HLG Files not triggering HLG on AndroidTV or Android

[rbjtech 4289]

Hi,

I noticed that HLG is not triggering on my LG OLED TV for HLG HDR 4k files.

I tried both the latest AndroidTV and Android emby client (Shield Pro)

The HLG does trigger when using the Emby LG Client.

Does Exoplayer support HLG ?

Debug log sent from AndroidTV - 19:20ish GMT - User = Rich

 I can provide a 60 second sample of the file if you wish - Pls let me know.

Thanks.

[rbjtech 4289]

Possibly answering my own question - but it appears Exo does not support hevc/hlg out the box - only vp9/hlg

A fairly decent description here of what it does support -

https://source.android.com/docs/core/display/hdr

Maybe something for the future - but not a huge issue as I can just watch it via the LG App or directly in 4K HLG from Iplayer .. 

[neik 837]

Out of curiosity: Have you tested how the orange guys compare?

[rbjtech 4289]

Orange guys being VLC () - yes tried the direct players and no joy.  Don't have P**x to try but it appears to be a Exo limitation - as the Emby LG Client played it just fine.

[ebr 14930]

HLG is pretty rare these days, no?

[neik 837]

27 minutes ago, ebr said:

HLG is pretty rare these days, no?

Yeah, probably.

Actually, I only know of UHD tv channels that use that to cope with SDR & HDR 4K TVs within without the need to have two tv channels for the same.
Aparty from that I've actually never seen that.

Edit: Right now, it seems to me that those channels play in SDR instead of triggering HDR on a Shield Pro.

Edited March 15, 2023 by neik

[rbjtech 4289]

1 hour ago, ebr said:

HLG is pretty rare these days, no?

To be fair yes, but in the UK the BBC use it for their UHD broadcasts in iplayer.  I'll just switch to the LG Emby app as that plays them fine.  Android direct plays them, just in SDR.  Thanks.

[ebr 14930]

3 hours ago, rbjtech said:

but in the UK the BBC use it for their UHD broadcasts in iplayer

Okay, so not that rare.  Thx.

[Ceten 27]

I never got my shield to trigger HLG on my LG C7. When I looked it up last it was just not supported and looks like it never will be.
All HLG files I have are also BBC series (His Dark Materials, SAS Rogue Heroes, BBC documentaries, ...).
There is mention of a workaround here by manually switching the tv to HLG mode, but I'm not sure if that will also process the HLG metadata from the video file: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/geforce-graphics-cards/5/505440/span-classhighlighthlgspan-support-for-the-2022-sp/

It's also a lot easier to just use the LG app than manually changing this to HLG and back every time I want to watch one of these series.
Still hoping it will be supported one day.
I also looked into converting these files to HDR10 but didn't find much info on how to do it at the time.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Ceten

[rbjtech 4289]

6 minutes ago, Ceten said:

I also looked into converting these files to HDR10 but didn't find much info on how to do it at the time.

Not possible with HDR10 as HLG uses dynamic metadata - maybe to HDR10+ or even DV - but as only the BBC (and parts of Japan) use it - I highly doubt it will get any traction.

The BBC series are also released on 4K Blu-Ray anyway in most cases - which use HDR10 - so a downgrade over HLG but better than SDR obviously.

Shame really, as for many - this is an ideal HDR format - as it caters for SDR and dynamic HDR in the same file. (I believe a certain DV profile can also do this but I've never seen such a file)

 

[neik 837]

3 minutes ago, rbjtech said:

but as only the BBC (and parts of Japan) use it

Sky in Germany uses it as well for they UHD broadcasting afaik.

[rbjtech 4289]

1 hour ago, neik said:

Sky in Germany uses it as well for they UHD broadcasting afaik.

Ah really - useful - thanks