ATV 4K Match Content does not work as expected with Sony TV
I'm running an Apple TV 4K to a Denon AVR-X4300H to Sony XBR-55A1E OLED TV (all Dolby Vision enabled). I can successfully view 4K HDR and 4K Dolby Vision sources in most scenarios, EXCEPT that Dolby Vision is not enabled for iTunes 4K DV movies when I have the Apple TV 4K set to "Match Content" for Range & Frame Rate. I believe the issue is likely due to Apple not handling the "Dolby Vision Player-led processing mode" which Sony TVs use, but many other TVs do not.
What I'm Trying to Accomplish
I have invested in professional video calibration gear and maintain video profiles on my Sony OLED for best day and night viewing. I don't want devices like my Apple TV 4K (ATV) to manipulate content format (e.g. changing everything to Dolby Vision), but instead always play content at the best available from the original source. My Sony A1E OLED TV can handle everything up through 4K HDR and Dolby Vision at 60Hz, so if DV is available in the content I'm viewing, that's what I want to see, otherwise I want it to drop back to HDR if that is available, and to non-HDR if that is all there is, etc.
As I read many reviews, Apple FAQs and forum entries, newer tvOS 11.4 Content Match seemed like a great improvement with my ATV, so I immediately turned both options ON. Sadly, I have finally figured-out when I try to now watch a movie such as Ready Player One, it plays in 4K, but not Dolby Vision or even HDR as long as I keep those options enabled.
Scenario 1:
Apple TV 4K
- Format: 4K Dolby Vision
- Match Content: OFF & OFF
What's Displayed
- ATV Menus: 4K Dolby Vision <--OK
- Non 4K iTunes Movie (e.g. PBS Great American Baking Show): 4K HDR DV <--NOT WHAT I WANT, BUT IT IS WHAT I EXPECT WITH THE MATCH CONTENT OPTIONS OFF
- 4K iTunes Movie (e.g. 1776): 4K (with no HDR or DV as expected) <--OK
- DV iTunes Movie (e.g. Ready Player One): 4K with HDR & DV <-- OK
Scenario 2:
Apple TV 4K
- Format: 4K Dolby Vision
- Match Content: Range & Frame Rate ON
What's Displayed
- ATV Menus: 4K Dolby Vision <--OK
- Non 4K iTunes Movie (e.g. PBS Great American Baking Show): 4K (with no HDR or DV) <--OK
- 4K iTunes Movie (e.g. 1776): 4K (with no HDR or DV as expected) <--OK
- DV iTunes Movie (e.g. Ready Player One): 4K only with no HDR or DV <-- NOT WHAT I EXPECT
I believe I have to keep ATV Format set to 4K Dolby Vision so I can watch iTunes DV Movies in the first place and not go back through the cable check etc if I turn that option back on. So, I'm back to manually changing Match Content ON so I can see iTunes 4K DV movies in Dolby Vision, but have to switch those settings OFF for non-4K DV source content so my ATV does not change everything into its on-the-fly approximated DV version which is almost always too dark on my professionally calibrated Sony OLED TV that otherwise looks fantastic.
Am I missing something, or is this clearly a bug? At a minimum, it does not seem that "Match Content" is operating as I would expect with my TV... likely because of the different Dolby Vision implementation Sony has decided to do with their devices that not all other manufacturers are using, and how Apple is then interpreting what the true original content is really capable of. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Apple TV 4K, tvOS 11.4, null