Apple unveils next-gen Apple TV 4K with Dolby Vision and high frame rates (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

Does Atmos work in Netflix on the 4k AppleTV as of tvOS 15?

 

[dpippel]

It works for me, Dave.

 

[DaveF]

Thanks. Was reading elsewhere that it no longer worked. Was curious — but I don’t currently subscribe to Netflix 4K so can’t test myself.

 

[Sam Posten]

Recommended settings link in first post:

Understanding HDR Settings on the AppleTV 4K

It's been four years since the first AppleTV 4K was introduced, and there's still a lot of confusion regarding its video "Format" setting as well as "Match Content". So, here's a quick explanation of how these settings work, since the way Apple has configured it doesn't necessarily make a lot...

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[DaveF]

I‘ve got a streaming problem and i need help! Not sure if it’s an AppleTV or a Netflix problem.

I’ve started watching The Sandman on Netflix. AppleTV 4K going to an HD projector. AppleTV is on Ethernet. I get 500+ Mbps on my HTPC on the same network switch in the room.

The Sandman looks like garbage. Terrible macro blocking compression artifacts through the show, especially bad during scenes with a lot of motion. So bad my wife is complaining.

I’ve tried the same scenes on two different days from 7pm to 9pm and it’s always terrible.

Everything else streamed on this device is fine. Other Netflix shows. Other streaming services. All good.

The Sandman looks great streamed on an aTV 4K on my 4K TV.

The Sandman look ok but with some obvious compression artifacts on an aTV HD on wifi on an old 720p TV. I don’t think it’s as bad as on the projector, but definitely some similarity in compression problems.

I’m tearing my hair out over this. Any ideas?

 

[Clinton McClure]

Try using Ookla’s Speedtest app on your ATV4K (available on the App Store) to see what speed you’re getting.

I haven’t tried watching Sandman yet so I don’t really have any useful info.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I‘ve got a streaming problem and i need help! Not sure if it’s an AppleTV or a Netflix problem.

I’ve started watching The Sandman on Netflix. AppleTV 4K going to an HD projector. AppleTV is on Ethernet. I get 500+ Mbps on my HTPC on the same network switch in the room.

The Sandman looks like garbage. Terrible macro blocking compression artifacts through the show, especially bad during scenes with a lot of motion. So bad my wife is complaining.

I’ve tried the same scenes on two different days from 7pm to 9pm and it’s always terrible.

Everything else streamed on this device is fine. Other Netflix shows. Other streaming services. All good.

The Sandman looks great streamed on an aTV 4K on my 4K TV.

The Sandman look ok but with some obvious compression artifacts on an aTV HD on wifi on an old 720p TV. I don’t think it’s as bad as on the projector, but definitely some similarity in compression problems.

I’m tearing my hair out over this. Any ideas?

I don't have Netflix. Can I assume The Sandman is a 4K show? If so, since it plays fine on an Apple 4K TV -> 4K display setup, but not on an Apple 4K TV -> HD display, it sounds like your ATV4K is having issues downconverting the show from its 4K Netflix source to HD. Maybe something in the Netflix encode is messing with the ATV4K device?

 

[DaveF]

I don't have Netflix. Can I assume The Sandman is a 4K show? If so, since it plays fine on an Apple 4K TV -> 4K display setup, but not on an Apple 4K TV -> HD display, it sounds like your ATV4K is having issues downconverting the show from its 4K Netflix source to HD. Maybe something in the Netflix encode is messing with the ATV4K device?

I’ve considered that.

Is there a way to tell AppleTV to do HD? Doesn’t it recognize an HD display is used and to not stream the 4K stream?

I might bring the HD aTV back to the projector to test that. But time is limited and hard to run through all the possible experiments.

 

[Clinton McClure]

You can tell the ATV not to “match content” and change the resolution to 1080 SDR…

 

[Robert Crawford]

I’ve considered that.

Is there a way to tell AppleTV to do HD? Doesn’t it recognize an HD display is used and to not stream the 4K stream?

I might bring the HD aTV back to the projector to test that. But time is limited and hard to run through all the possible experiments.

