4k video on Minix Neo U9-H using Kodi

nyberg

Member
Hi!
I'm trying to play 4k videos in Kodi, but whatever settings i try, i just get 1080x1920. I have tried several different sources, 4k video from my GoPro (MP4), "Samsung Wonderland Two HDR 4K Demo" (.ts) and mkv files 2160p, 10-bit HDR. No problem with sound, i get all kind of HD sound and even Atmos.

The output from MInix is 4k, and when i start Kodi i still have 4k, but when i start a video, I just get 1080p.

If a use standard Android videoplayer, i get 4k, if i use MX-player i get 4k, if i use ES explorer built in video player i get 4k, every player i test except Kodi. I have tried Kodi 17.6 and even the new 18.

I have tried source from USB, local and from my NAS, same result.

In Kodi i have enabled frame rate switching, tried both On start/stop and Always.

What i have read Minix U9-H should support 4k video using Kodi! Does anybody know how?
 
Have you whitelisted the right resolutions? You need to enable Expert settings to see this configuration item.
 
Hi!
I'm trying to play 4k videos in Kodi, but whatever settings i try, i just get 1080x1920. I have tried several different sources, 4k video from my GoPro (MP4), "Samsung Wonderland Two HDR 4K Demo" (.ts) and mkv files 2160p, 10-bit HDR. No problem with sound, i get all kind of HD sound and even Atmos.

The output from MInix is 4k, and when i start Kodi i still have 4k, but when i start a video, I just get 1080p.

If a use standard Android videoplayer, i get 4k, if i use MX-player i get 4k, if i use ES explorer built in video player i get 4k, every player i test except Kodi. I have tried Kodi 17.6 and even the new 18.

I have tried source from USB, local and from my NAS, same result.

In Kodi i have enabled frame rate switching, tried both On start/stop and Always.

What i have read Minix U9-H should support 4k video using Kodi! Does anybody know how?

What means are you using to determine the file is played at a lower resolution in Kodi?

I wish there was a simple way to lower the resolution of a 4k video with a player, but I could never do it. A 4k video file will require a graphics processor and a player capable of playing it, and either you have it and it plays, or you don't have it and it doesn't play at all. Such thing of a 4k file being played at 1080p without going through a recompress procedure to reduce it into something else makes no sense to me. Not even a powerful player as Kodi can do that kind of magic.
 
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I tried to reproduce what you mention to no avail. Besides


What means are you using to determine the file is played at a lower resolution in Kodi?

I wish there was a simple way to lower the resolution of a 4k video with a player, but I could never do it. A 4k video file will require a graphics processor and a player capable of playing it, and either you have it and it plays, or you don't have what it and it doesn't play at all. Such thing of a 4k file being played at 1080p without going through a recompress procedure to reduce it into something else makes no sense to me. Not even a powerful player as Kodi can do that kind of magic.

Hi!
When i have my Minix connected to my Samsung QLED TV, i can see information about the resolution on the top of the screen (when i push a button). If i don't play anything a see on my TV that i have a resolution that is 4096x2160. I have my Minix resolution set to 4k-smtpe. I see when i play something with anything else than Kodi that i have a resolution of 4096x2160. That goes also for 1080p videos and anything on Youtube. I suppose that is because the resolution set on my Minix box. It put everything out as 4k using the resolution on Minix, even if the source is not.

But if you believe it or not, when i play a video with Kodi i see at the top of my TV, that i have a resolution of 1920x1080. Even if i use a true 4k video, any of the videos a mentioned. As soon as i stop the video, even if im still in Kodi, i have 4096x2160.

I have my MInix connected thru a Pioneer VSX-1131, and i can see the resolution even in my receiver. That give me exactly the same information. 4k from everything except Kodi playing video. I have made the tests thru Pioneer but also Minix connected directly to my Samsung TV. No differens.
 
Have you whitelisted the right resolutions? You need to enable Expert settings to see this configuration item.

Hi!

Just now I'm using 17.6, and the whitelist is only for Kodi 18, but when i had Kodi 18 installed i saw this whitelist setting. But i didn't see anything else than 1920x1080 resolution with different framrate. No option to whitelist a 4k resolution.
 
I tried to reproduce what you mention to no avail. Besides


What means are you using to determine the file is played at a lower resolution in Kodi?

I wish there was a simple way to lower the resolution of a 4k video with a player, but I could never do it. A 4k video file will require a graphics processor and a player capable of playing it, and either you have it and it plays, or you don't have it and it doesn't play at all. Such thing of a 4k file being played at 1080p without going through a recompress procedure to reduce it into something else makes no sense to me. Not even a powerful player as Kodi can do that kind of magic.

