# What is the best video output format to select?



## RedCab (Apr 16, 2014)

My source inputs are typically comcast hd and netflix so the original source could be 720p, 1080i, 1080p* or 4K*.

My TV is a new 75" sony that can display up to 4K (2160p).

I've tried setting the Bolt output format to "auto" and when I do so (and independent of whether I selected a 4K netflix movie or a 720p TV station), I note the following:
- TV always says it's getting a 1080p input
- Netflix selection notes "content is HD" but not "content is 4K"
So in this case it appears that the Bolt is not passing through the 4K content but it is upscaling 720p to 1080p.

If I set the Bolt output format by manually clicking on all the resolutions "equal or greater than 720p" than I observe:
- TV says it's getting a 4K input regardless of selecting a 4K netflix movie or a 720p tv station
- Netflix selection notes 4K content

1. Can someone explain the Bolt's logic to me?

2. What would be the optimal selection? (It seems to me I'd like the original format passed through to the TV and let the TV do the upscaling if necessary).

3. I'm on the "new experience" Tivo GUI... how do you display the TiVo's actual TV output format? In the "old experience" you could hit the left arrow I think I recall.

Many thanks...


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Are you using the Hydra UI? If so there is a bug with the resolution outputs on Hydra. So for me, I have mine set for only 2160P60 output right now. 

Otherwise with the resolutions set for Native output, 720P content will be output as either 1080P60 or 2160P60. And 1080i content is output as either 1080P30 or 2160P30. So I'll keep it at 2160P60 output for now, and switch it back when they fix Native resolution output.


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## MighTiVo (Oct 26, 2000)

aaronwt said:


> Are you using the Hydra UI? If so there is a bug with the resolution outputs on Hydra. So for me, I have mine set for only 2160P60 output right now.


Is this bug why my SD recordings are displayed in a small box with black bars on all 4 sides?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

MighTiVo said:


> Is this bug why my SD recordings are displayed in a small box with black bars on all 4 sides?


Hit the info button when playing them back. And one of the options will allow you to switch between panel, zoom, and stretch.

So for an SD show that has black bars on all four sides, you would want to use zoom.


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## MighTiVo (Oct 26, 2000)

aaronwt said:


> Hit the info button when playing them back. And one of the options will allow you to switch between panel, zoom, and stretch.
> 
> So for an SD show that has black bars on all four sides, you would want to use zoom.


Whew that seemed to be a bit hidden imho - thanks, *Change Panel Mode* is what I needed


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

This might depend on the TV. My old samsung would take what seemed like hours to adapt to a different resolution when I changed channels, so I had my Roamio set to 1080i only. My new LG OLED seems to be able to adapt faster than the TiVo so I switched the TiVo to support everything so it would just pass through the native resolution and let the TV deal with adapting. Now I can channel surf faster .


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

aaronwt said:


> Are you using the Hydra UI? If so there is a bug with the resolution outputs on Hydra. So for me, I have mine set for only 2160P60 output right now.


How long is it going to take TiVo to fix this bug?
I was getting 720p auto-selected, which cropped my screen, and I can only fix this by _only_ selecting 1080i in TiVo settings.
This can't be that hard for TiVo to fix.


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## RedCab (Apr 16, 2014)

I did a bit more experimentation... as a reminder, this is using a Bolt and a new Sony 4K TV...

I have 3 possible input sources:
Comcast 720p
Comcast 1080i
Netflix or YouTube 4K streaming

When I set Tivo video format to "auto" I observe that Tivo's actual output is:
from Comcast 720p... it's 1080p
from Comcast 1080i... it's 1080p
from 4K... it 1080p <-- very odd that "auto" downscales the resolution

When I set Tivo video format to check the 4K passthrough, 1080p, 1080i & 720p check-boxes, I observe that Tivo's actual output is:
from Comcast 720p... it's 1080p
from Comcast 1080i... it's 2160 x 3840 <-- very odd that 1080i is upscaled to 4K
from 4K... it 2160 x 3840

My goal was to have the Tivo output "native" resolution and let the TV do all the upscaling. Seems TiVo doesn't like that idea...


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

No it doesn't. Which is why I mentioned there is a bug with the output. I have mine just set for 2160P60 output now.

And also with the settings you mentioned, 1080i is actually output as 2160P30. Or 1080P30. Not 2160P60 or 1080P60 as it should be if being sent at those resolutions.



RedCab said:


> I did a bit more experimentation... as a reminder, this is using a Bolt and a new Sony 4K TV...
> 
> I have 3 possible input sources:
> Comcast 720p
> ...


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## RedCab (Apr 16, 2014)

A year has gone by.... anyone know if Tivo has fixed this bug?


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

RedCab said:


> A year has gone by.... anyone know if Tivo has fixed this bug?


I don't know about 4K settings but for HD sets it has been fixed.


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## RedCab (Apr 16, 2014)

I spent 10 mins fiddling with the Tivo video settings ... the Sony 4K TV still reports it's getting a different input than what Tivo is set to output. 

I suppose my TV (Sony X940 series) is good enough to up-convert whatever Tivo gives it so, what the heck.

If I use any other input... appletv and the native sony tv apps... the native resolution is correct.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

RedCab said:


> A year has gone by.... anyone know if Tivo has fixed this bug?


Yes they did. Sometime earlier this year.


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## Antennaguy (Dec 14, 2018)

I am OTA only, no streaming and find that native resolution looks best especially on the sub-channels that are now capable of HD (although IMO not up to the quality of -01 channels). I just checked 1080i, 720p and 480i in the resolution selection menu. My Sony TV is reasonable fast to switch and I like that fact that the TV itself (not the Tivo) brings up it's info banner confirming the resolution.


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