iPlayer video and audio quality -- BBC response

[teeveedee]

Tv is Samsung QE65Q9FN 2018
Listed in iPlayer as compatible

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The results are the same on fire stick except the tv says the content is HDR. Usually reserved for UHD obviously but again the PQ is the same as HD on the fire stick too. The same programmes are not listed as uhd as they are on the tv app

Sky iPlayer states somewhere(iirc?) it is not uhd compatible anyway and the PQ looks the same.

So to sum up. Same PQ across three versions of the app, accept the tv app says it’s supposed to be UHD and the fire stick makes the tv says it’s HDR

To my eye it’s all just 1080p same as any other.

I’d probably expect the iPlayer app to states the uhd resolution in the description, no? It’s just say 1080p at the bottomView attachment 1674638

Sky Q iPlayer app does not do UHD HDR.
Firestick 4K iPlayer app does not do UHD HDR. (Firestick 4K Max does)

Your Firestick might be set to force 'fake' HDR from every source, even SDR - check the settings and make sure it is set to match dynamic range.
Your TV iPlayer app looks like it maxes out at 1080P.

 

[Not a sky fan]

I still think there is variation in the PQ both as you watch it and at different times if the day. Watching the trials in settings beta it takes 5-10 seconds for the full detail to come in when you press play. The normal listing in uhd are the same on the tv app except it never reaches the same or a suitable PQ level.

Are trials 60fps? I can’t see full general uhd content reaching that frame rate servers would never keep up and it would cost a fortune surely?

 

[Not a sky fan]

Sky Q iPlayer app does not do UHD HDR.
Firestick 4K iPlayer app does not do UHD HDR. (Firestick 4K Max does)

Your Firestick might be set to force 'fake' HDR from every source, even SDR - check the settings and make sure it is set to match dynamic range.
Your TV iPlayer app looks like it maxes out at 1080P.

Yeah agreed. Other apps on the Fire stick show all uhd hdr 60fps no problem. Even Jacob and Katie Schwartz channel in 60fps is bosch straight in no buffering just stunning. I’m not expecting 60fps from iPlayer mind but it’s got to be better than this.

Thinking about it I dont think I’ve seen a uhd picture on iPlayer content since the pandemic when reportedly they throttled PQ across all sources to keep bandwidths open for home workers. Although blade runner 2049 looked ok. Odd

 

[Not a sky fan]

Also the uhd trials of planet earth 2 and the cup final in beta are NA on the iPlayer app for fire stick. Or rather you can select the beta version but the uhd trail option is not listed. Do I guess that also implies the fire stick app is not uhd.

And yes some HD content is available in HDR (possibly some form of upscale bodge?) on other services on the stick so kind of as expected I guess.

 

[Not a sky fan]

Sky Q iPlayer app does not do UHD HDR.
Firestick 4K iPlayer app does not do UHD HDR. (Firestick 4K Max does)

Your Firestick might be set to force 'fake' HDR from every source, even SDR - check the settings and make sure it is set to match dynamic range.
Your TV iPlayer app looks like it maxes out at 1080P.

Checking the stick I did t know there was a Max version. Best available at the time that I saw was just the 4K verion that I have.

I’ll look into a Max. Doesn’t seem to be a way round otherwise.

The Fire stick does indeed show Dynamic Range Settings set to Always HDR. As opposed to Adaptive to match original content. So that’s that one explained Thankyou. I’d forgotten going through all that at first set up

 

[teeveedee]

@Not a sky fan
The Firestick 4K Max and the FireTV Cube both do iPlayer in UHD with HDR.
You can download the Developer Tools app on either device to show the native frame rate/size and actual output frame rate/size and bit-rate, based on your network bandwidth.

 

[trevdigital]

The V3 Sky Q iPlayer app is now able to carry the UHD/HLG. Looking good on Dynasties.

 

[Rodders53]

The V3 Sky Q iPlayer app is now able to carry the UHD/HLG. Looking good on Dynasties.

Someone needs to tell BBC to update their list of compatible devices

 

[Not a sky fan]

Well bbc have just sent their standard template letter and left it it there. Nothing useful re app software version

I have been playing with the trial however in that waiting for the pe 2 trial to end, it then gives further options. Some of those ARE in UHD HDR confirmed by the tv and are clearly much higher PQ level. Specifically Blue planet 2 is prety bloody good but not as good as the trail.

There’s a slight dip in PQ detail v the pe2 trial but it’s still stunning v the 1080 stuff that’s in the main manu that IS marked UHD but is not. It’s 1080p.

I do slightly wonder if people believe it’s uhd just because the app labels it so rather than actually seeing the improved PQ over just HD content.

Btw as discussed my v3 box is not capable of uhd through iPlayer app. And it’s on the latest firmware.

 

[vaderag]

So I just got the latest update from BBC with all the icon changes etc and I don't know what the hell is going on but it seems every time I boot my firestick I'm now signed out!
At this point I can't even sign in... I reinstalled the app and didn't even get the sign in page which I was getting every time before! No idea what's going on...