"Hi all, I have recently invested in a Pioneer 4k player that is capable of ripping 4k Blu rays. However whilst I can rip the files off the 4k disc quite successfully. Upon viewing the colours are severely washed out. I did a little bit of research and couldn't really find any solutions of how to fix this except for manually correcting it but that isn't really feasible as manual correction doesn't result in how the film is accurately supposed to look. Can someone help me out here?"

This issue, commonly associated with High Dynamic Range (HDR) video playback, can diminish the stunning visual quality that 4K HDR content is known for. Like many users, you may have tried manual color correction, only to find that it doesn’t accurately replicate the intended look of the film.

Part 1. What Is HDR Video

High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to video and image technology that dramatically improves color and contrast. It does this by offering a broader range of brightness and color, allowing for richer, more lifelike images. HDR video captures both the darkest and brightest parts of a scene, resulting in a visual experience that more closely matches what the human eye can see in real life.

Key Features of HDR:

• Higher brightness levels: HDR offers a greater range of brightness, allowing for brighter highlights without washing out darker details.
• Expanded color range: HDR video supports a broader palette of colors, including deeper reds, greens, and blues, contributing to more vibrant images.
• Enhanced contrast: HDR delivers superior contrast between light and dark areas, making images look more three-dimensional and natural.

HDR Formats

There are several HDR formats, each with its unique specifications:

• HDR10: The most common format, supported by almost all modern HDR displays.
• Dolby Vision: A proprietary HDR format offering dynamic metadata for more precise control over brightness and contrast.
• HDR10+: Similar to Dolby Vision but an open format, offering dynamic metadata.
• HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma): Used mainly in broadcasting, offering HDR without requiring metadata.

Despite these benefits, HDR can suffer from a frustrating issue when played on certain platforms or through certain video players—washed-out colors. This problem occurs when the software or hardware handling the video fails to process the HDR metadata correctly. Without this data, HDR content may appear overly bright, lack contrast, or seem faded and flat.

Why Does HDR Video Get Washed Out?

The color washout problem is usually due to an incompatibility between the HDR video, the video player, or the display settings of the device. If your video player doesn’t properly read HDR metadata or your display isn’t correctly configured to support HDR content, colors can appear dull or faded. To avoid this, it’s essential to use the right software and hardware for HDR playback.

HDR image without color washed out:

HDR image with color washed out:

Part 2. How to Play HDR Videos without Color Washed out Issue

Thankfully, not all video players suffer from HDR color washout problems. Some players have been developed or updated to handle HDR video and its metadata correctly, ensuring that you get the rich colors and contrasts HDR is known for.

1. VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is one of the most popular free media players worldwide, and with good reason. It’s open-source, easy to use, and supports a wide range of video formats, including HDR content. Free download: https://www.videolan.org/

Support OS:

Windows, Mac

Features:

• HDR support: VLC supports HDR10 playback, provided that your display is HDR-compatible.
• Cross-platform: It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Customizable settings: VLC allows you to tweak video settings, including brightness, contrast, and gamma, to ensure optimal HDR playback.

Although VLC is a versatile and dependable media player, HDR playback may occasionally need some extra setup. Ensure that your system supports HDR (for example, Windows 10 or later, or macOS Mojave and above), and verify that HDR is enabled in your operating system settings. Additionally, updating to the latest version of VLC Media Player is recommended for optimal HDR performance.

2. MPC-HC (Media Player Classic - Home Cinema)

MPC-HC is another excellent choice for playing HDR content, especially for Windows users. It's lightweight and has been updated to support various video formats, including HDR10. Free download: https://www.videohelp.com/software/Media-Player-Classic-Home-Cinema

Support OS:

Windows only

Features:

• Wide range of format support: Plays almost any video file format, including HDR videos.
• DirectX integration: Offers support for hardware-accelerated decoding, which ensures smooth playback of high-resolution content.
• Color management: Corrects color profiles automatically to ensure accurate HDR color reproduction.

To enable HDR support in MPC-HC, you’ll need to install either the MPCVideoRender plug-in (available here) or madVR (available here). Once installed, go to the menu and navigate to View -> Options -> Playback -> Output -> DirectShow Video. Then, select either MPC Video Renderer or madVR for proper HDR playback. 

You can refer to: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/advanced-mpc-hc-setup-guide.1357375/

3. PotPlayer

PotPlayer is a highly customizable video player that works exceptionally well for HDR content. It offers detailed settings for everything from playback to color profiles, making it one of the best players for handling HDR content without washout. Free download: https://www.videohelp.com/software/PotPlayer

Support OS:

Windows only

Features:

• HDR support: PotPlayer has integrated HDR support, meaning it can correctly process HDR metadata to deliver rich colors.
• Customizable video settings: You can adjust everything from brightness and contrast to color profiles, making it easy to ensure optimal playback.
• Smooth playback: Supports hardware acceleration to ensure smooth playback of even the most demanding HDR content.

