BBC iplayer UHD content on BT TV Box Pro

[NigelB72]

@dnewitt1 BBC use HLG as their HDR format of choice, if your TV doesn't support HLG you won't get HDR via iPlayer. Netflix etc is Dolby Vision or HDR10 for HDR 

[dnewitt1]

Hi @NigelB72 

Thanks for reply but question regarding my tv supporting this format the bbc iPlayer app uses was answered in previous post,

please see below:

Re: BBC iplayer UHD content on BT TV Box Pro

I can watch it in hdr on my tv using the local bbc app installed no problem, so tv must support it however through the app on bt box no hdr I’m afraid.

[zulu17]

@dnewitt1 

I would speculate that the Iplayer app would check whether UHD content  can be supported and then offer or not offer it accordingly.  So it is probably down to when that check is performed and whether that decision /check is reviewed or  how long the original  decision retained. On Youview boxes you normally can only reinstall apps by undertaking a  reset (Maintenance mode keeping recordings should suffice). Alternatively you can try powering off and restarting your TV and TV Box Pro.

[Midnight_Voice]

@dnewitt1 

I had this issue with a Samsung TV which could show HDR on BBC iPlayer perfectly well, but the iPlayer app on my plugged-in (and newer!) Roku Stick+ wouldn’t show it.

I contacted the BBC, and they advised me that I should ensure the HDMI port I was using was set for Enhanced (might be called Deep Colour or some similar name). And the HDMI port wasn’t set for that*, so I set it - set all of them, actually, with the TV restarting each time - and sure enough, I then got UHD from BBC iPlayer on the Roku Stick.

You might have a similar issue with the HDMI port the YouView box is on (even if you can get UHD from Prime Video on the YouView box this way, as it may be a strange foible of the iPlayer).

*I was sure I’d set these ports Enhanced in the past, and I had, but I’d forgotten I’d had to swap in a new One Connect box when the original one failed due to a wine bottle percussion incident, and I’d never redone these particular settings 😢

[dnewitt1]

Thanks for replies and interesting points to try out,

I’ll do some digging and see what I can find out, currently pro box is connected to hdmi 1 and my tv is a

Philips  LED 4K UHD Android TV65PUS8106/12

thanks again

[dnewitt1]

Quick update, after trying all four hdmi ports, only 3&4 gives me hdr & uhd through BBC iPlayer app, for some reason I thought hdmi 1 would be best option! Thanks again for help and advice.

[Midnight_Voice]

@dnewitt1 

That’s very odd, the manual and spec for this TV describe all HDMI ports as equally capable, except that HDMI 1 also supports ARC*.

So if one of them can do HDR and UHD from the iPlayer, then any of them should.

*Which just means that if you have a soundbar or AV amp, this is the HDMI port you should plug it into, and don’t ‘waste’ it on an input-only device like a YouView box, if you have something that can use it to enhance your audio instead 😛

[dnewitt1]

Hi @Midnight_Voice ,

Thats what i thought after reading the manual for the Philips tv as well,

I did notice hdmi 1 has an arc label but apart from that no visible difference, I have gone through the settings and nothing jumps out and probably spent more time than I should have unplugging and swapping the cables around to double check my results.

However, definitely no hdr or uhd through the bbc iPlayer app on the bt pro box on hdmi 1 or 2, but hdmi 3 & 4 picks it up straight away. 

Thanks again.

[Midnight_Voice]

@dnewitt1 

Different specs for the HDMI ports, apart from one of them offering ARC, is not unknown - I think Sony offer two that do HDMI 2.1, and two that only do HDMI 2.0. Or something like that. But the published specs make the arrangement clear.

If Philips are offering two-tier HDMI capabilities, they should be making this clear also.

I guess at this point, you can either shrug your shoulders and say “Well, OK, I’ve got it working for me”, or you can take it up with Philips. If you do, please let us know what they say 😛

[dnewitt1]

Thanks for reply,
I am curious about this so if I find out more from Philips will update 👍