Hi again!

I also try to understand your discussion about resolution. I think we are talking about two different things.

To convert a 4k video to a 1080 video, requires a procedure to lower the number of pixels in the video, you can do it with Handbrake for example or another video conversion program. It requires time and CPU! I agree!

But to give you an example: When i play a 4k video on my computer, where i have a monitor with the resolution of 1920x1080, i can still run the 4k video, and it looks good, but i can't get any higher resolution than 1080, because of my screen. I don't get any true 4k experience. 4k or 1080, I still get what the monitor can reproduce.

But my TV have the possibility to show 4k, and it works for everything except for Kodi playing video! Very strange i think!
 
Hi!

Just now I'm using 17.6, and the whitelist is only for Kodi 18, but when i had Kodi 18 installed i saw this whitelist setting. But i didn't see anything else than 1920x1080 resolution with different framrate. No option to whitelist a 4k resolution.

That is a well known confusion. The white list has nothing to do with the playback. It only concerns the interface (kodi menus and how kodi looks, not the media) and the only purpose for it to ever be changed would be for memory space, nothing for us to worry about in Minix boxes.

(With 17.6 Check Settings/System settings/Display and the 1920x1080 is also there...)

Hi again!

I also try to understand your discussion about resolution. I think we are talking about two different things.

To convert a 4k video to a 1080 video, requires a procedure to lower the number of pixels in the video, you can do it with Handbrake for example or another video conversion program. It requires time and CPU! I agree!

But to give you an example: When i play a 4k video on my computer, where i have a monitor with the resolution of 1920x1080, i can still run the 4k video, and it looks good, but i can't get any higher resolution than 1080, because of my screen. I don't get any true 4k experience. 4k or 1080, I still get what the monitor can reproduce.(...)

Well, try to do that with an old computer without the graphics capability and you won't be able to play it. That is why I said I wish I could do it, so I could eventually watch my 4k videos in my HD Ready mobile phone. The process you mention is only possible when you have the capable processor to read the 4k video, and also the capable player. Going from there to the screen is a different process which only concerns the monitor or TV to be able to downsampling the quarter pixels, it has nothing to do with the previous hardware and software anymore (google informs you better ex: https://www.quora.com/What-happens-if-you-play-a-4K-video-on-a-1080p-screen)

If you wish to know what kodi is doing you have to press the letter "O" while playback and you will see what is actually going on. I can assure it can not downsample any pixels.

(...) But my TV have the possibility to show 4k, and it works for everything except for Kodi playing video! Very strange i think!

And why would it do that?... My LG 4k is always showing 2160p when I press the info TV button when turned to the Minix, with non 4k devices it doesn't show anything. I have the Minix res set to 4k 60Hz. When I now tried 4k smpte I noticed a slow down in the mouse speed, whatever this means... As true 4k (4k-smpte) is better adjusted to the camera sizes (4096x2160) against the TV 16:9 shape which fits better in 3840x2160.

Could the bad effect with kodi be caused by that correction in your TV? I would give it a try.
 
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I suppose you are right, i think you are more into this subject than I am!

But i still have the problem with Kodi.... Why is Kodi (playing video) working in another way, than anything else from MInix? Why is both my TV AND my receiver always showing me that i have a resolution that is 1920x1080?

One curious thing! I tested a 720p video with Kodi, and both my TV AND my receiver showing me that i have a resolution that is 1920x1080?? So it seems that whatever I PLAY on Kodi, i get a resolution of 1920x1080! With everythingh else i get the resolution i have set on MInix display settings.
 
I suppose you are right, i think you are more into this subject than I am!

But i still have the problem with Kodi.... Why is Kodi (playing video) working in another way, than anything else from MInix? Why is both my TV AND my receiver always showing me that i have a resolution that is 1920x1080?

One curious thing! I tested a 720p video with Kodi, and both my TV AND my receiver showing me that i have a resolution that is 1920x1080?? So it seems that whatever I PLAY on Kodi, i get a resolution of 1920x1080! With everythingh else i get the resolution i have set on MInix display settings.

Apart from it being a correction from the Minix display setting, from the 4k2k smpte, or some other internal setting in the TV, I have no other clue so far, as I can't reproduce that with my setup. My hdmi cable from the Minix is going straight to the 4k tv and all the several 4k resolutions that I set in the Minix don't produce that effect when I play the test 4k files in kodi... :rolleyes:

However in such a large screen as yours you should be able to eye notice if your 4k content is downscaled to 1080p. In my 50" screen I do, the same file at different resolutions doesn't look the same.
 
