I was hoping to get more clarity and information on a few ZDMC/Kodi video settings.

Hello! I am using the ZDMC fork on a Zidoo Z9X. I had a few questions on some of the video settings that I cannot seem to get an answer for:

1. My TV is a LG C1 OLED. It has an option called "Cinema Screen" which apparently uses 5:5 pulldown to take 24p content and multiply frames x5 to hit the 120hz native refresh rate of the panel. My question is; in the Kodi settings, there is a "enable 4:3 pulldown" option. Do I need to use this or is this only helpful for 60hz TVs that don't handle Judder well? I have match frame rate selected so I will be sending the TV a 24hz signal.

2. Can someone explain what "sync playback to display" does and if I want to use this? I have match frame rate selected. My TV is a 120hz panel.

3. How does the "hq scalers" options work? I don't understand the description. If I want ZDMC to scale everything up to 4k, which % do I select? What if I wanted my TV to do the upscaling? Then what would I select?

Thank you!

 

Good questions.

I have an old 2016 LG OLED65E6P, 4K, HDR, DV and 3D. Best 3D TV ever made Some of the functions are not the same as yours but the LG philosophy is probably similar. LG does not provide manual for TV functions to keep it simple and don't confuse anybody. I spent weeks researching those functions with test patterns, SLR camera and high speed video camera. I think I know most of the function on my old OLED now.

First thing is first. There are 2 video player apps in Zidoo once you install ZDMC. On the list of titles use menu button on remote. You will see pop up menu with "Play using..." option. This will open up to "ZidooPlayer (Default)" and "VideoPlayer".



ZidooPlayer is default app and this is recommended player using all functions and standards of Zidoo hardware. All adjustments for functionality are in Quick Settings from the home screen on Zidoo. You can change anything you like there and come back to ZDMC quickly using task manager. Best way to get there is to assign one of the programmable buttons to "Task Manager".



The adjustments in ZDMC under Settings > System > Display are only for Kodi player app called "VidoePlayer" under movie pup up menu described above from "Play using..." option. The 2 players look different when you pause movie or initialize media info screen. Don't confuse them. Default Zidoo player is preferred. Kodi player is nice to have in case you run into some awkward video files and you want to test alternative player.

Now that we got this clear up we can go into your questions.

1. My TV is a LG C1 OLED. It has an option called "Cinema Screen" which apparently uses 5:5 pulldown to take 24p content and multiply frames x5 to hit the 120hz native refresh rate of the panel. My question is; in the Kodi settings, there is a "enable 4:3 pulldown" option. Do I need to use this or is this only helpful for 60hz TVs that don't handle Judder well? I have match frame rate selected so I will be sending the TV a 24hz signal.

As you pointed out "Cinema Screen" is producing true cinematic film cadence 5x singe frame to preserve 24fps cinematic experience on 120Hz OLED screen. You need to have all TrueMotion or similar functions off or it will convert it to 120fps and / or add frame interpolation based on other settings. Kodi setting "Allow 3:2 pulldown refresh rates" is like you said to help the old 60Hz displays with 24fps content. Don't enable it and it would take effect only in Kodi player not Zidoo player.

2. Can someone explain what "sync playback to display" does and if I want to use this? I have match frame rate selected. My TV is a 120hz panel.

Here is Wiki definition:
"This setting enables the syncing of the video to the refresh rate of the monitor by altering the playback speed. When used in conjunction with the previous setting it allows a "fine tune" syncing."

Again, it effects Kodi player only. This should take effect to match 23.978 to 24Hz display. Don't use it. LG OLED will adjust 120Hz display rate, slow it down a notch to match HDMI clock rate and give you correct frame cadence without dropped or doubled frames every 20s.

2. How does the "hq scalers" options work? I don't understand the description. If I want ZDMC to scale everything up to 4k, which % do I select? What if I wanted my TV to do the upscaling? Then what would I select?

Again, Kodi player only. You can define what resolutions and refresh rates you want Kodi player to use or not in ZDMC > Settings > System > Display > Whitelist. If all allowed Kodi will play movies as is in original format as long as ZDMC > Settings > Player > Videos > Playback > Adjust display refresh rate is set to "Always". If you limit some of the resolutions and / or refresh rates in Whitelist it will use closest. You can manipulate this to allow Kodi to scale or let TV do scaling. Not that important and typically you would want the player to play source file as is and let the display device do scaling and processing.
Zidoo player is controlled in Quick Settings under Playback. "Auto frame rate" set to "Match frame rate and resolution" ensures source output to the TV without scaling or processing. Setting this to Off and selecting fixed resolution and refresh rate under Display setting will force Zidoo to scale and output source to this setting.

I hope this helps. I was confused first time I used ZDMC

 

Thanks. This is very helpful. Yes, I figured all those settings were only for the "kodi" player and not the zidoo internal one. I will only be using ZDMC for videos that won't play in the Zidoo player (i.e. 10 bit 720p hi10p MKV files and older AVI Files).

I assume the same logic applies to the audio settings? Those will only take effect with the Kodi player and not the Zidoo one?

 

Yes, exactly the same applies to audio settings.

On occasion some odd file will start Kodi player automatically for compatibility settings in Zidoo player. Most of those files can be forced to Zidoo player using "Play using..." option and it works just fine. You have to decide what works best for you in your specific case.

My old Zidoo X9S and ZDMC 17.6 was horrible in terms of Kodi player. It was stuttering all the time and completely useless as player. Used only as Kodi front end and Zidoo player for playback.

New ZDMC v.19.4 on latest Zidoo Z9X is very good. Kodi player is almost as good as Zidoo player with only some high end audio limitations.

I use Home Theater for my best collection of movies (around 400 titles) only 4K UHD and 3D ISO. Everything else and including HT collection goes in ZDMC. Best of both worlds.

 

this is an amazing information and it is very useful to us