Can't enable HDR in Windows

[kieran_read]

Hi all

Just a quick one, i'm trying to Enable HDR in windows but it instantly turns itself off.

I'm using a 1080ti, and a Asus XG27UQ 4k 144Hz Monitor.

In the windows settings under display capabilities it lists.
Stream HDR Video - No
Play HDR Games and Apps - YES
Use WCG Apps - Yes

The second i turn it on, the screen goes black when it comes back on again it's turned back off.

I'm using a Displayport Connection with the cable that came with the monitor.

 

[kieran_read]

Someone figured it out.

144hz - No HDR
100/120hz - HDR 8bpc
60/80/98 - HDR 10bpc

Man thats a mixed, but HDR is darker too, not sure which setting to go with.

 

[ntg]

If you enable HDR in windows it will look weird if you are doing office/web stuff. It's only going to look right when you play a game or watch a movie. Otherwise you wouldn't want to have HDR on.

At least that's my understanding.

 

[Baddass]

Your graphics card isn’t new enough to support DSC that is one of the monitors features. So you are limited here by displayport 1.4 bandwidth restrictions.

at 144Hz you will have to drop to 4:2:2 chroma as well, you will see that listed in NVIDIA control panel as well as it saying “limited range”. The HDR mode won’t work as a result of that (not that it’s of any real use on this screen anyway. See comments in a mo).

with 422 chroma you will probably notice the text isn’t as clear, and you get a bit of fringing particularly if you have text on coloured backgrounds? It’s not too bad in games but you’d want to avoid it for Windows. Drop to 120Hz and you can run full RGB chroma instead and 8-bit colour depth. That will look better

If you really want 10-bit for some specific 10-bit capable game, you will need to drop to 98hz max with your non-DSC capable graphics card. Then you can run 10-bit and full RGB chroma and will be able to enable HDR mode too if you really want.

to run 4K at 144hz without needing to drop colour at all you’d need to use the monitors DSC capability but would need a DSC capable graphics card which is basically the newest range. The Asus website lists this too in the section talking about DSC.

HDR is fairly pointless though on this screen as there is no local dimming capability from the backlight and so no way to actually create the higher dynamic range or improve it! See here for more info https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/blog/w...dr-at-all-and-why-displayhdr-400-needs-to-go/

 

[kieran_read]

Your graphics card isn’t new enough to support DSC that is one of the monitors features. So you are limited here by displayport 1.4 bandwidth restrictions.

at 144Hz you will have to drop to 4:2:2 chroma as well, you will see that listed in NVIDIA control panel as well as it saying “limited range”. The HDR mode won’t work as a result of that (not that it’s of any real use on this screen anyway. See comments in a mo).

with 422 chroma you will probably notice the text isn’t as clear, and you get a bit of fringing particularly if you have text on coloured backgrounds? It’s not too bad in games but you’d want to avoid it for Windows. Drop to 120Hz and you can run full RGB chroma instead and 8-bit colour depth. That will look better

If you really want 10-bit for some specific 10-bit capable game, you will need to drop to 98hz max with your non-DSC capable graphics card. Then you can run 10-bit and full RGB chroma and will be able to enable HDR mode too if you really want.

to run 4K at 144hz without needing to drop colour at all you’d need to use the monitors DSC capability but would need a DSC capable graphics card which is basically the newest range. The Asus website lists this too in the section talking about DSC.

HDR is fairly pointless though on this screen as there is no local dimming capability from the backlight and so no way to actually create the higher dynamic range or improve it! See here for more info https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/blog/w...dr-at-all-and-why-displayhdr-400-needs-to-go/

That's actually super helpful thanks

I actually read that exact page through some google serches prior to posting this was a very interesting read and leaarnt a lot from that one.

Didn't know it was my GPU though, I assumed a 1080ti would be able to handle it but thanks great to know, i'm going to hold off for now, 1080ti is still good enough to not worry about it.

Think i'll do what you said, go to 120Hz, for full RGB and 8bit, 10bit would be nice but i guess ill wait until i get a new GPU, at least the monitor is future proof. Not like this GPU will be pussing 144hz at 4k anyway.

Would you say turn HDR off all together ?

 

[Baddass]

Yeah stick with 120hz so you don’t have to drop to 4:2:2 chroma, that’s a good bet. Then when you upgrade in the future you can get a card that supports DSC

I certainly wouldn’t turn in HDR in Windows but you can enable it for games if it’s supported by the game if you want, although it’s unlikely to offer much real benefit. Certainly it can’t improve the dynamic range (contrast ratio) which is what HDR is supposed to be about but may be useful for tone and brightness mapping from games in some cases. Try with and without and see if it looks any different

 

[kieran_read]

Yeh it looks better in CoD Warzone with HDR, the shadows and dark areas do look better indoors. Such a ballache testing yourself though haha.