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One curious thing! I tested a 720p video with Kodi, and both my TV AND my receiver showing me that i have a resolution that is 1920x1080?? So it seems that whatever I PLAY on Kodi, i get a resolution of 1920x1080! With everythingh else i get the resolution i have set on MInix display settings.

But that is more acceptable as your TV is capable to upscale HD content, however it should upscale to 4k not 1080p...
 
Apart from it being a correction from the Minix display setting, from the 4k2k smpte, or some other internal setting in the TV, I have no other clue so far, as I can't reproduce that with my setup. My hdmi cable from the Minix is going straight to the 4k tv and all the several 4k resolutions that I set in the Minix don't produce that effect when I play the test 4k files in kodi... :rolleyes:

However in such a large screen as yours you should be able to eye notice if your 4k content is downscaled to 1080p. In my 50" screen I do, the same file at different resolutions doesn't look the same.

Yes thats correct! I see an obvious differens when i play with Kodi compared with MX Player. I play a video from my GoPro in 4k, in MX Player it's crystal clear, in Kodi it's blurred in the small details. It's definitely downscaled!

By the way, what is your settings in Kodi? Do you have any special settings other than the default? It seems to work for you :)
 
Hi!

Luckily i also still have my NEO U1! On that one it's working perfect :) Playing 4k with Kodi give me 4096x2160 on my TV, and a crystal clear video, just like playing with MX Player :) That was not what i expected ...

What model are you using? Something wrong with my U9 or is it some compatibility issues with the S912 chipset ...?
 
Hi!

Luckily i also still have my NEO U1! On that one it's working perfect :) Playing 4k with Kodi give me 4096x2160 on my TV, and a crystal clear video, just like playing with MX Player :) That was not what i expected ...

What model are you using? Something wrong with my U9 or is it some compatibility issues with the S912 chipset ...?
I have been following the thread with interest but as i dont have a 4K TV or my U9 hooked up presently I cant really do any tetsing for you.

However, I think i recall a HDMI level setting in minix settings where you can choose Level 1 or Level 2

maybe have a look and try changing , i think Level 2 is for 4K modes ??

Will be best to reboot after making minix settings changes
 
I have been following the thread with interest but as i dont have a 4K TV or my U9 hooked up presently I cant really do any tetsing for you.

However, I think i recall a HDMI level setting in minix settings where you can choose Level 1 or Level 2

maybe have a look and try changing , i think Level 2 is for 4K modes ??

Will be best to reboot after making minix settings changes

Thanks for your interest and answer, but i have already tested these HDMI settings, without any success! Same result!
 
Luckily i also still have my NEO U1! On that one it's working perfect :) Playing 4k with Kodi give me 4096x2160 on my TV,
make a note of all settings on your U1 that relate to display/resolution/video/ playback etc in both minix settings and kodi and reproduce as much as possible on your U9
 
another option would be to create a backup zip file from your kodi (17.6) on your U1 using the kodi backup addon https://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:Backup

( check additional boxes in backup addon for your profile and config files) and then restore this to a clean kodi 17.6 install on your U9
 
Very interesting!! The only resolution i was able to use on my U9, was 4k smtpe. When i used automatic setting of resolution i got 4k 60Hz, and every time a started a video i got a black screen. The screen was restored as soon as i stopped the video! With 4k smtpe i got the video playing, but with a bad result.

Now with the U1, i use the automatic settings, and i get 4k 60Hz. Everything is working brilliant, the video is starting faster and i get the correct resolution and i crystal clear picture. And I just saw that I don't get 4096x2160 (true 4k) I get 3840x2160, exactly the UHD resolution that i have on my video :) 4k smtpe i also working, but i get wrong perspective, the picture is too wide.
 
make a note of all settings on your U1 that relate to display/resolution/video/ playback etc in both minix settings and kodi and reproduce as much as possible on your U9

I have exactly the same settings in Kodi, i have checked, in Minix the only differens is that HDR settings is missing in U1.
 
another option would be to create a backup zip file from your kodi (17.6) on your U1 using the kodi backup addon https://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:Backup

( check additional boxes in backup addon for your profile and config files) and then restore this to a clean kodi 17.6 install on your U9

Both boxes have a clean installation of Kodi 17.6. No special settings on any of them. I use advancedsettings-file and MySQL for my library so the media is also the same.

As you see in my post, i have also tried Kodi 18, with the same outcome! Not working on my U9, but i haven't tried on the U1. Because i use the advancedsettings-file and MySQL, i have to upgrade all my three installations of Kodi at the same time, and i think i wait with that. I use Aeon Nox skin, and unfortunately it's not compatible with Kodi 18 ...
 
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