There is a way to tell what you are seeing beyond what the app tells you. Your TV should also provide you some info. I also don't use Emby. And in spite my eyes noticing quite well by comparison between 1080p and 4k, you really can't miss it 1mt away from a large screen, there is something beyond question:
When you put an HDR file to play, your TV will inform you the content is 4k HDR, do you think the TV would display that info in the content was 1080p as you claim?
Also:
Instead of using Youtube app in Android (never managed to find a way to select 4k playing in there), I use two ways of watching 4k content in Youtube: An app called Smart Youtube TV, or simply the Youtube.com website in desktop mode of Chrome, both will allow you to select all possible range of resolutions up to 4k in 4k content, and you can see for yourself.
I don't know what that Viewport is, but Kodi 18.6 apparently doesn't have it anymore. I am convinced that information can be related to whether the decoding of the file is done by hardware or by software, and being erroneous if read by the wrong device that is was intended to apply to. But someone might well make it more clear for you.
I wish there was a way to read 4k files in 1080p devices without a complex and time consuming process of bringing the resolution down, as I could retrieve my legacy machines from the grave...
The reason I was taking still pictures of a movie was to actually see if there was any details lost between the minix reporting a 1920x1080 display mode/viewport but before I even checked I immediately realised the washed out colours on the minix, I then decided to focus on that for a minute by changing TV settings on the minix like HDR on and off, colour settings etc but realised nothing would work.
My TV doesn't state whether it is playing HDR or not, it does have a HDR setting on the picture options but me and a few others think it's a gimmick because I've never actually switched the HDR mode and visually seen anything change, this is why I said that in comparison, the fire stick paused image "looks" like what I'd imagine HDR to be like.. The colours are vibrant and pop which is what I've heard HDR does.
Furthermore, the stock YouTube app allows you to chose a 4k resolution, just select the dots on the left hand side and you will see quality, from there you can also enable stats for nerds. Its stats for nerds that confirm the optimal and current resolution is playing 2160p but again the "viewport" is 1920x1080 which is consistent with the findings in Emby and Kodi, they are running 4k but state the "Display mode" is 1920x1080.
Now the issue I have is, I don't 100% know whether display mode and viewport mean the GUI is seporately being rendered In 1920x1080 and somehow displaying proper 4k content OR is the 4k content being shrunk into a 1920x1080 screen space thus looking better than 1920x1080 but not quite retaining all of those finer details.
Furthermore, Why?.. Why is this Minix the only box doing this? Fire tv, nvidia shield they all without a doubt do exactly what you would expect, open any app and look at the stats and you'll either see as I've already shown a viewport of 1920x1080*2.00 or a display mode of 2160, why? Well because that's what it should be, If your playing 4k why would the display mode and viewport be anything other than 2160 or 1080*2.00? It makes no sense, no sense at all.
And as for playing 4k on 1080p resolution to bring your legacy machines from the grave, do it.. Nothings going to pop up on the screen and say "nope, your not watching that" all that will happen is the 2160 will be shrunk down and you won't see the finer 4k details as this chap explains on the second post with his shield connected to a 1080p TV which direct plays 4k content but shrinks it down.
https://www.reddit.com › emby
Does Emby transcode 4K content when on a lower resolution screen? : emby - Reddit
It's that very example that I'm trying to explain that may be happening here on the minix, is the 4k content being downscaled to the reported 1920x1080 viewport/display mode.
