Z9x HDR10+ correct playback (including decoding and applying dynamic metadatas)

Hi, all...
I'm trying to find anyone who actually owns Z9X media player (preferably with the V6.4.42 FW installed (also newer beta FW (than V6.4.42) is fine)) and is willing to help me find out, if Z9X is actually capable of correct reproduction of HDR10+ encoded stream(s).

I currently have three devices claiming they can correctly play HDR10+ encoded streams, but in fact only one can really do that.

Please note, that notification "HDR10+" on screen is not proof that the device is actually capable of decoding and applying HDR10+ metadata (my OLED TV Philips 55OLED805/12 (and UHD media player Orbsmart R81) also shows notification that they're playing HDR10+, but in reality they don't (despite what PR material on both claims)).

I'm posting here three screenshots from my device capable of correct HDR10+ reproduction (tablet - Lenovo Tab P12 Pro), so you can check and compare with results from Z9X media player.
View attachment 10229 View attachment 10230 View attachment 10231

I will be really thankful if you can install on your Z9X app Codec Info, open it, switch to "Video" tab, and find row with title VIDEO/HEVC (OMX.realtek.video.hevc.dec):

View attachment 10226

tap on it, and see if on the right part of the screen at the very end is listed this profile:

View attachment 10227

If it is there, everything is as it is supposed to be and the device Z9X is very probably capable of correct HDR10+ reproduction - the important part is HEVCProfileMain10HDR10Plus - the rest can be different and at this point is not important.

You can double-check with installing second app Device HW info, open it, choose SCREEN tab, and look for HDR row and there should (hopefully) be this:

View attachment 10228

Obviously HDR10+ part is crucial, if it is there - everything is as it should be. If it's missing ... well ... both of my OLED TV or Orbsmart R81 don't list HDR10+ on SCREEN tab in Device HW Info, and they are not playing test HDR10+ stream correctly (they are also both missing required profile HEVCProfileMain10HDR10Plus in HEVC HW decoder).

If HEVC HW decoder on Z9X is missing HDR10+ profile and SCREEN tab from HW Info only shows DolbyVision. HDR10, HLG (but not HDR10+) - Z9X media player will also not be able to correctly play HDR10+ encoded stream - you can check it by yourself by downloading and playing this HDR10+ stream:

original file (size cca 500 MB) - available here ff.de/hdr10plus-metadata-test/
transcoded file with HDR10+ metadata intact (cca 25 MB) - see attachment

While watching this test video, it's important to expect that the screen should react to decoded dynamic metadata and do what is showing all the time at the bottom of the screen (video has sound and every time you hear it, the screen should react in a specific way described in the video).

So, anyway, thanks in advance to everybody willing to participate in the findings of whether is the Z9X really able to correctly reproduce HDR10+ stream, please post your findings in this thread preferable with the screenshots (positive or negative) - you will help me decide what to do - return Orbsmart R81 (a derivate of Z9X media player) to Amazon and ask my money back or to replace it with Z9X...

Thanks again.

 

Yes, I can't remember exactly which firmware this was fixed on (it was around v6.4.20) but the Z9X does now process HDR10+ metadata correctly.

It was originally an oversite and although HDR10+ was detected, the metadata was not processed and this was not discovered until recently.

I have no idea what the development stage of the Orbsmart is or indeed who is responsible for the firmware, but presumably, from what you say, this fix was not applied to it.

 

Are you sure this was fixed? I just turned on my new Zidoo Z9X (which came with FW v6.4.42 preinstalled), tried to play HDR10+ test file and all I can see is exactly the same behaviour as it was with Orbsmart R81 (which I returned):

edit 23-1-2023
I'm an idiot (and blind too), Z9X indeed correctly decode and send HDR10+ metadata to TV, not sure why are the changes (from dynamic metadata) on my TV screen so subtle (but they are there, I just need to look more carefully)...

For whatever reason on my tablet (which is HDR10+, DV, HLG etc. certified playback device) are changes from dynamic metadata playing the lake HDR10+ test file on screen huge (it affects the whole tablet screen), so while comparing tablet and TV playing the same HDR10+ test stream it looked like there are no changes on TV screen at all (on TV only clouds on the top right of the screen are affected)...

 

Yes, definitely fixed.

Just tested with the original lake file and HDR10+ metadata changes are very obvious.

 

I just tested the lake file on my Vizio PQX85-H1 and saw absolutely no changes at all.

Edit- I tested it with my 4k Fire Stick and didn’t see any changes there either.

Now I wonder if my Vizio is actually doing anything with HDR10+ content other than just turning the logo on…

 

All devices in the HDMI chain must support HDR10+.

For example I have a Denon 7200 in one room that will not pass HDR10+ and a Denon 8500 in another room that does so it may be your reciever/sound bar etc if you have one.

 

I have a Denon AVR-S760H, it supports HDR10+. The HDR10+ logo is popping on my TV.

 

Very odd - I have a Samsung, so obviously HDR10+ is not going to be an issue, and the file plays with the metadata changes.

 

It’s Vizio we’re talking about here so it wouldn’t surprise me if they just made it so the HDR10+ logo pops up for HDR10+ content and nothing else. It could be that HDR10+ is only working properly with the internal apps as well (or not at all).

I’ll capture some video of it with my phone and post it here and on the Vizio Reddit forum. Maybe I’m missing something but to my eyes absolutely nothing is happening.

 

Yeah - they are an odd one for sure...

You'd definitely see the changes it if it's working - it's not subtle.

 

I'm an idiot (and blind too), Z9X indeed correctly decode and send HDR10+ metadata to TV, not sure why are the changes (from dynamic metadata) on my TV screen so subtle (but they are there, I just needed to look more carefully)...

For whatever reason on my tablet (which is HDR10+, DV, HLG etc. certified playback device) are changes from dynamic metadata playing the lake HDR10+ test file on screen huge (it affects the whole tablet screen), so while comparing tablet and TV playing the same HDR10+ test stream it looked like there are no changes on TV screen at all (I just found out that on my TV only clouds on the top right of the screen are affected by dynamic metadata - only gods and Philips technicians know why)...

My next TV will be for sure one of those certified HDR10+ TVs (HiSense or Panasonic, or something else on the market when this Philips goes into silicon heaven)...

Thanks all for the comments, and sorry for the trouble (if any) ...

 

The effects of dynamic (and static) metadata depend, amongst other things, on how bright your TV is - in other words the maximum nits it can produce.

The higher the maximum brightness, the less tone mapping is needed and therefore the less the effect you see from it - this is a good thing.

The ideal situation is if the TV matches or exceeds the max nits required by the content, in which case no tone mapping is needed at all - this means the TV can display the HDR image natively without dynamic range compression. So for example if the TV has a maximum brightness of 1000nits and MaxCLL* of the presentation is 1000nits then no tone mapping is needed therefore the metadata, dynamic or static, is not needed and not used.


* MaxCLL = Maximum Content Light Level which is the value of the brightest pixel in the entire presentation

 

Right... makes sense now... so it's not a bug it's a feature... Thanks for the insights/explanation.

 

I tested this video on my Samsung TV and on Movie mode changes are barely visible but on filmmaker mode they are more visible but it wasn't like night and day difference. However the difference was clearly visible when I compared it to HDR10+ incompatible device which sent only HDR10 signal.