@paul1111wrote:
Sorry you mentioned a way around it was to buy an evolution kit but I just had a look and its no longer available.
http://www.samsung.com/uk/tv-accessories/evolution-kit-sek-1000/
I was, as others stated, referring to a 'hypothetical' Evolution Kit or even an updated OCB replacement. This would basically offer the updated Tizen which would then enable the latest iPlayer App. That was the way Samsung handled things like this before they decided to drop the Evolution Kits altogether by 2016. The issue is that these only enabled the Software update - the latest version of Tizen and the update to the HDMI ports which on 2014 TV's were only 2.0 (not a or b) and added HDCP2.2 support - the same as our current OCB's offer now. The only benefit to an Evolution Kit would be to offer the new version of Tizen which 'could' enable BBC iPlayer and potentially the EDID fix but the last kit, the SEK-3500 was £400. It could I guess also offer HDR10+ too. Again though, this is 'hypothetical' and Samsung has no plans to reintroduce Evolution Kits. Even if you were to buy an 'older' model and it actually 'work', you would be NO better off than the current OCB.
The point I was making though is that when Samsung were offering SEK (Samsung Evolution Kit) they were not cheap and cetainly couldn't change the 'hardware'. All it did was enable those older TV's to receive and play HDR content but only at the max capacity of those TV's - A brand new MU series would offer better HDR than an Evolution Kit plugged into a 2014 HU series TV. Personally, as I said, I would rather Samsung updated the EDID and then give me the choice of what external device I can buy (if I need to as a SkyQ customer anyway) rather than force me to spend £400 on an Evolution Kit (IF they went that route). At what point do you say enough is enough too? Is spending £400 every year (or two) just to have a new 'feature' the best option - especially as after a a few years, you could have spent as much as a 'new' TV costs that delivers better quality specs.
I had that dilemma in 2015/6, I wanted proper HDR on my 55HU7500 and could have spent £400 on a SEK-3500 that would enable me to at least play the content (at ~300nits with only the REC709 colour gamut) OR buy a KS that basically came with the SEK-3500 in the form of the OCB but delivered UHD Premium quality HDR. No doubt if Samsung had continued with the SEK, I would have been required to buy a new one to get HLG for example and still not had 'decent' HDR performance. This is a 'downside' to buying into tech early - before HDR was a thing, then before HLG/HDR10+ was a thing. Its all well and good saying that Samsung (or others) must have known the specs for 'HLG' for example in 2016, but they were not finalised and still a long way from being used. They may nt have known exactly on what platform the apps were going to be built, what standards these would need to work properly. As stated, the issue with the BBC App isn't HLG or UHD but the fact that the app itself won't work properly on the OS. That's nothing new as some Mobile apps don't work on older versions of their OS either.
Anyway, we are still at the same point we were over a week ago. We know that HLG 'can' work over HDMI BUT whether the TV will tell these devices that it can accept a HLG signal or not and when (if ever) Samsung will actually fix this, is still unknown. A fix 'should' enable ALL HLG enabled devices to work over HDMI and until we know more, one way or another, then we will remain in this position. That includes next weeks Sky F1 broadcast - if that doesn't work, it won't mean HLG doesn't work over HDMI, just that SkyQ requires the EDID update to work and again would still leave us in exactly the same position we are today - waiting for a fix to the EDID information that the TV sends to devices. We literally won't be any better OR worse off than we are today until Samsung update the EDID or at least lets us know if and when they intend to fix this.
This is why it pays to listen to people like @Saverio571 as they are more likely to get the information before us as Sky will be updated their before us. They will be able to test any update - assuming they get one before us. Lets hope Samsung at least do this right!!!
