Intel NUC8i3BEK - 4K@60 HDR 10 bit 4:2:0, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X (passthrough), Windows 10 Pro

[UTAVATU]

Dear Friends

I own display and receiver with HDMI 2.0b capable of 4K@60 HDR 10 bit 4:2:0 with audio HD decoders like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X. I'm interested in Intel NUC8i3BEK, I would like to use it as HTPC:

1. Netflix with 4K HDR Dolby Atmos

2. YouTube 4K@60 HDR

3. Playing .mkv files with MPC-HC + madVR + LAV Filters - 4K@23.976 HDR 4:2:0 Dolby Atmos, DTS:X passthrough

I would like to ask, if Intel NUC8i3BEK with latest version of Windows 10 Pro will be able to play smooth above cases?

Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Sincerely

[Esteban_D_Intel]

Hello UTAVATU,

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.  

I will send a private email requesting some information to proceed.

Best Regards,

Esteban D.

Intel Technical Support Technician

[Esteban_D_Intel]

Hello UTAVATU,

We will be waiting for your response.

Best Regards,

Esteban D.

Intel Technical Support Technician

[UTAVATU]

Dear Esteban

Any informations related to the topic?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Sincerely

[Esteban_D_Intel]

Hello UTAVATU, 

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.   

I would like to inform you that HDMI port supports standard, enhanced, or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable.  

This port is compatible with all ATSC and DVB HDTV standards and supports eight full-range channels at 24-bit/192 kHz audio of lossless audio formats.  The HDMI port is compliant with the HDMI 2.0a specification 

Please check the following document:

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/mini-pcs/NUC8i3BE_NUC8i5BE_NUC8i7BE_TechProdSpec.pdf

Where you can confirm all the technical specifications for the NUC8i3BEK. (p.13 of the document) 

There you can see the table with the Integrated Audio provided by the HDMI Interfaces. 

All the Audio Formats that I will indicate are supported by this HDMI interface: 

·        AC3 – Dolby* Digital 

·        Dolby Digital Plus 

·        DTS-HD* 

·        LPCM, 192kHz/24 bit, 8 channel 

·        Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio* (Lossless Blu-ray Disc Audio Format) 

Esteban D. 

Intel Technical Support Technician 

[UTAVATU]

Dear Esteban

Thank you very much for your fast reply, but it's only theoretical knowledge not practical. So I will say again, if you don't mind if Intel NUC8i3BEK with latest version of Windows 10 Pro will be able to play smooth (without stutter, frame drops): 

1. YouTube 4K@60 HDR (no frame drops, fluently/smoothly)

2. .mkv files with MPC-HC + madVR + LAV Filters or any other player like for example VLC, Kodi - 4K@23.976 HDR 4:2:0 (no frame drops, fluently/smoothly), as far as I understand it's capable of playing Dolby Atmos, DTS:X passthrough?

From your last answer I only know, that Netflix should play with 4K HDR Dolby Atmos without problems.

Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Sincerely

[Chris_V_Intel]

The answer is yes. 

There's no reason that NUC shouldn't be able to play everything you noted.

[UTAVATU]

Dear Chris

Thank you for your reply. I realize, that every hardware for past few years can do it, event my 7 years old notebook, but the key word is how, is it without frame drops, stutter?

Will there be released Intel NUC with Xe Graphics - barebone model like for example NUC8i3BEK or NUC10 etc?

Thank you for your great support.

Sincerely

[Chris_V_Intel]

Ha ha, good point. 

I think it will play w/o issue, but I know it can be a bit subjective, so let me say this.

We support our products. If you are having issues or are unhappy, reach out and let us know!

Wherever you are in the world we'll figure something out.

[UTAVATU]

Dear Chris

I understand. NUC8i3BEK has got LPSCON HDMI?

Please let me know, which of available NUC barebones has got HDMI 2.0b?

