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iPlayer HLG/UHD HDR on Samsung’s J and K Series TVs

(Topic created on: 19-12-2017 08:57 AM)
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ewanstancarr
Pathfinder
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So, of the nigh on 400 TVs supported in BBC iplayer for the Blue Planet II  HLG episodes none are from Samsung. Oh joy. 

...

Moderator edit: Original thread title was "Blue Planet 2 HLG - No Samsung". With the OP's permission, the title was changed on 12/03/2018 to accurately reflect the dominant theme of the thread as it has progressed. If the reader would like to know more about the HLG format, please check out the BBC's page and FAQ's on it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/projects/high-dynamic-range Thank you, AntS.

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JAMES4578
Samsung Members Star ★★
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@Mickpescador wrote:

Hi

 

Just recieved this email from Samsung Support. I just kept sending emails since last Saturday.

 

“This is to acknowledge that we have already received your email, we do apologise for the inconvenience it caused you. Rest assured everything will be taken care of by Samsung.

In regard to your concern, there's no Samsung TV is currently enabled for the version of iPlayer required to access it. We are working closely with the BBC to enable our 2017 Samsung UHD models (MU & QE) to access the service. We sincerely apologise for this service will not appear on 2014, 15 or 16 models (HU, JU, JS, KU or KS).”

 

Okay, maybe, for me, I have a 2017 MU model, but I feel sorry for all the owners of 2016 and earlier. Not good. I have been badgering them on Facebook Messenger as well but still no answer. Will post if I get one but fear it will be similar.


Yes certainly feel for those with 2016 models and earlier,particularly those who have spent significant sums and you would've expected a great service. Even with technical issues it should be a priority to provide  to ensure major services are supported in due course.  I have a 2017 MU too (my first UHD set) and  whilst fairly happy with TV we're just not getting details on the delay  for Iplayer support as it's quite possible only future content will be enabled (I can watch SDR  UHD on Iplayer via Sky)   @Mickpescador  That's just a standard response which could've ben given weeks ago!

I do not work for Samsung or make Samsung Products but provide independent advice and valuable contributions.


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Phil12
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@Grinch wrote:

Hi

The whole Samsung fiasco is confusing. Just seen this on Twitter from What Hi-Fi(https://t.co/gN4NSl2rkD).

”Most big-name manufacturers have confirmed that their 2017 sets will be HLG ready, with Samsung and LG also confirming that their 2016 HDR TVs will receive HLG support via a firmware update. Yes, it can come with an update to some 4K TVs, which is good news.
Read more at https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hybrid-log-gamma-explained-new-hdr-tv-broadcast-format#9k7guTFlXvijv...

So what is going on, can anyone from Samsung tell us the Truth. As for not supporting a product more than 3 years is disgusting, I’m wondering about the EU guarantee of 2 years and complying to Cuurys that my KS9000 is faulty because it cannot receive iPlayer HLG programmes.

 


Hi

 

Samsung TVs do support HLG on both 2016 and 2017 models, this can be tested by anyone using either a MP4 that is encoded with HLG or from YouTube clips.  

 

What isn't supported is iPlayer playback of 4K UHD programs (regardless if HLG or not).  This is likely due to the different method that is used to stream this to our TVs via iPlayer.  Samsung is supporting this on their 2017 models as we know from statements they've made and from being on the iPlayer compatibility list, however it has yet to arrive and seems unlikely to in time for us to actually test it.

 

Note, that at no point did Samsung say 2016 models would get support for iPlayer 4k UHD, so they haven't been explicity mis-sold.  The argument is whether their advertisting that HLG will be supported on older TVs automatically means from any source including a third party application like iPlayer, and that is something for a judge to decide if someone takes their retailer to court.  Someone would have a good case I should think considering HLG is a BBC technology and that the only way it would ever be broadcast in the foreseeable future is via a streaming service such as iPlayer.

 

Regards

 

Phil

 

 

paul1277
Black Belt 
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I read that What HI Fi article and they are saying that Samsung have confirmed their support to 2016 TV's. There is no mention of not being able to support Iplayer, therefore it is not unreasonable for anyone seeing that (and a bet a fair few did) to expect the TV to support HLG in all types. The Iplayer standard must have been know when that was written, so Samsung must have know of the issues with BBC Iplayer, but kept quite for marketing reasons! That is miss selling and what is worse, they used a third party (What Hi Fi, and Trusted reviews) to announce Samsung's compatibility, so Samsung can say they never informed anyone of there support for HLG! This is the email from Samsung support denying ever saying they have given any press release,

"

This is to acknowledge that we have already received your email, we do apologise for the inconvenience it caused you. Rest assured everything will be taken care of by Samsung.

 

In regard to your concern, Samsung doesn't formally filed any statement to any forums which include trusted reviews or any website that all 2016 UHD HDR TV will support HLG broadcast.  We were solely informed that no other legacy UHD TV’s are included. This service will not appear on 2014,15 or 16 models (HU, JU, JS, KU or KS). We are working closely with the BBC to enable our 2017 Samsung UHD models (MU & QE) only to access the service.

 We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding."

We were all miss lead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul

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paul1277
Black Belt 
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I agree you Phil in that they never said they would support BBC Iplayer, they did say they would fully support HLG. I also agree with you that it was only the BBC Iplayer who were testing this, so you would think the first priority is to make the TV's compatible. Samsung made a general claim to fully support all 2016 TV's, without exception (and as I have said they must have known their TV's were having a problem, but kept quite), they must now deliver on that claim, or give us a time frame to deliver, or admit that they can not deliver, which then would constitute miss selling. I would also like them to admit to informing Trusted reviews and What Hi FI of their support off HLG in their 2016 TV's. I have emailed both and am awaiting an answer. 

