Sony Announces Dolby Vision Firmware Update Available in January 2018 (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

This is insane and bullshit if true:

OK Everyone. I just spent 15 minutes on the phone with the Oppo Digital rep and here's what's going on. Sony has decided to implement a special low-latency profile for Dolby Vision. This apparently is a new profile Dolby created just for Sony. This is very different from the profiles done by LG and Vizio, who implement the full standard profile. How Sony was able to get this kind of special treatment is another topic.

For the low-latency profile, more pre-processing work is done prior to passing the data to the TV. For the full DV profile implemented by LG and Vizio, most of the processing is done by the TV itself. What this means is that both Oppo as well as Dolby and the chip vendor, MediaTec, have to add firmware to do the preprocessing. It's strictly a matter of how the processing is distributed and doesn't affect video quality.

My understanding is that Sony has no intention whatsoever to support the full profile. They are leaving it strictly up to the source providers to support low-latency.

The timeline for a new firmware drop from Oppo with low-latency profile support is April.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/166-l...ly-thread-no-price-talk-130.html#post55518556

 

[Sam Posten]

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?s=7a5949052571e8c59d6966e3837c1a3a&p=14606956&postcount=223

Jesus, what a shitshow. Sony needs to get ahead of this NOW. 5 More months before we will have Oppo and Apple TV support to DV from this set. Crazy. I have never regretted a purchase more =(

 

[gadgtfreek]

Funniest thing ever, the streaming apps support HDR10, regular DV and the DV low latency. LMAO, streaming apps leading blu-ray.

 

[Mark Booth]

To be honest, I'm pretty thrilled with the standard HDR image on my Sony 940E. But Sony *did* promise Dolby Vision for this set and NEVER told customers that it would be a "limited" or "low-latency profile"-only version of Dolby Vision. So Sony better f'ing deliver a full Dolby Vision implementation that works over HDMI. If they don't, I will insist that Sony exchange my set for whatever model replaces the 940E with full Dolby Vision support.

I know Oppo will eventually get around to supporting this low-latency profile but I have my doubts that Apple will make it a priority.

Mark

 

[gadgtfreek]

I'm honestly going to stop chasing the DV rabbit. I have been happy with HDR10 discs for 13 months now, so I am moving on from the whole discussion. It is basically ridiculous that we are at the 7-month mark and they keep changing the rules.

 

[Mark Booth]

Well, I went ahead and installed the PKG6.2818.0075NAA update on my 940E so I'd at least have Dolby Vision on streaming apps on the TV. Now I very much regret that decision! Reason: Some 4K Dolby Vision titles on my Apple TV 4K refuse to play in ANY form of HDR!

That's right, some Apple TV 4K Dolby Vision titles that used to play in standard HDR on my 940E now don't trigger the HDR flag at all. They play in SDR.

I haven't checked every 4K Dolby Vision title, but this is what I've seen so far. Apple TV 4K Dolby Vision titles that play only in SDR after installing the 2818.0075NAA update on my Sony 940E:

The Accountant
Concussion
Kong Skull Island
Man of Steel
San Andreas
Sully

I tried about 7 or 8 other Apple TV 4K 4K Dolby Vision titles that *did* play back in standard HDR on the updated Sony 940E.

Something about this basterdized Sony low-latency DV is so "special" that it is f'ing up my ability to enjoy some 4K Dolby Vision content my Apple TV 4K. Thank you, Sony!

Mark

 

[Matt Hough]

This is as close to a complete disaster as I've read about lately. I really feel for you Sony owners.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Not only that, but they have had black level fluctuations with the LG's and DV finally owned that at CES. This morning I see an article that says "Dolby and LG vow to fix the black level issue". Whatever man...

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I'm honestly going to stop chasing the DV rabbit. I have been happy with HDR10 discs for 13 months now, so I am moving on from the whole discussion. It is basically ridiculous that we are at the 7-month mark and they keep changing the rules.

That's been pretty much my stance on the whole Dolby Vision thing. My Vizio display supports DV and my Denon AVR can pass the video signal, but I have no 4K source that supports DV (Sony X-800 UHD player and Roku Ultra). My only way to use DV is via the Vizio's built-in Vudu app, and I have watched exactly one DV streamed film that way -- Wonder Woman.

I'm perfectly happy with watching lowly ol' HDR10. I would like to eventually upgrade my Sony X-800 player -- only because I want to move that player to our master bedroom. But after seeing the announcements for 2018 UHD disc players from Sony and Panasonic, I'm not in any hurry to spend money on those offerings. I'm even wondering if Sony will botch the promised Dolby Vision firmware upgrade for their 2018 disc player by making it support only this low-latency profile and not the full profile?

 

[gadgtfreek]

Exactly! Since getting a display that could properly tone map HDR10 (my 2015 EF9500 was terrible) I have been loving UHD and HDR. HDR10 Netflix and Amazon look good too.

My other issue is once some of these devices detect you are DV capable, you are forced to use it. Kinda tired of half-baked formats and someone like Dolby telling me what to do with my gear. I will be avoiding any UHD disc spinner that doesn't give you the option to disable DV until this sorts out more.

 

[Mark Booth]

Well, I went ahead and installed the PKG6.2818.0075NAA update on my 940E so I'd at least have Dolby Vision on streaming apps on the TV. Now I very much regret that decision! Reason: Some 4K Dolby Vision titles on my Apple TV 4K refuse to play in ANY form of HDR!

That's right, some Apple TV 4K Dolby Vision titles that used to play in standard HDR on my 940E now don't trigger the HDR flag at all. They play in SDR.

