Live TV input to XBOX ONE looks darker than expected.

i found the auto hdmi setting makes my display darker than just selecting the stand alone hdmi option.

 

Unreal,

The HDMI cable that came with the Xbox one is considered 2.0 and 4k ready. I am not able to repro at the moment as I do not have access to the DCX3400. But just like at the finest point in a funnel decides how fast the liquid can flow, the lesser of the
cables decides output. It is possible the Xbox One's HDMI cable (that came with the one) is bad. Although not likely it is possible.

 

Hi Dan, What Auto HDMI setting? Where is that located?

Also what is made darker with that setting? Can you please be more specific? Is the cable output darker (cable to TV) or Xbox output (cable to Xbox to TV)?

 

Hi XBR1, I really doubt this is specific to the cable box I have. I'm sure that one of the cable boxes MSFT already has will suffice and repro the issue. Do you have access to any Motorola cable boxes? This is something that could easily slip through manual
testing if folks don't have a good reference image.

This seems very similar to issues I have encountered in the past with Direct3D/DXGI when going between surface formats (which I assume the XBOX maintains its own video surface of the HDMI input so it can manipulate it for snapped mode etc...). Different
surface formats (e.g. *_SRGB) use gamma differently and can make an image darker if it's not done correctly.

 

There is an assortment of Motorola cables boxes around, but if that exact model number cannot be found testing it would be not so worthwhile.

 

Hi XB1R, I disagree because I think you'll find it's not related to the cable box and many people are impacted by this. It's always worthwhile to investigate customer issues. None of the other suggestions made in this thread helped me, and I was willing
to try. Why can't MSFT investigate on their side? As I mentioned previously it's easy to see if you have a reference image! This issue is preventing me and many others from actually using the TV features of the XBOX because the picture quality is degraded.

EVERYONE, please post your cable box info that you are having this issue with.

 

Have you verified that both of the HDMI inputs on your TV have exactly the same settings, including "picture mode" etc.? Try splitting the cable box directly to both TV inputs (leave the Xbox One out of the equation), do you still see a difference between
those 2 inputs? If so, it is not the Xbox One...

 

Hi GZA, I have verified that they are both using the same TV picture settings (my calibrated settings) however I have not sent both hdmis from the splitter directly to the TV. That is a good idea and I will try it and report back.

 

Unreal,

Not everyone is having video issues. This forum is a reduction of a reduction of users (not a true control). I am looking into the issue you are having, which means the Cable Box you are using. I am by no means saying that I am unwilling to test. I am saying
however, that there are specific cases I will pay special attention to.

-

Why not remove the splitter to test?

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Seeing some of which you have posted earlier leads me to believe you know of some of the issues associated with splitters and hubs of all kinds. Also, each cable box has proprietary firmware to that head-end and cable provider. Each is different and unique.
Testing a Motorola from 10+ years ago on a different provider does not help you. Testing with HDMI 2.0's may help, changing the video resolution, going STB HDMI Xbox One HDMI TV only, setting the same outputs, even swapping out the cable box for a different
model from the TV provider (just examples). It is a settings issue or a physical cable issue.

-

I appreciate the fact that you post responses to things that did or did not help, which helps other users in the future. Keep me up on what happens, and I will do what I can to help.

-Cheers

 

XBR1,

I don't think people many people would notice this issue. It's not like the screen is made black. Its only noticeable if you have a reference and are paying attention to it. I would guess the majority of folks don't notice it.

"Why not remove the splitter to test?" I don't understand this, we covered this before and it didn't help. I went to the basic setup that you suggested in earlier posts and the issue remained. What do you want me to do?

I haven't tried GZA's test for the TV inputs yet (wife is using the TV) but I will soon. I also had another idea... I'm going to remove the cable box from the environment in an attempt to prove my theory that it doesn't matter what is connected the the XBOX
hdmi input and that the XBOX one will always darken the image. To do this, I'll hook up my PS3 to the XBOX's hdmi in and see if that image is darker too or if it's only with a cable box.

 

Sorry Unreal, many posts and many times it is possible to blend cases (If like I do refer to the last few posts and not the whole thread, which is my mistake). You have done everything well and I really do appreciate the extra work. The goal was to make
the transition so clean a multi-chromite (a person with extra cones in their eye) would not be able to tell. We are not quite there, but getting there.

 

Hi XB1R,

Ahh ok I wasn't sure if there was another setup you wanted me to try. Apologies for not trying GZA's recommendation and my new idea yet. I'll try and do those tonight and report back!

 

Ok. I think we're at a point where we've confirmed that it is the XBOX ONE that is the issue. It's not my cable box, HDMI cables, HDMI splitter, A/V receiver, or TV.

===================

I performed GZA's test. I setup my HW as follows:

Cable, HDMI, SPLITTER, HDMI, TV INPUT 1

HDMI, TV INPUT 2

I paused the cable box and switched between the inputs and the images were the same. No differences in color. So it's not the HDMI splitter or TV input settings.

===================

Next I performed my test where I removed the cable box from the equation in an attempt to prove my theory that it doesn't matter what is connected the XBOX hdmi input . I plugged my XBOX 360 into my XBOX ONE's HDMI input and also directly to my TV as follows:

XBOX 360, HDMI, SPLITTER, HDMI, TV INPUT 1

HDMI, XBOX ONE, HDMI, TV INPUT 2

I paused a trailer on the XBOX 360 (Man of Steel) and switched between the TV inputs and the XBOX ONE's version was darker (just like when it was the cable box). I repeated the same setup but used my PS3 in place of the XBOX 360..yup you guessed it same
result: XBOX ONE's version was darker.

====================

XB1R,

I think we've clearly shown here that you should be able to easily reproduce this issue. You don't need my cable box to see it you can use a XBOX 360. Please keep in mind that this is a somewhat subtle difference and that you need to pay attention to the
darker portions of the image when comparing.

Please get this fixed! The XBOX shouldn't alter my HDMI input like this. I lose a lot of detail in the image when watching TV through the XBOX so I find myself not using it.

 

I don't think this issue is limited to TV. There are reports that the Xbox One outputs crushed blacks when its RGB setting is set to "Full." What is your X1 set to? And your TV? Try setting the X1 to "Limited." If that doesn't help, try playing with the
RGB settings on both X1 and TV...

m.neogaf.com/showthread.php

 

Hi GZA,

You're right it's not just limited to TV. This impacts any source connected to the HDMI input of the XBOX ONE

I quickly tried out your color space suggestion this morning and it looks like that resolved the issue! I changed the XBOX ONE's color from "RGB Full" to "RGB Limited" and it looked much better. I'll spend more time tonight to be certain but I think you
solved it!