Re: HDR - PC - HDR doesn't work unless windows volume overlay is displayed

If you put it in windowed mode, it works.

Confirm windowed mode works - thanks for this now I can use my HDR monitor :D wish I could hide the titlebar though.

I have searched and searched for a solution.  Not sure what the issue is, but there is one.  Glad I was able to help you somewhat.

I'm having this exact same issue, and I'm relieved someone else is dealing with it. However, this solution doesn't seem to work for me--whenever I switch to windowed, or borderless, I seem to lose my HDR options in the graphics menus. Did this happen to any of you? What did you do to fix it?

Specs:
AMD RX Vega 64

Intel i5 3570K

Samsung CH32G70 2560x1440, 144Hz

Hey @Nick_Dixon @frax_xensu @SheriffStrafe, did you notice any improvements on today's updated with HRD?

/Atic

Hi @EA_Atic, no appreciable change for me after the update.

I don't know if you've watched the video but I thought it might be good to make clear that when you switch HDR on, either in Windows, in game, or both, it's definitely not the same as SDR even when the volume overlay isn't up. Something is definitely happening, specifically it looks dim and washed out like the windows desktop always does when you enable the Windows HDR setting. Then when you bring the volume overlay up (by changing the volume) everything pops to life in what clearly HDR is supposed to be (just as shown in the video that K9Taz shared). You can fiddle with the HDR brightness setting in game to get it to the point where it looks absolutely gorgeous in-game...provided that volume overlay is up. Almost seems like the volume overlay gets something involved to properly interpret BFV as HDR-enabled content, and then once the overlay disappears again it goes back to the dim way that SDR is displayed when HDR settings are enabled.

Hey guys, as you are no doubt aware HDR on some of the monitors can be a little touchy so the first thing to do is them reset your monitor to factory default, the process to do so will differ on each make and model but the option should be in your monitor settings menu. Once done, verify that you everything has been set back to default and then go into your Windows settings and set up HDR again, you can find the steps to do so here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/help/4040263/windows-10-hdr-advanced-color-settings

If leaving HDR on you will need to use the SDR Content slider to adjust settings so that non HDR content doesn't look washed out though for testing purposes you can just turn off HDR as once you select it in game it should automatically be enabled. 

Next thing to do is launch BFV and set everything back to default. Once done you will need to redo the HDR calibration and make sure that you do it to just the point where any boxes or content disappears, on my Samsung HDR monitor I had issues with BF1 in that if I did not make the box disappear the HDR content appeared washed out.

Also, can you ensure that your monitor is running the most up to date firmware. As I understand it some Samsung monitors will have different firmware updates depending on size and it is not a one size fits all scenario. Having the incorrect firmware or an out of date one can cause issues.

Let me know how you get on.

Darko

I would also recommend a clean install of your GPU and hardware drivers as from what you have said @Nick_Dixon it appears that Windows is able to use HDR but for some reason, the game is not. If there is an issue with a driver or the GPU not recognising that BFV can use HDR this could be why it is only enabled when you have the Windows overlay on.

Darko

Hi @EA_Darko,

I followed your suggestions about resets of settings and clean install of GPU and monitor drivers, but I'm afraid I've got the same result as before. I don't know if it matters, but I have the same issues in Star Wars Battlefront 2. For what it's worth Mass Effect Andromeda does not experience the same effect---although it's unclear whether that's because the volume overlay isn't coming up or if that overlay has no effect. Those are the only games I have that have HDR support I believe. In all cases, even cranking the Windows SDR slider all the way up, I still end up with incredibly dim content compared to if HDR was turned off entirely. Increasing the overall brightness in game doesn't help either, as I just end up with washed out video.

I appreciate your help in this. What's funny is I seem to remember it working previously in BF5 (maybe during the beta?). I may try reinstalling BF1 and see if there's any luck there--that's one thing I'll admit I haven't tried yet.

Dixon

This same thing happens to me if playing Celeste, Street Fighter V or Shadow of The Tomb Raider.

There appears to be a Windows 10 issue where the OS will not kick in HDR as the game is loading.  I have the following:

Cable: MONSTER 4K HDMI Cable UltraHD GOLD HDR 21Gbps cable

GPU: Nvidia Aorus Extreme 1080Ti GPU

TV: Samsung QN49Q6F Flat 49” QLED 4K UHD 6 Series Smart TV 2018

Ohh thank you sir! i was getting really mad with this same issue and did not found any about it yet.. seems im not the only one with this crazy bug. Have you found any tip or fix to resolve it? thx in advance.