I haven't checked every 4K Dolby Vision title, but this is what I've seen so far. Apple TV 4K Dolby Vision titles that play only in SDR after installing the 2818.0075NAA update on my Sony 940E:

The Accountant
Concussion
Kong Skull Island
Man of Steel
San Andreas
Sully

I tried about 7 or 8 other Apple TV 4K 4K Dolby Vision titles that *did* play back in standard HDR on the updated Sony 940E.

Something about this basterdized Sony low-latency DV is so "special" that it is f'ing up my ability to enjoy some 4K Dolby Vision content my Apple TV 4K. Thank you, Sony!

Mark

I found a workaround until Sony fixes this mess. On the Sony 940E, by going to Picture Adjustments/Advanced Settings/Video Options and changing HDR Mode from AUTO to HDR10 it forces the 940E to only use HDR10 for HDR. With it set to HDR10 the 6 titles listed above on my Apple TV 4K now play back in standard HDR.

I guess setting HDR Mode to HDR10 turns off Sony's bastardized version of low-latency Dolby Vision. Good riddance.

Mark

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I found a workaround until Sony fixes this mess. On the Sony 940E, by going to Picture Adjustments/Advanced Settings/Video Options and changing HDR Mode from AUTO to HDR10 it forces the 940E to only use HDR10 for HDR. With it set to HDR10 the 6 titles listed above on my Apple TV 4K now play back in standard HDR.

I guess setting HDR Mode to HDR10 turns off Sony's bastardized version of low-latency Dolby Vision. Good riddance.

Mark

Thanks for the workaround Mark!

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I just want to give a special shout out to Oppo in this thread. They are a small company and most likely weren't planning to spend the time and money needed to roll out a second lite version of Dolby Vision to be compatible with just one vendor, but they are.

Thanks Oppo for working on a fixing something that Sony should have owned!

 

[gadgtfreek]

I just want to give a special shout out to Oppo in this thread. They are a small company and most likely weren't planning to spend the time and money needed to roll out a second lite version of Dolby Vision to be compatible with just one vendor, but they are.

Thanks Oppo for working on a fixing something that Sony should have owned!

Well, the newest rumor, which Sony has a press release coming (allegedly), is that Sony was told source devices already had the update by Dolby. So Oppo tried to throw Sony under the bus, and then Sony moved and Oppo bumped Dolby under the tires instead.

Some have said "why didn't Sony test the tv's with devices", well, they have DV running on their X700 (beta FW I reckon) and I guess they ASSumed Dolby had everyone else up to par.

The whole thing is ridiculous regardless.

 

[Mark Booth]

Folks, it certainly appears that Sony is in the process of covering its tracks. The current 930E and 940E product specification web page is here:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/televisions/XBR-X930E-X940E-Series/specifications

That page USED to say that Dolby Vision was coming via a firmware update. Not anymore.

Scroll down to the box that shows this:

And farther down on that page, this:

Notice they both reference a footnote #5. That specifications page does NOT list the footnotes. But the current Sony PDF file for the 940E DOES contain a footnote #5. That PDF file is here:

https://docs.sony.com/release//SPECS/XBR75X940E_mksp.pdf

And here is the current footnote #5 contained in that PDF:

"5. Requires HDR compatible content from supported streaming services, such as Netflix, Ultra and Amazon Video."


Unfortunately, that PDF file isn't in the internet WayBack Machine. Does anyone have an earlier copy? The previous version referenced Dolby Vision coming via a firmware update.

Now they've changed the PDF to (by my interpretation) state that Dolby Vision is only available via streaming services. Which is exactly the Dolby Vision update they released.

I very much regret not capturing and documenting ALL of Sony's promises made prior to this debacle. What a load of horse manure!

Mark

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have to wonder why Dolby would even decide to provide this low-latency version of DV. Dolby is already having difficulty getting the format accepted in the home theater environment, and adding another wrinkle only further fragments their product. Now consumers not only have to make sure that every component in their chain supports Dolby Vision, but it also has to support this low-latency version as well.

It's decisions like this that could drive the market to HDR10+.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I have to wonder why Dolby would even decide to provide this low-latency version of DV. Dolby is already having difficulty getting the format accepted in the home theater environment, and adding another wrinkle only further fragments their product. Now consumers not only have to make sure that every component in their chain supports Dolby Vision, but it also has to support this low-latency version as well.

It's decisions like this that could drive the market to HDR10+.

I wonder if this is the new SW version of DV as an alternative to the chip. Allows displays to have it but the load has to be taken on by the source device. IMO, Source devices should be doing the load anyways...

 

[Sam Posten]

Sony announces to the world "Don't buy a Sony TV expecting Dolby Vision to work on any external devices in 2018".
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1516616887

Seriously, this sucks and Sony should somehow compensate owners for having to wait 18 months + for this feature promised to be included when announced at CES January 2017 =/

 

[Mark Booth]

The "fix" I came up with for certain Dolby Vision titles on my Apple TV 4K (putting the 940E's HDR Mode into HDR10 instead of AUTO) is a royal pain in the ass. I have to constantly toggle between HDR10 and AUTO. If left in HDR10 for non HDR content the image looks terrible. I've given up on the toggling and just leaving HDR Mode in AUTO and I'm avoiding watching Dolby Vision titles on my Apple TV 4K that don't trigger HDR.

This a royal load of horse sh!t. Once the "screw you, you have to do it our way" information is forthcoming from Sony in the U.S. I will begin pressing Sony to buy back my 940E. If they refuse, fortunately, the purchase price is well below the small claims court limit here in California. I'll name Fry's Electronics in the suit as well.

Mark

 

[Mark Booth]

Excellent video:



Mark