Paul

Mickpescador
Apprentice
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Hi. 

 

This is is the latest reply I have just got via Facebook Messanger.

 

“Apologies for the delay. We are working with the BBC to provide access to this service and hope to have it available soon. It is not expected to be available in time to view the current BBC UHD Content ( Blue Planet II), but is expected to be in place for any future content offered by The BBC. ^FM”

 

so so that’s It as far as Blue Planet is concerned! Always knew that would be the case..   what actually takes these software gurus so long beats me, but there we are. I give up now. Over and out!

JAMES4578
Samsung Members Star ★★
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@Mickpescador wrote:

Hi. 

 

This is is the latest reply I have just got via Facebook Messanger.

 

“Apologies for the delay. We are working with the BBC to provide access to this service and hope to have it available soon. It is not expected to be available in time to view the current BBC UHD Content ( Blue Planet II), but is expected to be in place for any future content offered by The BBC. ^FM”

 

so so that’s It as far as Blue Planet is concerned! Always knew that would be the case..   what actually takes these software gurus so long beats me, but there we are. I give up now. Over and out!


Indeed frustrating  to say the least but suppose 2017 owners will eventually be in better position, Samsung unlikely to go into specifics!

I do not work for Samsung or make Samsung Products but provide independent advice and valuable contributions.


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BAMozzy
Navigator
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@paul1277 wrote:

I agree you Phil in that they never said they would support BBC Iplayer, they did say they would fully support HLG. I also agree with you that it was only the BBC Iplayer who were testing this, so you would think the first priority is to make the TV's compatible. Samsung made a general claim to fully support all 2016 TV's, without exception (and as I have said they must have known their TV's were having a problem, but kept quite), they must now deliver on that claim, or give us a time frame to deliver, or admit that they can not deliver, which then would constitute miss selling. I would also like them to admit to informing Trusted reviews and What Hi FI of their support off HLG in their 2016 TV's. I have emailed both and am awaiting an answer. 

Paul


when Samsung said that the 2016 TV's would support HLG, I assumed that they meant all HLG not just one 'format' of HLG - In truth I didn't think HLG had different formats. On the one hand they say its only 'broadcast' HLG that they support but youtube HLG works. What happens if someone were to buy a Roku as that is supposed to support iPlayer in 4k HLG - will that work? Or will people be annoyed that Samsung has said it supports HLG so buy a Roku only to find it doesn't deliver HLG on their 2016 TV?

 

What happens if/when SkyQ bring HDR to its service - will that work? what about with on-demand content? Will on-demand have a different format for HLG to Broadcast HLG? Blue Planet 2 maybe the start but it doesn't bode well for the future does it? I am sure that BBC will use the same standard for Broadcasting.

 

I bought the KS believing it was a Premium TV and am yet to hear a 'reasonable' explanation why the KS series cannot be updated yet other TV's of this era can be. Its not like HLG uses metadata and as we have seen, HLG works with youtube content. If its a simple case of not supporting DVB-DASH, then why can't support for this be added? Surely iPlayer uses DVB-DASH anyway and its just using mpeg and HEVC codecs. DVB stands for Digital Video Broadcasts and the latest is just 'amendments' to add HLG/HDR - The amended specification contains H.264/AVC and HEVC video conformance points for use with MPEG DASH - no different to youtube I believe.

 

Why can't Samsung come out and explain why their 2016 (and/or earlier) TV's can't be updated - even if it can't be done in the next 'month' - especially as they are probably winding down for Christmas and gearing up for CES in January. What is radically different between last years and this years TV's that prevents the older models from being updated?

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amokuk
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Samsung are lying. There are not different formats of HLG. The BBC developed this format, you think they are just making this up as they go along and creating multiple different versions? This is a test of their broadcast platform. No the BBC know what they are doing and HLG is HLG is HLG. Samsung are trying to make out that its something beyond their control as the reason they have dropped support for a year old TV. Utterly reprehensible.

Tezz
Voyager
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I called support about HLG and iPlayer. But I could not understand a word they said.

I did call back about another problem the KS is suffering from(the smartthings Hub can't see the tv  after the last update)

and got the normal "reset TV\BS and more gibberish"

 

Is it me or has anyone else noticed that if you leave a reply, the thread does not go to the front page?

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crashcris
Voyager
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Hi. I covered the Roku streaming stick+ in my post on page 7 of this forum. If you can't be bothered to scroll back to read my complete findings, *****'s the most relevent bit:- 

 

"I did what I suggested as a work around. I bought the roku streaming stick+. I tried the BBC iplayer app in the beta testing UHD trial, *****'s what I found:- It worked well but that HLG didn't have any effect on the js8000 (as I suspected). The image was clearer than the standard 720 iplayer image, however I compared it to the image from the original 1080p broadcast as recorded on my humax HDR2000t. I photographed the same section of video then enlarged both images to the point of seeing individual pixels, and to be honest, the image was no sharper than the OTA broadcast.

When I subsequently went to play the trial UHD again it said sorry there must be a problem, try again later. I did this several times and could NOT access the UHD trial again. Obviously I'm under-impressed by this. I'm taking the roku stick+ back today for a refund."

 

My TV is the js8000, which as far as I know doesn't support HLG on you tube so it's utterly conceivable that a 2016 TV that does play HLG youtube videos would successfull respond to the Roku SS+.  However, ignoring the HLG bit, I just wasn't blown away by the actual image clarity, It looked the same as the 1080p resolution from the original OTA broadcast.

 

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