Zidoo UHD2000 and HDR with LG TV

Discussion in 'HDD Media player(RTD 1296)' started by Przemyslaw, Nov 26, 2020.

  1. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    When I launch 4K .mkv files with HDR on my Zidoo UHD2000 device, my LG TV (c9) does not go to HDR mode.

    Do you know why that may be happening? Is this a known problem? HDR setting is set to Auto in Zidoo
     
  2. Mariusz

    Mariusz Active Member

    Strange, I have Zidoo X10 and TV LG Oled B9 and everything works fine. Have you checked if you have HDR to SDR turned on?
     
  3. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    I'd be looking at the files - none of the Zidoo devices have any issue sending an HDR SEI message which is what triggers HDR in the display.
     
  4. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    Thanks for your responses, guys!

    It's not the file. When I take the same file and attach the USB drive with it directly to the TV, HDR is triggered with no issues.

    As I mentioned, HDR option is set to Auto. HDR to SDR option has only Gamma and Parameter options to be selected. I don't think you are referring to this.

    What is even more interesting, is that when I connect Zidoo directly to the LG TV (no AVR), LG shows No Signal! So, I can use Zidoo only with AVR.
     
  5. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Does this happen with every HDR file you try or do some trigger HDR and some not?

    As a test, set HDR to "Mapping HDR10" and see if that immediately triggers HDR or not. It should do. When you select this, the Zidoo internally generates an HDR SEI message and switches to BT.2020 colour for the gui and SDR content and uses the file's data for HDR content.
     
  6. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    I would say all files, for example, I tried this sample: https://4kmedia.org/the-world-in-hdr-uhd-4k-demo/ and when opened in Zidoo, LG does not show HDR icon, when via USB, LG shows the HDR icon immediately.

    If I set HDR option to SDR Mapping HDR instead of Auto, there is no difference.
     
  7. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Ok - so if you set SDR Mapping HDR, unless the Zidoo is faulty (unlikely to have such a specific fault, but not impossible) it will be outputting an HDR SEI message permanently.

    Is the Zidoo connected directly to the TV or via an AVR or similar?
     
  8. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    Well, as I mentioned SDR Mapping HDR makes no difference when compared to Auto setting. LG just doesn't go into the HDR mode :(

    If connected directly to the TV, TV shows no signal. It is connected via Marantz SR8012 to the TV.
     
  9. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    That's really odd you get no signal when connected directly.

    I hate to suggest this as most issues are not caused by HDMI cables and certainly HDR is not something that's usually cable "quality" related, but are you using Premium Certified cables?

    The LG C9 has a 600MHz EDID which means it will accept anything thrown at it as far as bandwidth is concerned, so you should certainly get a signal from the Zidoo connected directly.

    I suppose the other thing is a full factory reset and even use the emergency procedure to reload firmware (backup HT4 and take a note of all settings first!).
     
  10. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    Thanks Mark and please feel free to suggest anything as I would really like to make this work somehow.

    I am using this HDMI X cable from Audioquest: https://www.akustik-projekt.at/detail/index/sArticle/4277

    Would it be an issue?

    Simon from Futeko suggested this: The LG doesn't like something about the HDMI signal the Zidoo is putting out. Try disabling HDCP, CEC, ARC on the Zidoo.

    CEC was never enabled but I'm not sure how to disable the other options.

    If full factory reset doesn't help (is there a risk of breaking the device?), will it mean that the device is faulty?
     
  11. tz4

    tz4 Member

  12. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Wow! €200 for an HDMI cable! I'd certainly hope that wasn't the issue, although mind you I can't see the Premium Certified logo anywhere - basically that would mean it's certified up to 600MHz.

    I can't think of a single reason that a cable could be responsible for your HDR problem, but it certainly it can for the black screen - basically the TV tells the Zidoo it can do 600MHz so the Zidoo (if set to auto resolution/framerate) will spit out a 600MHz signal. If the cable can't handle it, it wouldn't sync and you get no signal.

    But as I say, that doesn't explain the HDR issue.

    You disable HDCP in Quick Settings/Display/HDCP

    ARC (Audio Return Channel) is on the TV - usually there'd be a specific HDMI input that has ARC and the others don't so maybe check that and try another HDMI input on the TV.

    There is no danger in a factory reset (Quick Settings/Other/Recovery and Reset) but reloading the full firmware using the emergency method does carry risk, but safe enough if you carry it out absolutely per instructions.
     
  13. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    Thanks.

    So, the solution in this case is to sell Zidoo and buy Zappiti? Shouldn't it be possible to return the device in such case?

