Netflix: AV1 (HDR) and codec selection

DeepSpace

I have two issues regarding the codec selection on Netflix.

AV1
The first one is that AV1 can have HDR, but unlike HEVC, there is no choice or even an indicator if it has HDR or not (not every title has it). So right now, I can only see it after the download and then have to re-download it as VP9 or AVC (it seems VP9 has no HDR, at least not in my cases when AV1 did.)

This issue has already been discussed in this thread, along with other comments regarding DoVi and premium/basic account (only basic seems to have SDR on all titles).
But my only request is if there could be an indicator if it has HDR or not, just like HEVC already has.

Codec selection
The second question is about the fact that not all titles have all codecs. However, it still lets me select and add the codec to the queue.
For example, when I select a movie, it shows me the bitrate and size for AVC high (e.g. 1 kb/s and 1 GB). When I then select another codec, like AV1, it will analyse that, and show the new values (e.g. 2 kb/s and 2 GB). However, when there is no AV1 for this title, the drop-down will keep showing the values for AVC, while still allowing me to add it to the queue (intead of telling me that there is no AV1). It then proceeds to download AVC high.

I cannot tell if I had this issue on other sites as well, since I haven’t used some for a while, but this should be implemented for all sites. If a codec is not available, it should tell me that instead of quietly adding it to the queue and downloading something else.

Suggestion: When I click AV1 or VP9 and SF notices they are non-existent, it should give me a popup, informing me about the missing codec, and then grey it out so cannot select it again.

Maybe it would even be possible to analyse all codecs, but not every resolution/audio/subs. Meaning it will only check if HEVC, VP9 and AV1 exist. If not, it will disable the checkboxes right away, so I cannot select them in the first place. Only when I actually select the codec (AV1 for example), it will analyse all resolutions and bitrates as usual.

And lastly, just to be sure: HEVC on Netflix really has no SDR, only HDR or DV?

0xFeedBeef

DeepSpace HEVC on Netflix really has no SDR, only HDR or DV?

I’d not be surprised if that were the case, given that NF still(?) place their boxes inside ISP’s DCs, NF’s bandwidth is essentially free, while storage… well, sodding expensive as of recently

Germania

DeepSpace HEVC on Netflix really has no SDR, only HDR or DV?

You get HDR10 + DoVi only with Premium plan ..
.. but you get H265 SDR with Standard plan
(without ads - otherwise you get best H264 with my selection)

source (post 11) + example for H265 SDR (post 5) -> here

DeepSpace

Germania Ok, so I could get HEVC SDR on everything and in turn even save money by using the cheaper plan. The only downside would be Dolby Atmos on the titles that have it, but I don’t have the speaker setup anyways. Meaning, I doubt I’ll ever notice.

I still think that this is an issue the devs should fix, simply because everyone else will also run into this and might not even know about it. But knowing this, I am going to switch gears. Having everything consistent (HEVC) is way more important for me than having to deal with the issues I described, just to get some titles in AV1 or VP9.

Thanks for pointing me there!

MrGrackle

Valid Question
AV1 downloads are like playing roulette in what you are going to get for an HDR format. Even the download itself does not indicate what is being download. Most newer stuff is HDR10+. (Both AV1 and HDR10+ being open source formats makes sense). But some downloads are DoVi even.

Germania

MrGrackle AV1 downloads are like playing roulette in what you are going to get for an HDR format.
Even the download itself does not indicate what is being download.

I can tell whether an AV1 stream is SDR or HDR before dl by the bitrate ..
.. AFAIK, SF likely won’t have any more clues than that, either.
So where should the indicator come from, if NF specifies both as av1?

Until now, I assumed that the NF cadmium player only offered “enableAV1” ..
.. but there are the Properties av1-main and av1-hdr10plus in current player
so it’s perhaps possible to get this info - but only after start the player (?)

MrGrackle

More and more shows are hit and miss from episode to episode with offering av1 vs other codecs. I highly doubt NF has become incompetent in their coding and offerings. Sometimes when you are not offered AV1 you can click the various codecs in the download select window then click back to AV1 and you can get it to recognize it.