The new Chromecast with Google TV does NOT support Auto Framerate Switching

by -pLx-

I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up, in case you are an avid Kodi or IPTV user, this might not be the device for you (or at least until they update it).

This came as a big surprise to me, and I'm really disappointed as I was looking forward to replace my MiBox S with something more stable in terms of AFR.

​

First, the good:

- Dynamic Range Switching works well in most apps (Tested Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Plex, Kodi)

- Correctly switches between Rec. 709 & Rec. 2020 color spaces

- Doesn't work in Movies Anywhere for some reason

- Passes through correct HDR10 metadata, including MaxCLL, and MaxFALL

- Chroma upsampling is good, the same as other recent Amlogic chipset-based devices I've tested (ODroid N2)

- Supports CEC and IR remote control

- Speed is really good, not up to the Shield TV, but it's also 1/3 the price or less

- Frame rate can be manually set, only 23.976Hz, 25Hz, 29.97Hz, 50Hz, and 59.94Hz supported

- The UI shows them as whole integer frame rates, but I've confirmed via HDFury Integral 2 that they are not actually integer frame rates

​

Now, the bad:

- HDR10 content has raised black levels

- No passthrough of Lossless Audio Codecs

- No automatic refresh rate switching

- Refresh rate app does not work

- No automatic refresh rate toggle in settings

- Confused by this one, I thought I saw it reported somewhere else that it does, but nothing exists that I can find

- Plex & Kodi don't support automatic refresh rate switching

- MPEG2 Live TV direct plays in Plex, but has pretty bad stuttering issues, whether interlaced or progressive (maybe being software decoded?)

- Voice search does not support Plex/Kodi

- 24.00, 60.00 refresh rates are not supported, even when manually setting

- Some EDIDs result in 8-bit HDR10, and some don't. I'm not sure why that is, but if I plug it directly into my C9, I get 12-bit, but if I plug it into my HDFury Integral 2, set to an EDID with DV and all HDR10 modes, the device get's stuck in 8-bit when switching to HDR10.

- Oddly some EDIDs result in Integer frame rates when manually picking one from the settings, and some result in non-Integer frame rates. For instance, if I plug it into my Oppo UDP-203's HDMI passthrough, all of a sudden a new 4K SMTPE frame rate option become available, which is 24.000Hz, 24Hz is still 23.976Hz, but 30Hz, and 60Hz are now 30.000Hz and 60.000Hz respectively. However, plugging it into my TV/Receiver directly, results in the non-integer frame rates I originally saw in my post.

​

More info on Kodi's forums: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=357396&pid=2979132#pid2979132

All credits go to MrCrispy, which I have linked above.

Edit:

Turns out the original source actually belongs to u/jwort93 and you can find their post here:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/details-of-new-google-android-tv-dongle-sabrina-leaked.3150886/post-60137236

Thanks a lot for your hard work!

jwort93

This is actually originally sourced from my AVSForum post here: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/details-of-new-google-android-tv-dongle-sabrina-leaked.3150886/post-60137236

Some other info I would add is:

-Some EDIDs result in 8-bit HDR10, and some don't. I'm not sure why that is, but if I plug it directly into my C9, I get 12-bit, but if I plug it into my HDFury Integral 2, set to an EDID with DV and all HDR10 modes, the device get's stuck in 8-bit when switching to HDR10.

-Oddly some EDIDs result in Integer frame rates when manually picking one from the settings, and some result in non-Integer frame rates. For instance, if I plug it into my Oppo UDP-203's HDMI passthrough, all of a sudden a new separate “4K SMTPE” frame rate option become available, which is 24.000Hz, the regular “24Hz” option is still 23.976Hz, but “30Hz”, and “60Hz” are now 30.000Hz and 60.000Hz respectively. However, plugging it into my TV/Receiver directly, results in the non-integer frame rates I originally saw in my post.

Overall, I'd say the device seems promising, but it really needs some work with properly detecting a device's capabilities from it's EDID.

513

Thanks, let's hope Google is reading this and sending it to the Chromecast team.

serpentxx

I dont pretend to know half of what these features mean and do but how much of these issues can be potentially fixed as a future software update and others are simply hardware limitations?

arkanciscan

Wow, nice homework!

BiggussDikkuss

There is also an issue with HDR10 output, outputting incorrect color depth as 8bit according to this post:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=357396&pid=2979708#pid2979708

veneno11

Thanks for the detailed post So are 24hz movies interpolated to 60hz?

Digitalhour

I bought this to replace my fire tv, not impressed at all! Mostly for the lack of pass through for audio!

superdroidtv

The mpeg2 playback issues may be a result of using a wifi connection. This issue is pretty well documented by the hdhomerun team and the suggestion for smooth mpeg2 playback is to use an ethernet connection.

cr08

Unfortunate. I have been in the process of renovating a room in my house to a lounge/home theater and was hoping this would be an ideal 'streamer' with lossless passthrough and HDR given it is a device being released in late 2020. But that passthrough is going to kill it. More than likely going to pick up a Vero 4k+ instead.

I may still pick this up for our Sony Bravia when I get tired of the built in Android OS as it basically only does streaming video and DD from OTA channels and recordings. Seems like a solid budget alternative vs a Shield.

doho121

Tell me.. many of these features are firmware related right? As in it could potentially deliver these features over time?

WaterRresistant

Everyday that passes by, I'm more disappointed in this device and I used to be crazy about it

check_mate12813

what do you mean when you say no passthrough of lossless audio codecs?

KillaToni

Download vimu media player. There is an option in the settings to sync movie/tv framerate with hdmi/tv framerate. Only Player that plays everything stutter free for me , tryed vlc and mx player too, but no success.

My device is the Mi Box S.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.gtvbox.videoplayer&hl=de_CH&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dvimu+media+player&pcampaignid=APPU_1_-XGEX_SaFYGUsAeg9rnADQ

Yveske

Could someone help me out?
Was eyeballing this to replace my pi 2 running libreelec but apparently that is not a good idea.
I'm basically looking for something that can run kodi, and steamlink would be a nice extra, can play h.265 video files 720 and 1080. Storage shouldn't be a problem because my videos are on a local network shared via samba.
Looking in the same price range ,€70, max €100.
Thanks!

zacce
  • MPEG2 Live TV direct plays in Plex, but has pretty bad stuttering issues, whether interlaced or progressive (maybe being software decoded?)

FYI, MPEG2 Live TV plays great in Kodi with 0 stuttering.

zacce

in case you are an avid Kodi or IPTV user, this might not be the device for you

I use Kodi. How does it negatively affect Kodi?

nstern2

I'm going to relegate this to my bedroom. Assuming I don't have a 4k tv nor will I be watching any movies is this still a pass?

reddit_reaper

WoW..... What Garbage.

als26

I'm a bit of a noob to this but what does the lack of AFR switching have to do with not being a good device of iptv/Kodi?

deimos_42

is there any workaround / another player for the CCGTV that does not have the issue with the raised blacks that kodi produces?

apart from that i can live with the cons but the raised blacks ruin it for me