Help needed with my KD-55XG8096 and PS5 to run 4K with HDR

[David6479]

Looking for some Guru out there that can give me some help with my Sony KD-55XG8096 and Playstation 5 setup. The problem I'm getting is that I cannot get 4k and HDR to run at the same time. I've did some digging around and I have heard it may be a bug in the PS5 but most post were from 3 months ago and it was due to AV systems or Samsung models.

My PS5 is connected directly to the TV HDMI port 2 or 3 (Enhanced ON) with a 2.1 HDMI cable. I've tried the cable that came with the machine and also ordered and tested a new 2.1 but it was just the same. When I go into the PS5 display settings it shows the context : 

"When displaying 4K HDR content at 60Hz, the colour format will be YUN422 or YUV420 instead of RGB due to HDMI 2.0 transfer speed limitations"

I can run 1080p HDR fine or just normal 4k but I get the above message on the dashboard when I try both together. Is it really just a system update I need to wait for or a TV Firmware (on v6.7140 already). I really like this TV but would hate to think it's just fallen short.

Any advice is very much appreciated.

[Peter_S.]

Hi,

The message only tells you that the colour profile will be changed. But it doesn't say that 4k HDR isn't working.

So I would say that 4K HDR is sent to the TV but you need to change the colour profile on your TV to get the best result.

Cheers

Peter

[David6479]

Hi Peter and thanks for the reply,

I'll have another look but I'm sure I've went through them all but still the same, isn't YUN422 or YUV420 a lower form of HDR? as I'm trying to get RGB. When I drop the resolution to 1080p from the PS5 I can get HDR (RGB) and it tells me this on the PS5 dashboard, I don't have to change any colour profile for that.

Also why would it comment on the limitations of HDMI 2.0 when I'm using a HDMI 2.1 cable, the one with the machine and also bought a second to rule out a faulty cable. At 1080p I get HDR (RGB) and the comment about limitations disappears.

Thanks

[David6479]

OK looks like I've maybe answered my own question regarding this, cant help feeling a little disappointed. So after some checking it looks like my TV HDMI are all 2.0, where I thought input 2 and 3 were 2.1. I had to go to another website that gave a more in-depth look at the TV to find it out, manual doesn't say either.

Anyway I've had a look at what YUV422 actually is and (please correct me) it's more of a fake HDR. Yes it's better than RGB 8bit but not as good as RGB 10bit (which is what I want and used to outside PS5). Now the T.V outputs 4k HDR (True) at 24fps when say viewing or streaming and the HDMI 2.0 can handle this bandwidth "BUT" with the PS5 outputting 4k at 60fps I can only get YUV422 (Fake HDR), this is where the HDMI 2.1 extra bandwidth would have came in. As I don't own a 4k Movie to test I'm not sure what HDR I would get from that playing through the PS5. It also explains why dropping the resolution in the PS5 dashboard to 1080p gives me RGB HDR (True), less bandwidth to push through the 2.0 inputs again.

If I'm wrong with any of this please let me know but I suppose when I got this T.V last April I had know idea what RGB HDR or YUV422 was so It's a learning curve for me. If I did I would probably have spent the little extra for the HDMI 2.1.

[HannahEd01]

Hi David6479, your TV doesn't support HDMI 2.1, this is where you're correct. The supported models are published on Sony website here: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00254857

Also, the info about the HDR type isn't disclosed on the specs anywhere I'm afraid.

[David6479]

@HannahEd01 yeah I wouldn't expect any info about the types of HDR here, to be honest I didn't know there was until two days ago and would never have known the difference if it wasn't for the PS5 dashboard telling me of the limitations at the T.V end.

I would take it that as the PS5 is the source it detects the 2.0 limitations and downscales accordingly. The T.V then does output the downscaled version of HDR. The T.V does register HDR being used as shown on the info bar at the top but I suppose cheekily doesn't tell you the actual type, namely YUV422. I'll assume it's all software based too.

Quite interesting really and I know what to look for in the next T.V upgrade, I'll spend that little bit extra.

[HannahEd01]

Hey David, I recommend checking this link: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00254857

It tells you which TVs are going to get the 2.1 other features as well (VRR & ALLM)