Files with both HDR10+ & DoVi Profile 8.1 metadata show blank/black screen

Plex Players Streaming Devices
1

I’ve noticed an issue on Fire TV 4K Max (Fire OS 7.6.2.4) where it shows a blank/back screen when playing a file (MKV in my testing) with both HDR10+ and DoVi Profile 8.1 metadata. These files playback fine on other Android TV devices like CCwGTV 4K and Sony GTV, but just show a blank/black screen on Fire TV.

For testing, I confirmed that files with just HDR10+ or DoVi P8.1 metadata playback without issue. I also tested separately on both an HDR10+ TV (Samsung) and a Dolby Vision (LG) display to confirm that the type of display (EDID) doesn’t play a role.

Please let me know if you have any questions. This issue should be very easy to reproduce on your end, but please let me know if you require a sample or logs.

CC @DaveBinM this is another one of the bugs I had pinged you about on Discord, but I’m posting here to hopefully ease communication and make it easier to track this issue.

Thank you!

Server Version#: 1.31.0.6654
Player Version#: 9.15.0.38159 (c85b2f1b)
Streaming Device: Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Fire OS Version#: 7.6.2.4

2

Same problem for me!

But it’s only with the 4k Max. With the old FireTV 4k it’s working.

3

There’s already a topic on this: Amazon TV Cube (3rd Gen) Plex HDR/DV bug fixed? - #7 by ChuckPa

1 Like
4

@ChuckPa Are you already aware of this and is this the same issue that affects the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)? Thanks!

5

This is a FireCube app problem? (I don’t have one of those)

6

@ChuckPa this issue apparently affects all Fire TV devices. I described it above in the initial post on this thread.

7

I have FireTV 4K Max with 9.15.0.38159 (c85b2f1b)

I am able to DirectPlay and get full DoVi (as announced by the TV itself)

Screenshot from 2023-02-20 21-39-08

Would you like me to cut a sample of this for you to try?

Also, can you provide me a sample of one of these files (60 seconds should do it)

8

The issue is specifically files that contain both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
Your example only seems to be Dolby Vision.

Here’s a 9s sample: 61.58 MB file on MEGA

1 Like
9

Why do you have Samsung’s proprietary HDR10+ , which is the competitor to Dolby Vision, in the same file. or am I looking at HDR10 with Dolby Vision?

If HDR10+ (Samsung) - how is that supposed to work? By all definition, they are mutually exclusive in a stream.

Testing playback now

10

May I see the XML PMS has for it?

11

From what I see:

The media clip:

<Media id="616866" duration="9134" bitrate="56551" width="3840" height="2160" aspectRatio="1.78" videoCodec="hevc" videoResolution="4k" container="mkv" videoFrameRate="24p" videoProfile="main 10">
<Part accessible="1" exists="1" id="616876" key="/library/parts/616876/1676957759/file.mkv" duration="9134" file="/vol/media/testfiles/hdr10plus_dovi_mel.mkv" size="64567347" container="mkv" videoProfile="main 10">
<Stream id="403028" streamType="1" selected="1" codec="hevc" index="0" bitrate="56551" language="English" languageTag="en" languageCode="eng" DOVIBLCompatID="6" DOVIBLPresent="0" DOVIELPresent="1" DOVILevel="0" DOVIPresent="1" DOVIProfile="7" DOVIRPUPresent="1" DOVIVersion="1.0" bitDepth="10" chromaLocation="topleft" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" codedHeight="2160" codedWidth="3840" colorPrimaries="bt2020" colorRange="tv" colorSpace="bt2020nc" colorTrc="smpte2084" frameRate="23.976" height="2160" level="153" profile="main 10" refFrames="1" width="3840" displayTitle="4K DoVi Enhancement Layer (HEVC Main 10)" extendedDisplayTitle="4K DoVi Enhancement Layer (HEVC Main 10)"> </Stream>
</Part>
</Media>

DOVIBLCompatID=“6” DOVIBLPresent=“0” DOVIELPresent=“1” DOVILevel=“0” DOVIPresent=“1” DOVIProfile=“7” DOVIRPUPresent=“1” DOVIVersion=“1.0” bitDepth=“10” chromaLocation=“topleft” chromaSubsampling=“4:2:0”

Now reference where the SMPTE levels are:

colorTrc=“smpte2084”

Is this one of those “Community made” jobs? It sure looks like it.

