Mbps your UHD TV should still be able to get better resolution, wide colour gamut and HLG high dynamic range“, said the BBC’s Principal Technologist, Andrew Cotton.
Using this technology an ordinary Full HD stream on iPlayer with HDR enabled (1920 x 1080 pixels) would require a connection speed of around 7Mbps. Remember real-time video bit rates will vary a lot, so you won’t always need the top speed.
We should add that when the BBC encodes an episode they create up to 11 different versions at different image resolutions, which means they can target different bandwidth internet connections (from 480 x 270 and up to 3840 x 2160 pixels). They also include stereo audio encoded as AAC-LC at 128 kbit/s.

None of the listed Sony models supports DVB-DASH (at least its not listed) from what I have investigated so far.

Re: BBC iPlayer Blue Planet 2 uhd hdr

stormyuk — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 10:20:30 GMT

Yeh lack of DVB-DASH was cited on Twitter. It's odd the XE70 non-android TV supports it but potentially the Android TVs don't. The other theory is that the Sony Android TV is not reporting it's capabilities of HLG properly to iPlayer which just sees 'Android 7'.