PS: rtx2080 + last driver + win10pro full updated + samsung hdr tv, tried every the same as you

i keep the fight here.. this thing its getting me mad x"D i already found a post on nvidia forums, microsoft forums, and reddit, about this problem so... it is not just a couple of people with this issue, any news?? =))

Hi DRAK,

Weirdly enough I have a partial solution, at least in BFV. I don't really consider this a solution because 1) it's not reliably reproducible and 2) it's not clear I'm actually getting the HDR experience the way it's supposed to be. But anyway, I've found that sometimes if I switch my resolution / refresh rate in game repeatedly while I'm in the practice range then I get different performance on HDR, to the point where it does seem to be at least a marginal improvement over SDR. Typically I'm switching back and forth from 2560x1440 at 144Hz to 1920x1080 at either 60Hz or 144 Hz. I'm doing this entirely randomly, and I haven't found any particular sequence of these switches that works. I have a hunch that sometimes when you switch resolution a different bit of software/firmware takes control, as it were, and then you get a different experience. It seems to match up with my understanding of the problem which is that there are software communication issues that cause different bits of software (whether the OS, graphics drivers, the game, or whatever else) to try to take control over whether HDR is displayed. Conflicts then result in an unintended experience.

Anyway, that's my partial solution and two-cents best guess as to the broad outlines of the problem. Hope it helps, or at least keeps you from going nuts in frustration.

-Dixon

Hi Dixon, thx for your response =))

I found a weird "something" too last night, check this.. i DDU nvidia drivers, install last one (again), activate windows HDR, force trough nvidia panel the colors to ycbcr(10/12bits), now comes the weird stuff..

1º if i put the tv in "pc mode/game mode(on/off, dsnt matter), i can use properly any HDR content, like some demos, mpc+madvr(hdr signal passed trough tv directly), etc.. i can even use it with windows HDR off, and auto color nvidia, and TV stills auto detect the signal flicker for a sec and put correct gamma profile, til now, all seems working and HDR looks awesome (tried too on "game console/game mode(on/off, off deactivates samsung virtual HDR, all works as intended too, since maybe, "pc mode" are messing with color 8bit/complete/limited instead of 10bits specs)

2º now, when all seems working properly, i open BFV (with windows HDR on and nvidia forced ycbcr(10/12bits) seems the only way to work), and holly molly... if i switch on HDR and properly move the slidebar etc and i have the same story, bad colors, no real hdr, all messy, and if i put aout the windows osd volume, HDR kicks in with insane gamma/saturation BUT!!, if i switch OFF the HDR and switch between resolution (like u said, and with nvidia&windows hdr on), ooops, i have hdr working mutch better than before without  osd volume out and remember, with bfv hdr switched off... WTH!! x"DD i checked many times in game mode + no samsung virtual hdr... so its real, its working (not 100% correct gamma  but.. much much better)

I am working now and cannot extend much more, but ill be back in 3-4 hours, ill keedp checking it and reply here again. Have a great day! :D

As a resume for you to check:

-samsung in "game console" mode + "game mode" on (deactivates virtual Samsung HDR) + UHD ON, on correct hdmi port 

-ddu and reinstall last nvidia drivers (reset pc)

-activates windows HDR + force in nvidia panel ycbcr10/12bits (samsung should go auto into ST.X gamma profile from BT.X, check it in TV picture/expert menu)

-go bfv switch hdr on, go to main screen and check osd volume (should looks wrong as always)

-go options again and switch off hdr, check graphics and test with osd volume (HDR should looks correctly now, insane..)

Let me knowo your results :P

Have a great day!

PS: ill extend after comes from work =))

Update:
Well.. i just bought Battlefield 1 & Metro Exodus for try another games with HDR:

1º Battlefield 1 have the same problem as Battlefield V, HDR not kicks in properly, and when go around (tricky) to activate it, it looks horrible with non proper gamma correction

2º Metro Exodus just works directly with 0 problems, as intended, btw it looks awesome...

So in the end it seems like an EA problem, its not normal that all HDR content that i try works perfectly except for Battlefield V & 1, and im not the only one, its a general bug.

Shame i expended +2.000 euro in new pc thinking in play BFV at 100%, and now i have to expend nearly +100 euro more in 2 more games just fot be sure that its an EA problem... too bad =((

Update 2:

Excuse my manners but i need to exprees it freely.. witchraft! sorcery! black magic... x"DD In a last ray of faith, i gave a try again

-nvidia panel ycbcr10/12bits, windows hdr off, tv console mode + game mode (virtual hdr off)

-(new) auto configure the game trough geforce experience (all max +4k except for raytracing from ultra to high)

-go in game, all as usual (bad), BUT, i tried again to swap from 4k to 2k, and the second time magically worked (as u referred before)

*hdr in windows AND bfv off :-/ but for the first time, with PROPER HDR, gamma, colors... and volume overlay does not affect anything

I tried ur trick yesterday many times with restart included, but it didnt work, dunno if the geforce experience stuff changed anything, but its unsense since i tried to delte full config from documents, etc.. anyway, ill try a couple more times and post an update tomorrow. Maybe some kind of bug with ultra raytracing settings?? its the only thing that maybe i didnt tried before, just off/ultra, not high.

PS: for the first time in months since i bought the game, i seeing it as intended.. damn it looks awesome! I hope it stills like that