12

@ChuckPa there are UHD BDs that are both HDR10+ and DoVi. There’s nothing in the standards stating both can’t coexist.

Also, much appreciation to @quietvoid for being here. @quietvoid is likely one of the most informed experts on DoVi around. Extremely thankful for all his hard work and collaboration with various communities.

13

Thank you. I greatly appreciate all the help I can get.

There’s so much flying around for me to learn, plus all the whacky stuff I see, that I’m quickly confused as to what truth is.

When I see SMTP2084 (no metadata), but then tagged as Dovi AND HDR10+, I’m sorry where does the 2084 come into play? Isn’t that BT709 remnant stuff ?

I’d love to understand this. I don’t know if my mind can withstand the influx but I’ll try

What I’ll do next is take this file to the Android Engineer and ask. WTH Boss? :slight_smile:

See if that gets a rise out of him :rofl:

@quietvoid Found your stuff on GitHub :+1:

EDIT:

  • Tested Nvidia Shield Pro version 9.16.1.38616 - :white_check_mark:
  • Message & sample sent to developer :white_check_mark:
14

@speeddemon @quietvoid

Update:

  1. App version 9.15.0 is where they updated the exoplayer module.
  2. There were problems (many)
  3. Android Shield (which plays fine) is now at 9.16.1
  4. Looks like Amazon has not yet approved & released 9.16.1

I’m asking further about when the update is expected to get released by Amazon.

1 Like
15

Is update 9.16.1 expected to fix this? Or do you just think it might?
The issue doesn’t only affect Plex, but all players relying on the MediaCodec decoders.
As far as I’m aware, upstream ExoPlayer on the latest versions also has the problem.

There are workarounds such as filtering out the HDR10+ binary data before it is passed to the decoders, but otherwise there is clearly an issue at the FireOS/hardware level that causes the blank screen.

It doesn’t affect other devices, just FireTV ones.

An easy way is to load the sample on the device and use GitHub - moneytoo/Player: ▶ Simple and lightweight, yet polished and powerful Android video player based on ExoPlayer, which is kept up to date with ExoPlayer.
I haven’t tested it in a while but I’d expect the issue to still be there.

16

I don’t know if it will fix it or not. I only know 9.15.0 was the first release with the updated exoplayer. (bugs are more than likely there)

Given the bugs only impact Amazon devices, and Amazon devices still have 9.15.0, what’s the more likely answer?

  1. 9.15.0 is flawed but 9.16.1 fixed it
  2. The version of exoplayer (same for both) shouldn’t work for either if the root cause is upstream ?

I’m willing to wager this is a 9.15.0 “first cut of new exoplayer” problem.

17

The problem has been present for years in Plex/any other player app, it isn’t new to 9.15.0.
So this is why we’ve been saying it’s a hardware/OS problem specific to FireTV all this time.

I thought 9.16.1 wasn’t released but it is. So I sideloaded it and the issue is still present on my 4K Max.

It is also happening on JustPlayer v0.138.0, so nothing has changed.

18

So this ultimately comes down to a “Not Plex problem; Can’t fix” ??

19

Sure. There just has been many reports on the forums and you always seem to say it’s being looked at.
Ideally someone would reach to Amazon and let them figure it out.

[1] this thread
[2] Amazon TV Cube (3rd Gen) Plex HDR/DV bug fixed?

20

:point_up: Is this something Plex could implement?

This seems like the ideal solution, but how do you think Amazon has HDR10+ working via their own Prime Video app?