topic Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps in Android TV

Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Morosoph — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 18:37:59 GMT

I have the 49xd8099bu Android TV.

Neither Kodi nor YouTube deliver 4K video, although the built-in video player will. Kodi reports 1080p resolution, as does 'Developer Tools' from Google's Play store.

A 4K test file is available from the below link, for those who might want to test the resolution. http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=261768

Apps can't deliver 2160p unless they know that the screen is capable of delivering it. How, then can the default be overrulled?

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 18:55:34 GMT

Hi there

I was playing 4K videos via YouTube just today - I have KD-55XD8577. How do you know that YouTube is not playing back in 4K?

In the past, I have also streamed 4K files in Kodi so I know they play. I will conduct the test using the file in the link you mentioned later on tonight and get back to you.

If its a specific app, then its up to the individual app developers to ensure 4K resolution is supported.

Cheers

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Morosoph — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 19:23:51 GMT

Thank-you Quinnicus. I got the Item code off the receipt which is differently formatted. I have a TV in the same range as you. I'm wondering whether it is simply of lower spec. where they don't expect the TV to be pushed by apps, just as long as it'll play Blu-Ray and files through the standard player.

KD-49XD8099

My laptop will deliver 3200x1800, and I can see the difference. Videos billed as 4K are not delivering on the TV.

The System menu in Kodi is reporting a non-overridable 1920x1080, and 'Developer Tools' confirms this, so this isn't a problem with individual apps.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 23:48:45 GMT

Hi there

I have had a look at this, and I have tested using that file you linked to, and that last line is un-readable. To be honest, I am not sure on that file anyhow - although MediaInfo reports 3840x2160 (so is 2160p). I have played other 4K files via Kodi just fine. So why is Kodi reporting 1920x1080. The version of Kodi is 16.1 (Jarvis).

Firstly, I found this link HERE. Then I thought id see if there is a FAQ on this. See HERE.

It states:

5.5 ANDROID: GUI no longer rendered at 4K

Kodi v15 would render everything in 4K for the Nvidia Shield TV, but used a method that won't work correctly on other 4K boxes, as the GUI is handled by the CPU and not a hardware decoder.

This has been changed for Kodi v16. On supported hardware, such as some official Android TV devices, 4K video will always output at 4K. Only the user interface will render at 1080, so that less powerful CPUs aren't bogged down. In other words, the video lists and buttons are not as "sharp", but video will still be fine. In the future there might be an option to render everything at 4K, for devices that are powerful enough.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Morosoph — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 19:50:58 GMT

Thank-you Quinnicus, I've read that. The GUI renders at 1080p, and the menu reports 1080p. Trouble is, it really doesn't render at 2160p. The 4K file that I linked to in the original post _will_ render correctly for the native video app, but not for Kodi.

But this isn't the end of it. Developer Tools also reports back 1920x1080 resolution. The television isn't reporting correctly to apps. On your TV, it is probably fine.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roysolberg.android.developertools

I expect that what is happenning here is that the 49 inch TV that I have is deemed not to be a flagship product, and it is simply deemed to be enough to get the native video working. Starting up any app takes surprisingly long, and although there will be a video card that is up to delivering 4K, the main CPU is slow, and 1080p is deemed 'good enough' for most purposes on a £770 telly. The native video app means that the screen _does_ deliver 4K, and that is what is billed, not a general purpose computer.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

RoberMC — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 12:50:21 GMT

Apps compiled as "Application (Video)" have access to hardware 4K video decoding, that is why Youtube, Netflix, etc, play video at 4K. Apps compiled as "Application" have limited access to 1080p video rendering only.

You can see how an app is compiled pressing "action menu" button, chosing "image" and reading if it says "Application" or "Application (video)" on top.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Morosoph — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 09:37:48 GMT

Oops. I marked this as a solution since it gave an explanation, but I can't find 'image' in the action menu, but only 'picture' which doesn't give the information, even in the advanced options.

It seems odd that Kodi from the Play store doesn't deliver 4K, as proved with the test file, especially when Quinnicus gets 4K on his TV 😕

Also, YouTube doesn't seem to deliver 4K either. As far as I can tell, only the native Video app will do that.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

RoberMC — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 11:50:44 GMT

My language is not english and i thought they called that submenu "image", ok, then enter in "picture", then picture settings opens from the right side of the screen, and in the top most line it says the input you are configuring; HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Component, Digital, Application, Application (Video)...

Is not that hard, or maybe your TV's menu layout is different than mine ;), anyway, this is not a problem with the TV, is that Kodi has no hardware optimization for the chipset of the TV to qualify as a native video application and use UHD hardware decoding. The same happens to Developer Tools, and 95% of available apps, they are sandboxed to a 1080p enviroment.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 11:52:16 GMT

This sample video is played with 4K resolution inside Kodi on my 2016 Sony TV.