What about Intel NUC with Xe Graphics? What version od HDMI will it include? When it will be released?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Sincerely

[n_scott_pearson]

That is correct; the NUC8i#BE family include processors whose graphics engines support only DP 1.2/HDMI 1.4b. In order to (barely) support HDMI 2.0a, a LSPcon IC is necessary.

Unfortunately, of the existing NUCs, only those that include AMD graphics engines include support for DP 1.4a/HDMI 2.0b. The Islay Canyon NUC family, which includes the NUC8i7INH and NUC8i5INH, both of which included the Radeon 540X engine, have already been discontinued (and weren't sold barebones regardless). The Hades Canyon NUC family, which includes the NUC8i7HNK with its Radeon RX Vega M GH engine and the NUC8i7HNK with its Radeon RX Vega M GL engine, are still available as a kit.

Intel's Customer Support Engineers are not allowed to speculate on future products or features at all. Being an outsider, I am under no such prohibition. What I can tell you, based upon the leaked roadmap (google "leaked intel nuc roadmap" to find it) is that NUCs that include DP 1.4a/HDMI 2.0b support will not be available until the 11th gen processors, which support for 4x 4K displays and DP 1.4a/HDMI 2.0b natively, arrive sometime in 2021.

...S

[UTAVATU]

Dear Scott

Thank you for your explanation.

I heard, that via HDMI with LSPCON there is only 4K@30 with HDR not @60. Is it true?

I am confused now, may you be so kind and confirm, that I will be able to play all my content, which I mentioned on the first post?

Thank you once more for your time and help.

Sincerely

[n_scott_pearson]

No, that's absolutely not true. Provided you have installed any HDMI firmware updates that Intel has made available for its LSPcon IC, you get support for HDMI 2.0a and thus can run 4K@60Hz on any of the 7th gen or later NUCs. I have tested this myself on the Core processor-based NUCs (BN, KY, DN, HV, BE, IN and FN). Note that HDMI updates are NOT supported by the Intel Driver and Support Assistant (IDSA) tool; you have to manually download and install them separately.

Since I don't access Netflix or YouTube or play movie files on any of my NUCs, I cannot competently answer these other questions.

...S

[UTAVATU]

Dear Scott

Thank you for your fast and great explanation.

May you provide links for those updates, which I need to download by myself? Or just a site, where I can find them?

Sincerely

[n_scott_pearson]

Here is general instructions for finding and downloading driver, software and BIOS packages:

1. Open https://downloadcenter.intel.com.
2. In the Search Intel Drivers and Software box (upper-left corner of screen), enter search string for your NUC (i.e. "NUC8i3BEK").
3. The tool will display a list of the applicable driver, software and BIOS update packages for this NUC.
4. Scroll down as needed to find the item you want.
5. Use the link to get to the download page for that item.
6. Click on the appropriate (ZIP or EXE) file (or Download button) to download it.
7. Click on the I accept the terms... button.
8. Choose where to download it to.

Note that the download pages will usually also have links for accessing Read-Me and Release Notes files.

To save you time, here is a direct link to the download page for the HDMI firmware update for the BE NUCs: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29472/HDMI-Firmware-Update-Tool-for-Intel-NUC8i3BE-NUC8i5BE-NUC8i7BE?product=126149.

The ZIP file you will be downloading contains a PDF file providing instructions for performing the installation of the firmware. 

Hope this helps,

...S

[UTAVATU]

Dear Scott

Great. Thank you very much.

Sincerely

[UTAVATU]

Dear Friends

I would like to ask about last case, I mean, how to set YUV 4:20 10bit, instead od RGB 4:4:4 8bit via HDMI port for 4K@60 HDR 10bit?

I read on other threads, that default is RGB 4:4:4 8bit for 4K@60 HDR. I need 10bit YUV 4:2:0 for 4K@60 HDR.

My display is capable od 4K@60 10bit HDR YUV 4:2:0 with HDMI 2.0b.

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Sincerely

[Chris_V_Intel]

Hi @UTAVATU 

I have to ask, why would you want to do that?

