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The motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-Z270X-Gaming 8 with an HDMI 2.0b output (LSPCON MCDP2800). This platform is HDR-compatible.
Please ensure that you have connected the motherboard's HDMI output to the monitor's HDMI input using a (certified) Premium High Speed HDMI cable.
Gigabyte states on its website that its own graphics driver must be used for proper operation of this port. Please install the Gigabyte graphics driver: 21.20.16.4550 (Windows 10).
Functionality cannot be guaranteed though, as this platform was never officially released for Windows 11.
Are you trying to play copy-protected commercial Ultra HD Blu-ray discs? If not, you can also use the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 installed in your system for HDR output via the card's HDMI 2.0b port. The HDR function itself does not require the use of the processor integrated graphics.
Please note Microsoft's guidelines for using HDR in Windows 11.
According to the requirements of Intel (page 12) and Cyberlink, a connection using the DisplayPort protocol can also be used.
So if you cannot fix the issue via HDMI please try this bidirectional cable: Club 3D CAC-1557
Plug the end with the DisplayPort connector into the motherboard and the USB Type-C end into the monitor:
Yes, you're right, HDR was officially introduced with DisplayPort 1.4.
However, Intel also integrated HDR functionality into DisplayPort 1.2(a).
This was reported by the German online magazine Golem in 2018, refering to the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), which is responsible for DisplayPort.
- The Kaby Lake processor (7th generation) in your system must support HDR over DisplayPort. Otherwise, HDMI output with HDR would not be possible either. The LSPCON (Level Shifter Protocol Converter) chip on the motherboard is internally connected to the processor via DisplayPort. HDR must be output by the processor's display engine. It cannot be generated in the MCDP2800.
- I myself have successfully tested HDR over DisplayPort with a 10th generation processor (Comet Lake). This processor also only has DisplayPort 1.2(a). So if you don't have any luck with HDMI, it's worth trying DisplayPort. You can always return the cable if you're not satisfied.
- As you can see from the Golem article, HDR functionality is not guaranteed with this older hardware. In my opinion, everything depends on the driver support provided by the motherboard manufacturer.
I just saw your attachment about the HDMI cable. Please don't use a fiber optic cable. This could lead to further problems, as fiber optic cables contain chips that have to convert the electrical signal to optical and back again. Please use a certified pure copper cable. Since it's backwards compatible, you can also use an HDMI 2.1 (Ultra High Speed) cable. These have proven reliable:
For your information, here is my conclusion regarding the playback of commercial physical Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs:
The Intel Core i5-7600 processor (Kaby Lake) on your motherboard is capable of HDR output. It looks like this:
It just depends on whether the Gigabyte graphics driver also supports it. Here you can find the technical specifications of an Intel NUC7 Mini PC. It also has a Kaby Lake processor. On page 22 it says:
Do you see this switch in Windows using the cable that you already have?
Initially, the refresh rate with HDR enabled will be 30 Hz, even with the new cable and the Gigabyte driver. This is due to the bandwidth requirements of the signaling modes. Most movies are played back at a refresh rate of 23.976 Hz. Whether it's 23.976 Hz or 30 Hz has no effect on the required data rate of the cable though. PCs typically use the RGB color model. This ensures pixel-perfect rendering on monitors, so text is displayed flawlessly. In summary:
| Resolution | Refresh Rate | Color Model | Color Depth | Data Rate | TMDS clock | |
| 4K | 23.976 / 24 / 30 Hz | RGB | 10-bit | 11.14 Gbps | 371 MHz | |
| 4K | 50 / 60 Hz | RGB | 10-bit | 20.05 Gbps | - | not possible with HDMI 2.0b |
| 4K | 50 / 60 Hz | RGB | 8-bit with Dithering | 17.82 Gbps | 594 MHz | highest cable stress |
| 4K | 50 / 60 Hz | YCbCr 4:2:0 | 10-bit | 11.14 Gbps | 371 MHz |
The limits of HDMI 2.0(b) are 18 Gbps / 600 MHz TMDS.
You can see which signal is currently being output in Windows here:
Example:
Whether you can change the color model or color depth yourself depends on the Gigabyte graphics driver and the included tools (Intel Graphics Command Center = "Intel Grafik-Kontrollraum"). We'll see. It works on my UHD630 with a 10th generation processor. However, it's definitely NOT possible with a standard DisplayPort connection on this and older platforms.
To display 4K @ 60 Hz and full 10-bit HDR in consumer electronics, the YCbCr color model is used. This halves the bandwidth requirement. Pixel-perfect reproduction isn't necessary for movies. Every high-quality Ultra HD Blu-ray player also uses YCbCr. But please don't get too hung up on the 60 Hz, as it's generally irrelevant when watching movies in full-screen mode. I understand, of course, that mouse cursor movement and general PC operation are more comfortable at 60 Hz.
Just try it out. Feel free to post here anytime if you need advice.
The screenshot from the Windows display settings looks fine. Since the Gigabyte graphics driver was never tested with Windows 11, it's not surprising that it's not working correctly. I think we need to take a closer look at PowerDVD. The software player triggers various mechanisms in the operating system that affect the signal output.
Software Player Application = PowerDVD
Unfortunately, our systems aren't really comparable. I'm running Windows 10 on an Intel Core i5-10400 on the PowerDVD computer, and also PowerDVD 21 Ultra (21.0.3630.62).
- Is it possible to manually re-enable HDR in the Windows display settings during a movie playback after PowerDVD has automatically disabled it?
- Does this setting have any effect, assuming it is available in PowerDVD17?
The requirements for an optical S/PDIF cable are relatively low. It can transmit 2-channel LPCM (stereo) or the encoded formats Dolby Digital and DTS.
I believe that with a cable like this, you're on the safe side in terms of quality:
https://www.amazon.de/Oehlbach-Opto-Star-Black-200-Schwarz/dp/B008DRUP0W
You can select the length on Amazon. However, the length should not exceed 10 meters.
Before buying a new cable, please try adjusting the settings on your PC. PowerDVD offers the option to allow the application to send the sound directly to the hardware ("sound card"), bypassing the Windows operating system's built-in sound manager/mixer. PowerDVD then accesses the hardware exclusively, and no other programs can interfere. This might be enough to resolve the glitches.
WASAPI = Windows Audio Session Application Programming Interface
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