    I got the cable for free as a gift with my Marantz SR8012 :)

    Tried both HDMI inputs on the TV - the one with ARC and the one without it. Both show no signal...
     
  14. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Good grief - don't buy Zappiti and their frame repeating 5 year old chipsets and dog slow interface!! :D

    (I also have a Zappiti 4K sitting on my ever growing pile of redundant media players - in fact Zappiti is the only one I never actually used for serious viewing because it was so awful!)

    I think at this stage my first port of call would be to test other cables... try and get the Zidoo to show an image directly on the TV and go from there.

    (I have a Samsung TV by the way, and it works perfectly either directly or through a Denon 7200 so I wouldn't read too much into that..)
     
  15. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    :D

    This is what Alex Long suggested in the other thread:

    I have a Samsung TV too and HDR doesn’t work on that one either.
    I had a Zappiti player before the X20 and I had no playback issues with that. I’m thinking of selling this X20 and buying Zappiti again to be honest.


    I think I will go ahead with that factory reset but if that doesn't help, what should I do? I mean, I won't be buying a new TV :D
     
  16. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    I just can't think what the issue would be - I've got an X9S, a Z9S (same chipset as your 2000) and a Z9X and I've never come across an HDR issue with any of them.

    My Samsung reports HDR as "UHD Colour" and under some circumstances it will not report "UHD Colour" despite the content being HDR and image is actually presented correctly in BT.2020 HDR. Sometimes it won't report resolution correctly either but I've always put this down to the vagaries of the Samsung programming because the content is always presented in the correct format as confirmed by my HDFury devices.

    Am I right in assuming that when you play HDR content and the TV does not report HDR that the image is grey, washed out and lifeless? For example, in that demo you posted earlier, you see an image more like this:

    cap1.jpg
    than this:

    cap2.jpg

    ?
     
  17. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    Yes, I would say that the colors are not bright / vivid enough when LG does not report HDR.

    Factory reset is done and I took my Zidoo upstairs and connected it to my old full hd Sony TV. Guess what - there is nothing on the screen! So Zidoo works with my TVs only when connected via AVR!

    On a different note, here is the output mode for one of the HDR videos shown by Zidoo: 3840x2160P @ 60Hz YUV420 10 Bits BT2020

    Is this correct (sorry I'm not an expert on that)?
     
  18. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    OK, so that gives us a clue.

    I'm assuming here that you have Auto Frame Rate set on and the video you are playing is 4K 60fps HDR and in that case the output mode of the Zidoo should be:

    3840x2160P @ 60Hz YUV420 10 Bits BT2020 HDR10, like this:

    Image1.jpg

    So in your case HDR10 is missing which means that the Zidoo is not in fact outputting HDR10 metadata.

    This can happen for several reasons:

    1. The TV does not advertise HDR in the EDID - this is obviously not the case with an LG C9 and that is proved by the fact that you have "SDR Mapping HDR" available as an HDR option in the Zidoo.

    2. The Video is not HDR - You say it is and this is proved by playing the movie by USB when HDR gets triggered

    3. The video is not mastered correctly - ie the Zidoo does not see it as HDR due to some wierd conformity issue. I doubt this is the case because you say it does this on all HDR videos. Also, I can't think what lack of conformity would cause that anyway!

    4. The AVR is blocking HDR - can you check in the Marantz Menu that "4K Signal Format" is set to "Enhanced" and not "Standard" (page 193 in the manual) I can't see this being the issue because it should restrict the video to 8-bit but it's worth eliminating.

    While you're messing with the amp, try HDMI output 2 since that does not support ARC (Make sure HDMI Video Output is set to Auto - page 188) but again, I can't see how ARC should affect things.

    5. Of course the Zidoo may be faulty - given the firmware driven nature of these devices and the robustness of the SOC that would be unusual, but not beyond the realms of possibility - particularly since neither you amp or TV are unusual - I know there are many on these forums with LGs and a few with Marantz amps (I use Denons which are basically the same beast inside) and I'm not aware of this issue raining its head previously.
     
  19. Przemyslaw

    Przemyslaw Member

    I think your analysis, Mark, is 100% correct.

    4K Signal Format was always set to Enhanced and when HDMI output 2 is used, there is no difference. HDR10 is not being output by Zidoo - when I select Info, that HDR10 part is missing from the Output mode section.

    Everything points to the faulty device because there is no other explanation now, is there? I think I will just contact futeko.com and suggest that I send the device back as part of my warranty.
     
  20. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    I definitely don't want to push you into this if you're not happy doing it, but I would certainly want to reflash the box with a full firmware image and see if that fixes it, but after that, yes, the next assumption is a faulty box.

    How to flash ZIDOO_UHD2000
     

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