GUI rendering can be changed. I wouldn't change it to the native panel resolution though. The SoC inside Sony TVs are too weak for that. But the video pipeline is fully hardware accelerated. So no problem there.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

vacoum — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 01:16:22 GMT

I just bought Sony Bravia and I am very angry, Sony deceived me. The browser and programs and Youtube working on 1080p and I see pixels from 1.5 meter away, I feel like I bought big peace of cheap s... 1080p now days is a garbage... I wanted to read news on browser and I sea pixels.... It's ugly, Sony is cheeting. Adverticed as 4k and got 1080p. I will ask to return my money. Chrome browser is missing and impossible to install. I have foto on Dropbox, but it's missing in store for Sony. It's not TV , it's not usable s.... I even can't watch my foto, I neet to install some sharing programs in onther device, stream foto to TV, *****? Or copy foto to USB flash driver, *****? I don't want to describe smaller issues with interface.

I have good gaming monitor, as it works as adverticed. Bot if you buy Sony 4k, you will get only 1080p. Movies for me would take only 5%. I am care about browsing, Youtube, music and other sruff.

Just manually updated to newest version as auto update said that I have newest version. One more bug?

I found that version in support. It was said, that if my version is older then number xxxx I need to update. And my version was older. Also reupdated Youtube. And while playing Youtube at 4k, "stats for nerds" show, that viewport is still 1080p!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 05:15:55 GMT

The slow CPU/GPU in Sony ATV1 and ATV2 are not capable of rendering a 4K GUI at a reasonable speed. So it is rendered in 1080p which then gets upscaled to 4K. Video is a totally different story. It is decoded and rendered via MediaCodec Surface directly to the 4K output without any intermediary downscaling. So all is fine. Judge by your eyes, not by numbers.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

vacoum — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:42:20 GMT

My friends older (I suppose 2016m Samsung) 4k is capable to play Youtube with 4k, and newest Sony with the extreme processor not capable? I bought 4k TV and want to use as 4k. The same as to buy the car. If you buy the Ferrary and it's written, that it contains 6l engine, it contains 6l engine, not 2 liter engine with one exception on Sundays.

My phone has bigger resolution then 1080p and capable to play complex graphic games, and this x90 Sony Bravia even not capable to show browser with 1140p, only 1080p? It's super bad. Sony used misleading advertisement.

It's cheating.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:37:34 GMT

@vacoum schrieb:
My friends older 4k (not Sony) is capable to play Youtube with 4k, and newest Sony with the extreme processor not capable?

I can play 4K content at 4K on a Sony XF90...

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

RoberMC — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:44:39 GMT

My 2015 X850C plays Youtube content at 4k perfectly fine. This TVs report 1080p screen only to apps not related with video playback like emulators and such, but apps that use video overlay and hardware video decoder built in the TV can output video at 4K with HDR without any problem.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

vacoum — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:52:39 GMT

There are Youtube options "stats for nerds". Open them while watching 4k vidoe ant find label "viewport". And the result would the real view you see. In my case, it's 1080*2 * (whatever that *2 means). If you didn't look at this Youtube parameter, you can't be sure you see 4k. I had working 4k big monitor. And I know, even from very close to see rectangles on letters the mission is almost impossible. The same with real 4k Youtube view. You can closer to TV, and see small details even with very close. 1080p ist's super bad. 1440p could be an option, compromise, but 1080p is.........gabage.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:55:07 GMT

Why don't you just read our postings?

The slow CPU/GPU in Sony ATV1 and ATV2 are not capable of rendering a 4K GUI at a reasonable speed. So it is rendered in 1080p which then gets upscaled to 4K. Video is a totally different story. It is decoded and rendered via MediaCodec Surface directly to the 4K output without any intermediary downscaling. So all is fine. Judge by your eyes, not by numbers.

ViewPort is for GUI printing. Video uses another pipeline which is 4K. You have to check video resolution in stats for nerds.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

vacoum — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:55:42 GMT

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:56:38 GMT

You are not reading our postings and you get the situation totally wrong by looking at wrong numbers.

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

vacoum — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 10:04:55 GMT

Current / Optimal Res 7680x4320@60 / 7680x4320@60.

Do you realy think, that I have 8k gaming monitor?

My monitor is 1440p, and view is transformed to 1440p. See "viewport"? Do you understand, what does porting mean? It's the "output".

Re: Sony 4K Bravia TV reports 1080p resolution to apps

vacoum — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 10:03:27 GMT

Kuschelmonschter: See my previous answer with evidance. With print screen.