Next Gen Consoles with HDMI 2.1 LG OLED TVs - PC Mode On or Off? (And General Settings Discussion)

sedalbis

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Just trying to get people's opinions on enabling PC mode when using an Xbox Series X or PS5 with your 9 or X series LG OLED TV (HDMI 2.1).

Vincent Teoh from HDTVTest states that PC Mode is what you want as it is the only way to get full RGB 444 chroma sub-sampling.

However, I've seen many people arguing that enabling PC Mode makes everything seem washed out on their TV.

So what is the general consensus? PC Mode on or off? And why?

I thought this would also be a good place to discuss general settings when using the next gen consoles with the 9/X series LG OLED TVs.


 
Most likely they have set the wrong black level if it's washed out or didn't follow the rest of vincents settings.

TV's and AV devices (like consoles) use 16-235 black levels (also known as Low/Limited).

PC's and monitors use 0-255 black levels (also known as High/Full).

LG's PC mode provides three choices
Auto, High and Low.

However LG's 'High' mode is not implemented well so it is advisable to stick to 'Low' for all devices in SDR/HDR.

So this is what I would set.
- TV WebOS Black Level = Low.
- PC = RGB Low/Limited 16-235 or YCC 444 via GPU driver.
- Playstation = RGB Low.
- Xbox = Standard (its default).

Some devices have a bad habit under auto of sending the wrong black level so never leave it on auto.
 
Yeah I always set HDMI Black Level on the TV to Low and then Limited on Playstation/Standard on Xbox.

I'm using PC Mode and everything I've tried on the Series X looks absolutely brilliant apart from a few scenes in Gears 5 where the black levels seem to be raised/elevated (I've mentioned this in the C9 thread).

At the very start of Bootcamp where you're in the dark room, and then in the opening credits of the campaign where there are solid black screens in between the transitioning scenes - the blacks look grey and washed out, like a crappy LCD screen with the backlight on full. A few people with C9s tested this out for me and said that they got inky blacks in these 2 parts so I'm wondering if something is wrong at my end. One thing to add however is that in cutscenes in Gears 5, the bars at the top and bottom of the screen are perfect inky black so maybe it's just the way the content has been mastered and I'm more sensitive to it?
 
Yeah I always set HDMI Black Level on the TV to Low and then Limited on Playstation/Standard on Xbox.

I'm using PC Mode and everything I've tried on the Series X looks absolutely brilliant apart from a few scenes in Gears 5 where the black levels seem to be raised/elevated (I've mentioned this in the C9 thread).

At the very start of Bootcamp where you're in the dark room, and then in the opening credits of the campaign where there are solid black screens in between the transitioning scenes - the blacks look grey and washed out, like a crappy LCD screen with the backlight on full. A few people with C9s tested this out for me and said that they got inky blacks in these 2 parts so I'm wondering if something is wrong at my end. One thing to add however is that in cutscenes in Gears 5, the bars at the top and bottom of the screen are perfect inky black so maybe it's just the way the content has been mastered and I'm more sensitive to it?

Try turning off VRR and repeat, in case its the gamma shift from VRR your noticing.
 
Yeah I tried this and it didn't make any difference unfortunately

But game mode is clear of this issue ?

If so then consider me stumped, the only other difference I can think of is that game mode without PC label will resolve chroma 444 to chroma 422.

Game consoles are designed with 422 in mind unlike PC so chroma 444 is not as nessecary, all it gives is a slightly sharper picture on console whereas it makes a big difference on PC desktop.
 
I have not tried it with a console yet, but the advantages of game mode is that you get more supported resolutions and it automatically greys out postprocessing options that increase input lag so you dont have to use game mode, but can basically use all the picture modes.
 
Using Vincents settings as well, look great here in AC:Valhalla on series x, the only time I have seen washed out look is inside buildings on this game, but according to a few responses its the game at fault.
Not tried any other games yet.
 
The HDR and the OLED blacks on Astro! :eek:
20201119_192123.jpg
 

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