You can change your AppleTV settings to 1080p SDR.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

FWIW, I just started watching The Sandman in HD as well, but just on my PC so far (and haven't tried my ATV4K w/ PJ yet) and did not see any (significantly) worse encoding/compression artifacts than usual for NetFlix (though my FOV for this was admittedly smaller than my usual) -- I'm only doing their cheaper, non-4K plan right now plus the app wouldn't/shouldn't do 4K on my PC anyway.

Not sure quite how bad you're seeing it, but NetFlix's encoding/PQ isn't great in general anyway... and maybe the bigger FOV of your PJ setup/viewing is simply that much more revealing of the issues?

I would add though that the inherent crispness/sharpness and contrast/tonality (particularly w/ the various CG FX including fantasy dreamy qualities) of the image for this particular show might accentuate the encoding (and bitrate) deficiencies of NetFlix much more than for some of their other (less sharp and contrasty) content... Maybe the show has also not been downconverted(?) from HDR as well as can/should be...

_Man_

 

[DaveF]

It is specific to The Sandman and Netflix app on the AppleTV 4K feeding an HD projector.

AppleTV 4K to 4K Sony TV: fine
AppleTV HD to 15 year old HD TV: fine
AppleTV 4K to HD projector with Stranger Things (Netflix) and For All Mankind (AppleTV+): Fine
nVidia Shield to HD Projector with The Sandman on Netflix: Fine (caveat not great in HD as @ManW_TheUncool describes, and what I saw on the HD TV setup)

I need to check if I’ve got the aTV4K box locked to 1080p SDR. If that doesn’t fix it, I’ll watch though The Shield. Or put off Sandman hoping I get a 4K projector soon enough.

 

[DaveF]

…

Not sure quite how bad you're seeing it, but NetFlix's encoding/PQ isn't great in general anyway... and maybe the bigger FOV of your PJ setup/viewing is simply that much more revealing of the issues?
…

_Man_

In a completely 4K chain, The Sandman is gorgeous. On a completely HD chain, it’s fine: inferior to a blu-ray and some compression artifacts in the dark scenes but still looks good.

In my anomalous case of aTV 4K to HD projector, it’s truly garbage. In the second episode where Morpheus picks up a shard and tries to rebuild his castle, the image falls apart. Morpheus face is comprised of literally 4-8 macroblocks. Every floating shard is grossly pixelated. It looks like a 240 x 360 video from 1998. It’s definitely not HD blown up. It’s a streaming video chain falling down on an edge case.

 

[Dave Upton]

In a completely 4K chain, The Sandman is gorgeous. On a completely HD chain, it’s fine: inferior to a blu-ray and some compression artifacts in the dark scenes but still looks good.

In my anomalous case of aTV 4K to HD projector, it’s truly garbage. In the second episode where Morpheus picks up a shard and tries to rebuild his castle, the image falls apart. Morpheus face is comprised of literally 4-8 macroblocks. Every floating shard is grossly pixelated. It looks like a 240 x 360 video from 1998. It’s definitely not HD blown up. It’s a streaming video chain falling down on an edge case.

Sounds like a scaling issue causing something to come down in a lower res. Let us know once you force ATV to 1080p SDR if that looks better

 

[JohnRice]

I would definitely set the video output on the ATV 4K to 1080 SDR and disable any matching options. I can't think of anything else to try.

 

[DaveF]

You can change your AppleTV settings to 1080p SDR.

I checked and it’s been on that setting the whole time.
I also tried putting Netflix playback settings to force maximum (versus default).
No success.

I’ve exhausted everything easy, leaving only swapping hardware. I think I’m giving upon this weirdness and will just watch Sandman on my Shield.

I remembered to snap some photos of what it looks like on my screen.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Do you think it's projector-related in which the ATV just isn't playing nice with it?

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Wonder what happens on your 4K TV setup if you switch/force that ATV4K to output 1080p SDR. Would it yield this same bad result?

_Man_

 

[DaveF]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried everything. Weird situation. Fortunately it’s this one show on this one device and display. Presumably upgrading to a 4K projector would fix this anomalous streaming problem.

 

[DaveF]

Wonder what happens on your 4K TV setup if you switch/force that ATV4K to output 1080p SDR. Would it yield this same bad result?

_Man_

Tried that, see above.