PMP looks better than Plex HTPC for non-DV content?

Plex Players Desktop Players
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Server Version#: 1.26.2.5797
Player Version#:1.17.0.3002-f753d4a0

I’ve spent a few hours comparing settings and output for various combinations of source material, clients and settings and have become a bit per-plex-ed about what to use.

I am running Windows 10 connected to a Panasonic GZ1000 display via HDMI.

My source material is Bluray rips which are either transcoded (for 1080p sources) using Handbrake, or simply converted to mkv directly (for 4K sources) using MakeMKV. I usually retain the lossless audio to play through my 5.1 sound system.

I have previously been using Plex Media Player (v2.58.0.1076-38e019da) to play media which has worked great - until I started buying Dolby Vision 4K movies which were always too bright. Non-DV source material was generally fine - if perhaps a little dark for my liking.

I recently discovered the new Plex HTPC client and so gave that a go and found it worked really well for Dolby Vision source material - a little on the dark side, but I was able to boost the brightness on my TV to acceptable levels, even if we aren’t getting native DV support.

However, I have now discovered that Plex HTPC is not ideal for my non-Dolby Vision material - particularly older 1080p material which is not HDR. This material is too dark when played using Plex HTPC, while is looks great on Plex Media Player.

I do have HDR turned on in Windows 10 and Enable HDR switching turned off in Plex HTPC. If I enable HDR switching, I also get a red tinge on my non-HDR source videos.

It’s a bit frustrating, especially given how good my DV source material looks in Plex HTPC compared to PMP. Looks like I’ll need to keep both around for now unless there’s something else I can try?

I will note how perfectly the Plex client for Chromecast with Google TV displays everything - regardless of source format - it just runs in Dolby Vision mode on the TV for everything and it all looks fantastic. The main limitation with the Chromecast is that it can’t play really high bitrate 4K content without choking, and it can’t connect to my 5.1 sound system - so it’s only good when we’re not watching movies - which is when I really want it.

So - any suggestions on the differences between Plex HTPC and Plex Media Player and why PMP is working better for me with non-Dolby Vision sources?

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Wait, now I am really confused.

We watched Black Widow in 4K tonight - which does not have Dolby Vision - and PMP had the same overblown highlights that DV titles have been showing - particularly visible in the scene on the tarmac in Cuba which looks terrible in PMP, even my wife noticed it!

I swapped to Plex HTPC and it looked great - so I don’t know what’s going on or which media will work best with which software.

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If you want to add more to the confusion: Plex HTPC currently doesn’t parse the DV information. So whether the content contains DV or not the playback is the same.

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