Uncompressed 4:4:4 8-bit will be significantly higher quality than 4:2:0 which is compressed, even if it's 10-bit.

Here's a good resource if you're curious and want to read more about it: https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/chroma-subsampling

However, Intel still plans to allow this option, it just hasn't happened yet. I just spoke to my colleague and this was supposed to be introduced a while ago, but due to the Corona Virus, there is currently no ETA.

TL:DR: Intel GFX Command Center doesn't currently allow the switching of color subsampling rates, but the option IS coming.

[UTAVATU]

Dear Chris

...because we're still in the subject of the first post of playing media (point 3 on the first post). So if the source file is 4:2:0 10bit 4K@60 or 4K@23.976 HDR, I will not have any benefits of RGB 4:4:4 8bit, it will be worse then YUV 4:2:0 10bit.

In such case NUC8i3BEK is not a HTPC for me.

Have you got any solution on such case? Maybe there is a workaround or other products, which you may prefer for case described in the first post?

EDIT

I have noticed, that other Users have got such problem too and your Support Team sent 6th December 2019 such message, so it's still not resolved.

URL: https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-NUCs/10-bit-color-on-windows-10/td-p/689129/jump-to/first-unread-message

"‎12-06-2019 09:33 PM

Our development team is working hard on getting the option for us to manually select Color Depth and Color Space via Intel® Graphics Command Center (IGCC), which I believe is going to take care of this issue permanently.

This is a high priority item for the development team. I hope to see this capability in a driver and IGCC update later this month or early in 2020.

I'll update this thread when I get confirmation that the drivers have been released.

Ken
Intel Customer Support"

Thank you again for your great support.

Sincerely

[Chris_V_Intel]

[QUOTE]"So if the source file is 4:2:0 10bit 4K@60 or 4K@23.976 HDR, I will not have any benefits of RGB 4:4:4 8bit, it will be worse then YUV 4:2:0 10bit."[/QUOTE]

Even if the file is 4:2:0 10-bit, I would think you'd still want to play it at the best possible fidelity, which is 4:4:4 8-bit. Regardless, up to you.

[QUOTE]"I have noticed, that other Users have got such problem too and your Support Team sent 6th December 2019 such message, so it's still not resolved."[/QUOTE] 

That's exactly what I said on July 10th:

[QUOTE]"However, Intel still plans to allow this option, it just hasn't happened yet. I just spoke to my colleague and this was supposed to be introduced a while ago, but due to the Corona Virus, there is currently no ETA.

TL:DR: Intel GFX Command Center doesn't currently allow the switching of color subsampling rates, but the option IS coming."[/QUOTE]

But that has nothing to do with your quesiton. You asked if the NUC could play all those 3 scenarios. The answer is yes.

[UTAVATU]

Dear Chris

Thank you for your time and support.

Sorry, but I cannot agree with you, that if source file is 4:2:0 10bit it would be better with 4:4:4 8bit. It's not working that way. If the source would be 4:4:4 8bit and I would like to force 4:2:0 10bit, it would be worse then source, 4:4:4 is greater then 4:2:0, but if the source is 8bit, even if I force to 10bit, it would be still 8bit. The same way is working 4:2:0 10bit to 4:4:4 8bit. You cannot have something better, if the source is limiting you.

I think, that this update is connected with my thread, because there is no possibility to play YUV 4:2:0 10bit 3840x2160@60Hz at the moment, it will be played as RGB 4:4:4 8bit, that is not what I asked in the first post.

May you prove 1st, 2nd and 3rd point from the first post with sending a proper screenshots.

- In Netflix there is information about 4K HDR BT.2020;

- In YouTube you have such informations (4K@60 HDR BT.2020) by clicking "Stats for Nerds";

- In the 3rd point choose any , there are statistics (CTRL+J) in MPC HC with MadVR with LAV Filters;

- You may also send a screenshot form Windows 10 (2004) > Start > Settings > System > Windows HD Color > Windows HD Color Settings and Display informations;

I would be glad for your help and support.

Sincerely