4K TV - Sports frame rate stutter

[rinse82]

Technician just came by yesterday to install the new 4K set top box (Technicolor CAV10242).

Everything all set up and fine, box outputs 2160p when set to the Ultra HD setting on the box, and channel 999 displays the 4K demos properly.

However, very strange problem with live sports.  Perhaps it's the fast motion nature of the content, but the framerate seems to stutter randomly.  I can tell because the movement of the puck in a hockey game for example, is not smooth and there are obvious frame drops occurring.   Same thing in the NFL playoff game tonight (Green Bay vs Washington) - the picture just looks off, and none of the player movement is smooth.

Setting the set top box to output at 1080p solves the issue, but then I'm unable to take advantage of the 4K content on Ch 999.

EDIT: to add a bit more info:

TV: Vizio M70

No previous issues with sports or fast motion with the Nextbox 3.0 

No motion processing being used on TV 

Issue only exists when setting the box to output @ UHD/2160p

I've tested on HDMI inputs that are HDMI 2.0a ready as well as the regular HDMI 1.4 inputs that exist on the set, problem exists on all inputs.

***Edited Labels***

[billmcintyre]

Can you tell if the box is outputting 60 Hz?

And you've used the HDMI 5 input on your TV?

[rinse82]

Yes, used HDMI 5 (which is the only HDMI input on TV that is HDMI 2.0) and get the same problem.

Not sure how to tell if box is outputting 60Hz

[billmcintyre]

Of course I'm not familiar with the box, but I'd try playing around with the settings, and on my (Samsung) TV, when I first switch to a new input - it tells me the resolution and frame rate (it displays this info for a few seconds).

I don't know if you switch away from HDMI 5 and back if it tells you the framerate (briefly?)

[billmcintyre]

I was looking at getting the Vizio M series - BUT one of the SERIOUS shortcomings for future proofing that TV is it only has ONE 2.0 HDMI port - and I figure I'll need one for hooking up to my computer (as I do now in 4K at 60 Hz), and two more for a 4K Rogers box and a 4K Blu Ray player - and possibly more for future needs.

[OLDYELLR]

@rinse82 I don't have 4K, but  a Samsung smart TV. When I press the TV button on my renote, then INFO, it shows HDMI1| 1920x1080 /60i at the top. Would the 60 be the frame rate?

[Meowmix]

Hello @rinse82

I have a Samsung 55JU6500 in my bedroom and it shows 3840x2160/60p. My living one which is a 65JS9000 shows 3840x2160/120p 

Mine don't have those issues on my TV. Since I work at Best Buy I can tell you Vizios are always returned to us due to lag / issues with blur and frame rate shutter. Even our displays have those issues if i put 4K feed or normal 1080p feed.

[billmcintyre]

I believe 60i means 60 Hz Interlaced.

You may want to try changing your PVR settings to 1080p rather than 1080i.

It might not make any difference in image quality.  But it might.

A year ago there were big problems with 1080p out of the NB - I'm pretty sure they fixed those issues some time ago.

Too bad Rogers hasn't fixed the other 30 problems that still exist with the NB.

[kevinlayne2001]

I know this might be an oversight, i too have the new 4K Box on my LG UB8500, when it was fist hooked up by Rogers, the hdmi cable i had outputting to my panel from my AV Receiver was not 1.4a compliant, most people say that HDMI do not matter, have already run into 2 cables that i have had for years and will not output properly in 4k....good luck...

[billmcintyre]

There is a fair amount of confusion out there about HDMI cables.  DON'T trust the salesperson at the Big Box store that says you need to spend $80 on a gold plated HDMI cable.

You can get a great HDMI cable from your computer store for $10 or less.

Now - there are basically two 'versions' of HDMI cables.  Older ones and the High Speed cables.  High speed cables were labled that with the newer versions of HDMI - I think HDMI 1.4 - but possibly 1.2.

But you did want to use a High Speed HDMI cable if you wanted full HDMI 1.4 compliance.

But like many of you - I've got LOTS and lots of cables.  I've probably got 20 HDMI cables - and you won't be able to count the number of composite and component and S-VHS cables I still have around.  (You won't even believe me if I tell you how many cables I have - but you might start to understand if I tell you that I used to have a video wall with 10 TV's all hooked up - and a dozen VCR's.  THAT requires lots of cables.)

But I certainly had problems using HDMI connections about 6 or 7 years ago.  I thought it might be my Receiver at the time - but now I wonder if I just had OLD HDMI cables that were not even up to the task of running HDMI 1.2.

So - I suggest you go to your local computer store and get a High Speed HDMI cable - and I just love Canada Computers - and they specifically have HDMI cables that they label as HDMI 2.0 and 4K and high speed.  These are not really much more - or even any more expensive than their other cables.

But for those who are using an older AVR that is only HDMI 1.4 compliant - these should display 4K content up to 30 fps, and some will accept 60 fps 4K input - but just output 30 fps 4K  (I think.  I'm not certain about this - but I believe so.)  (although some receivers may get all confused by a format they don't understand and just give you a black video screen - or snow.)