How to watch PyeongChang 2018 Olympics in 4K HDR

Ilya

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This has been discussed in a number of threads, but there is still a lot of confusion, so I think we need a separate "How-To" sticky thread.

As you may know, Dish is delivering some 4K HDR Olympic footage provided by NBC (on a 1-day delay) on ch. 540 (also mapped as ch. 147-05).

So, here is what you need in order to be able to watch the 4K HDR channel 540 (147-05) at your home:
  1. HDR-compatible TV set
  2. The TV set must be connected to Hopper 3 (not just 4K Joey)
  3. High speed HDMI cable (preferably Premium Certified)
  4. Dish AT120 subscription or higher with a dish pointed to 72.7 or 129 satellite location
How do I know if my TV set is HDR-compatible?
Check the manual! Or google your TV model number with the word "HDR". Just because your TV set is 4K doesn't automatically mean it is HDR-compatible. Some TVs got the HDR feature as a software update, so you may have to install the latest updates. Also, not every HDMI port might be HDR-compatible. Check which HDMI ports on your TV set can handle 10-bit 4K HDR (HDR10) at 60 fps.

Can I watch 4K HDR through a 4K Joey?
Currently 4K Joey is not officially supported. If your TV set is connected to a 4K Joey you likely will not even see the ch. 540 listed in your guide during the Winter Olympics or any HDR recordings on your DVR made from the Hopper. Dish requires you to connect your TV set to the Hopper.

Update: There is a trick (posted at AVSForum) that allows you to watch the 4K HDR channel on the 4K Joey while it’s being recorded from your Hopper. You can join the recording in progress from your 4K Joey by selecting StartOver in TV Activity, Viewing options.

Update 2: And here is a trick to make DVR recordings from channel 540 viewable from 4K Joey. Just save your recordings to an external hard drive!

My HDMI cable works fine with 4K, can I use it for 4K HDR?
HDR uses a much higher bandwidth over HDMI than the normal non-HDR 4K. So some HDMI cables might experience problems with HDR: black screens, jumpy image, etc. You need a high-speed HDMI cable, capable of handling the HDR bandwidth (up to 18 Gbps). The HDMI alliance has come out with a special certification to ensure compatibility. Look for the Premium Certified sticker with a hologram. Of course, just because your HDMI cable is not Premium Certified doesn't necessarily mean it won't work. It's just not guaranteed. The shorter the cable, the less likely you are to run into problems.
Premium Certified.jpeg


I am connecting through an A/V receiver. Will that work with 4K HDR?
Even if your receiver can pass through 4K video and is HDCP 2.2 compliant, it doesn't necessarily mean it can pass through the higher bandwidth required for HDR. If you are experiencing any problems, bypass your receiver and connect your TV set to the Hopper directly.

What the heck is HDR?
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. Basically each of three color components is coded with 10 bits instead of the usual 8. This results in much more vibrant colors, deeper black levels and much brighter white colors. Looks amazing! :)
 
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Can I watch 4K HDR through a 4K Joey?
No! Currently 4K Joey is not HDR compatible. If your TV set is connected to a 4K Joey you likely will not even see the ch. 540 listed in your guide during the Winter Olympics. It is not clear if the 4K Joey can support HDR or not, but for now you do need to connect your TV set to the Hopper.

My 4K Joey's aren't even showing the H3 recorded Olympics in the DVR list.
 
My 4K Joey's aren't even showing the H3 recorded Olympics in the DVR list.
That's right! It's not supposed to, as it is unable to play them anyway.
 
Interesting, HDR does not have to be enabled on the TV for the Hopper3 to record or play the 4k recordings. I recorded and played the 4k content in my TV's Dynamic mode, and then enabled HDR on my TV to see the boost in color. Playing worked in any color mode.
 
Interesting, HDR does not have to be enabled on the TV for the Hopper3 to record or play the 4k recordings. I recorded and played the 4k content in my TV's Dynamic mode, and then enabled HDR on my TV to see the boost in color. Playing worked in any color mode.
What's important is that your TV set is HDR-compatible. It can accept HDR-encoded signal. That is communicated during the initial HDMI handshake between the Hopper and your TV set. What the TV set does with the HDR signal, that's a separate question.
 
Is HDR a firmware update for the 4K Joey or is it a hardware update?
That’s not clear yet. Keep in mind, that it’s not just the question of 4K Joey capabilities, but also the Hopper needs to be able to send HDR signal over MoCA, which hasn’t been demonstrated yet. Hopefully it can do that.
 
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That’s not clear yet. Keep in mind, that it’s not just the question of 4K Joey capabilities, but also the Hopper needs to be able to send HDR signal over MoCA, which hasn’t been demonstrated yet. Hopefully it can do that.
Thanks IIya. Maybe DISH can get things going for the 4K Joey before the Olympics is over.
 
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I doubt it . If they couldn’t make it work before the Olympics, it’s unlikely anything will change during the next couple of weeks. I wouldn’t bet on that.
 
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That's right! It's not supposed to, as it is unable to play them anyway.
20180210_150755.jpg

My 1080 tv connect to H3,
wants to show the dvr'd 4kHDR program,
Somehow down converted?
by either 1080tv or H3?
Shows program behind grey window and error message tile.
Error message forced by dish software on otherwise playable content.
 
I think we should add that the TV (and the AVR receiver, if used) must also be HDCP 2.2 (High Definition Copy Protection) compatible. I know many AVR receivers do not.
 
I think we should add that the TV (and the AVR receiver, if used) must also be HDCP 2.2 (High Definition Copy Protection) compatible. I know many AVR receivers do not.
Has it been confirmed that Dish enforces HDCP 2.2 on this channel?
 
Has it been confirmed that Dish enforces HDCP 2.2 on this channel?
Confirmed, no. But I do not believe they have ever NOT required it. I would imagine content providers would have them in court in a heartbeat. Be that as it may, I don't believe there are any HDR capable products that are not 2.2 certified.
 
Well, it’s not an HDR-specific requirement (and I was primarily focusing on new requirements unique to HDR) but fine, I’ll mention HDCP.
 
Not seeing 540 or the -5 subnet on my Joey 4k, conectcon to a Sony 900e 4k hdr tv.
My h3 set is just 1080 .An old led dlp 67a750 3d tv. Seeing the channel on the h3, but can't record it, for a demo
 
Why are so many people chasing hardware issues when it is quite clear this is Dish software blocking?
Even my 1080 tv wants to play the 4kHDR recording from H3 dvr but has a Dish software error-message block.
 
Not seeing 540 or the -5 subnet on my Joey 4k, conectcon to a Sony 900e 4k hdr tv.
My h3 set is just 1080 .An old led dlp 67a750 3d tv. Seeing the channel on the h3, but can't record it, for a demo

Depending on how your house is wired, it might be possible in certain cases to swap the Hopper and the 4K Joey.
That’s what I did. Had to sacrifice one of the bedrooms though.
Don’t do that unless you have a really good understanding of how the Hopper MoCA wiring works!
 
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