BBC iPlayer 4k support in time for the World cup?

[ajwool]

So, will we finally get Bbc iPlayer support in time for the World Cup? Announcement coming imminently:

https://www.whathifi.com/news/bbc-4k-hdr-world-cup-confirmation-week-away

[rgledhill]

The PS4 has an enormous amount of processing power, far more than any TV out there.  That's why it can decode the stream at 60fps.

[stormyuk]

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@StoufferTheCat wrote:

When I first read this thread I assumed people had been mistaken - surely Sony wouldn't have "top of the range" TVs from last year, that can actually still be bought, that wouldn't support this 4k trial from the BBC.

I then assumed it might just be the XE90 - I truly couldn't believe that a TV I'd spent over £1200 on wouldn't work.

Anyway, I can confirm that yesterday the iPplayer app on the PS4 Pro was updated to Version 2 and that indeed supports the World Cup in UHD. As mentioned above, there is no HDR, which is a shame - and I can only hope something that is being worked on as the PS4 Pro is more than capable of HDR (Both Netflix & Amazon Prime apps support it).

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The PS4 Pro only supports HDR10. Also am not sure if Netflix or Amazon apps on PS4 support HDR Pro do they? I am sure I tried Amazon Prime on the PS4 Pro and I couldn't get 4K working  but, could with the XE90.

Its a pity that Sony/BBC don't seem to have plans to add HLG support to the PS4 as it probably has the horsepower to do it. Then again, the Youtube app doesn't support 4K or HDR on the PS4 Pro either does it? Such wasted power. I love my games but, I also love my video.

We know the PS4 Pro can support 4K and HDR beautifully. So would be nice to get a fully featured Youtube and iPlayer app.

[stormyuk]

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@rgledhill wrote:

The PS4 has an enormous amount of processing power, far more than any TV out there.  That's why it can decode the stream at 60fps.

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No you misunderstand me, the PS4 is not doing HLG/HDR with iPlayer. We know the TV can display 60fps video, but what it cannot do is HLG or it seems HDR at 60fps. If they can release a player on the PS4 without HDR why can't they do that for the TV?

I need to check some videos without HDR on the XE90 but my recolection is it could do 60fps but not with HDR enabled, when I played the videos on the TV without HDR they played ok but when casting from the phone with HDR enabled they dropped frames. Has anyone tried playing just 60fps video without HDR to see what the processing overhead is? I need to check again I think.

[rgledhill]

I've tried various 60fps and 50fps demos on YouTube that aren't HDR and they judder and skip, i.e. not enough processing power.  HDR isn't the issue here, it's 50/60fps at 4k.  There simply isn't enough decoding grunt to decode a 50/60fps stream at 4k using the internal Apps.  Externally taking the signal and displaying it is fine at 50/60fps, 4k, HDR etc.

[StoufferTheCat]

Netflix and Amazon Prime apps on the Ps4 Pro both output HDR - my XE93 confirms this when I'm watching such a source, the little "HDR" flag comes up.

4k/HDR on Netflix is easy, 4k/HDR on Amazon Prime more difficult, but due to the terrible app rather than any technical reason.

The only reason I use the built-in app on the TV for Netflix is that it supports Dolby Vision.

[stormyuk]

Apparently someone over on the AVForums says its a Youtube issue, not a TV issue. They say if you download and play this file via the TV video player (from USB) its fine.

I haven't tried it yet.

"I don't think that this is true.

if you download a 4K+HDR+60FPS sample (e.g. Sony: Swordsmith HDR UHD 4K Demo | 4K Media) and play it even using the TV's native video player, you realize that the flow is "silk". So my guess is that the problem with the dropped frames lies with the android TV youtube app, not the TV itself."

http://4kmedia.org/sony-swordsmith-hdr-uhd-4k-demo/

[stormyuk]

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@StoufferTheCat wrote:

Netflix and Amazon Prime apps on the Ps4 Pro both output HDR - my XE93 confirms this when I'm watching such a source, the little "HDR" flag comes up.

4k/HDR on Netflix is easy, 4k/HDR on Amazon Prime more difficult, but due to the terrible app rather than any technical reason.

The only reason I use the built-in app on the TV for Netflix is that it supports Dolby Vision.

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Hmm has it been updated recently, when I tried Amazon Prime last time, I could find 4K/HDR stuff on the TV app but not on the PS4 Pro app?

[ScrattyTV]

Did exactly the same on my XE93, couldn't wait for Sony / BBC to get their act together on this. I only bought my TV a month ago and very disappointed that 4k not available on iplayer. The Roku + 4k stick works brilliantly. Considering the BBC are saying that you need 40MB Internet (which I don't have) it works without issue. Somebody must know why this is a problem on these TVs  they just won't admit it.. 

[BigUglyGac]

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@stormyuk wrote:

Apparently someone over on the AVForums says its a Youtube issue, not a TV issue. They say if you download and play this file via the TV video player (from USB) its fine.

I haven't tried it yet.

"I don't think that this is true.

if you download a 4K+HDR+60FPS sample (e.g. Sony: Swordsmith HDR UHD 4K Demo | 4K Media) and play it even using the TV's native video player, you realize that the flow is "silk". So my guess is that the problem with the dropped frames lies with the android TV youtube app, not the TV itself."

http://4kmedia.org/sony-swordsmith-hdr-uhd-4k-demo/

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yeah id imagine because the tv isnt having to download handle that data then process it. which again leads us back to the weak processor in the tv's. 

[StoufferTheCat]

Ah sorry - got myself in a muddle.

So, from the PS4:

Netflix - UHD & HDR

Amazon Prime - Meh

BBC iPlayer (World Cup) - UHD

From the XE93:

Netflix - UHD, HDR & Dolby Vision

Amazon Prime - UHD & HDR

BBC iPlayer (World Cup) - HD

Shouldn't be this difficult