PotPlayer is primarily available for Windows users and provides some of the most detailed customization options of any media player, making it a favorite for those who like to tweak settings for perfect playback.

4. QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player is the default media player for macOS and supports HDR playback to a certain extent. While QuickTime may not offer as many customization options as some third-party media players, it handles HDR content decently on macOS, particularly on newer Macs that come with built-in HDR support.

Support OS:

Mac only

Features:

• Native macOS integration: QuickTime is optimized for Mac and integrates seamlessly with the system's display capabilities, including HDR support on macOS versions that support it (macOS Mojave and later).
• Simple interface: QuickTime Player has a minimalist design, making it easy to use without the need for extensive setup or configuration.
• HDR playback: On Macs with HDR-capable displays, QuickTime automatically plays HDR videos with the correct color and brightness levels, ensuring a decent visual experience.

However, QuickTime may not be the best choice for more advanced HDR playback needs, as it doesn’t provide the same level of control or customization found in VLC, MPC-HC, or PotPlayer. Additionally, it lacks extensive format support, so you might need to convert certain HDR files before playing them in QuickTime.

Part 3. How to Burn HDR Videos to Blu-ray without Color Washed out Issue

If you want to preserve your HDR content on physical media, such as Blu-ray, it's essential to use software that can correctly handle HDR metadata during the authoring process. Otherwise, you risk losing the high-quality contrast and color that make HDR so impressive. Unfortunately, many Blu-ray burning tools do not handle HDR content well, leading to the same color washout problem seen in some video players.

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator: The Solution for HDR Blu-ray Burning

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator is currently the best tool available for burning HDR video to Blu-ray without color washout problems. It has been specifically designed to support HDR content and ensure that the final disc retains all the quality of the original video, including vibrant colors and high contrast.

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator stands out for its ability to preserve high-quality audio formats such as EAC3, TrueHD (Dolby Atmos), DTS-HD, and Blu-ray PCM, delivering an immersive cinematic sound experience that enhances your overall viewing enjoyment. Additionally, it offers over 20 customizable menu templates, enabling you to craft a personalized Blu-ray experience. With the option to save your project as a BDMV folder, ISO file, or burn it directly to disc, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator is available on both Windows and Mac, providing a user-friendly yet powerful solution for creating professional-grade Blu-ray discs.

Key Features of Yuhan Blu-ray Creator

• Burn any video format to Blu-ray, including MKV, MP4, AVI, WMV, TS, M2TS, etc.
• Support multi-track, multi-subtitle and external subtitles.
• Burn HDR videos to Blu-ray without color washed out.
• Support preserving EAC3, TrueHD (Dolby Atmos), DTS HD, Blu-ray PCM high-quality audio.
• Provide more than 20 disk menu templates and almost fully customized menus.
• Save as BDMV folder, ISO or burn to disc.
• Available for Windows and Mac.

Steps to Burn HDR Video to Blu-ray with Yuhan Blu-ray Creator:

Before we start, we need to download and install Yuhan Blu-ray Creator. If your computer is Windows, you can click the button on the left below to download it. If your computer is Mac, please click the button on the right below to download it.

Step 1: Add Video Files

Step 2: Video Settings (Optional)

Click the Edit icon next to the video entry to open the Video Settings dialog box. In this window, you can trim the video by setting the start and end times. Additionally, you can create chapters or specify the language for the audio track and subtitles.

Step 3: Select a menu template and customize it

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator offers a highly customizable menu feature, allowing for almost complete personalization. To access this, simply click the "Select Menu" button on the main interface, which will open the menu settings dialog box. From here, you can choose a template you like from the options on the right and begin customizing it. You can set the background image, add background music, and adjust the scene menu's display mode. There are four display modes available: File (Icon), File (Text), Chapter (Icon), and Chapter (Text), giving you plenty of flexibility to suit your preferences.

Step 4: Advanced Settings

Step 5: Output Settings

Step 6: Start authoring

Click the "Start" button to begin the process, and Yuhan Blu-ray Creator will start creating your Blu-ray. Once the interface indicates that the process is complete, your Blu-ray is ready for use.

Part 4. Conclusion

HDR video offers an unparalleled visual experience, but it can come with its share of challenges, especially when it comes to playback and burning to physical media. The color washout problem, which often arises due to improper handling of HDR metadata, can detract from the beauty of HDR content. However, by using the right video players—such as VLC, MPC-HC, QuickTime Player, and PotPlayer—you can enjoy HDR videos on both Windows and Mac without sacrificing color quality.

When it comes to preserving HDR content on Blu-ray, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator stands out as the best option. Its support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision, coupled with its ability to accurately reproduce colors and handle metadata, ensures that your HDR content looks as vibrant and stunning as it should.

Whether you're watching or creating HDR content, using the right tools can make all the difference. Follow the guidelines outlined in this article, and you'll be well on your way to a flawless HDR viewing experience on both Windows and Mac.

If you want to learn more about Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, please click: https://yuhanmedia.com/bd-creator

If you want to download and try it for free, please click the button below to download it.