Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why does Apple tv automatically dim screen
- Thread starter michael31986
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Are you talking about when it is sitting idle for a while or just randomly. I seem to be having and issue with the latest tv where DV and HDR seems to go much dimmer at random times and then, eventually goes to normal.
Is this a new Apple TV thing. The Apple TV Hd didn’t do it.
Is it really for burn in?
The ATV 4/HD does dim. Always has. Still does with 14.6.
Screen brightness is restored when the Siri remote is picked up, and its gyro detects motion.
This kind of makes movies look crappy at some points. Ill have to keep picking up remote. I had the 2015 Apple TV.
What I think people are talking about here is the home screen dimming after it sits idle for a while. The screen shouldn't be dimming when something is actively playing.
thats what im talking about. when im playing something on a device it seems to dim.. could just be me, but im not sure. I thought maybe HDR could be messing with the blacks.
Check the settings for HDR on your TV.
Most have different settings for HDR, vs SDR.
Most have different settings for HDR, vs SDR.
Yeah I thought you meant dimming on an idle Home Screen. It shouldn’t have this behavior during content. I would check the energy saving features on your tv or AVR.
My ATV 4K 2017 will dim the screen if the screen sits idle for a while, but it never dims during a movie or any other play. Are you sure yours dims during playback of video? You might have another issue if that is the case.
I’ve had a similar issue with my fifth gen ATV, but I’ll be watching something and if I turn off the lights in the room, you can watch the screen dim (no it isn’t my TV that does it, I use several other devices on this tv and it’s never happened before). Is there a fix for it?
I have noticed a random dimming when watching content as well. I don't recall this happening until recently, but I could be wrong. While I would like to be able to turn the dimming off, it isn't bad enough to concern me.
The Apple TV doesn't have an ambient light sensor but your TV most certainly does. You should turn off that setting in your video settings.
On a Sony TV, this is called the "Light Sensor". This is turned off on my set, but I still get dimming when watching the ATV 4K. So this doesn't seem to cause it.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Reads like you have HDR turned on even when watching non-HDR content. Turn it off (choose SDR) and the dimming during playback will be gone. That's a choice made in Settings, Video & Audio. I'll guess yours is currently set to 4K HDR or 1080p HDR. Choose the SDR version of either and that should do it.
2 options down is the option to "Match", "Range" which- if set- will dynamically switch from/to HDR/SDR when the content you are watching is HDR/SDR. If you never watch HDR content and/or don't have a TV set with HDR features, you might turn that off too.
If neither of those is "on," I'd start suspecting the TV and encourage you to check its menus for "energy saver" mode, ambient light sensor and similar. There might also be some setting(s) in your own TV related to using HDR playback. Check the manual.
But I strongly suspect you'll find you are activating HDR with those AppleTV settings in Video & Audio... thus triggering the dimming that is bugging you. I went through the same thing on earliest exposure to SDR/HDR settings & content.
Last edited:
I had both match and range set to off. I turned it both on now. I have an lg oled so I def think that was the issue. With it turned on all the content snd refresh rates will match with what should be there right?
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
It's been a while so I don't quite remember but I THINK- and someone correct me if this is wrong- with Setting, Video & Audio 4k or 1080p WITH HDR on, I was getting odd results when playing SDR content. I think that was causing the "dimming" you were describing.
Now your OLED TV should easily be able to handle HDR content, so I suspect the setting for you would be 4K or 1080p SDR but set the Match option to Match Dynamic Range (or whatever it is)... meaning that when you play something through AppleTV that is HDR, it will send it as HDR. However, when you are playing something that is SDR, it will send a SDR signal. The former might give you that sense of "dimming" but think of that as HDR kicking in, which basically promises "darker darks and lighter lights." So if like most movies the opening moments are mostly dark, it's going to look DARK. But when you have a brightly lit/daytime scene, the lights/whites will be extra bright (relative to SDR too).
So I think you should experiment to find the right combination. Try:
4K or 1080p HDR
Match Dynamic Range ON
...and play something that was delivering the "dimming" effect that was bugging you. If it doesn't dim now, you are probably done. If it does, try:
4K or 1080p SDR
Match Dynamic Range ON
That would basically be saying send HDR content to my TV only when it actually IS HDR content. SDR content would be delivered as SDR. Your TV will then respond accordingly.
For me, I have the former settings on my primary TV now and don't notice any dimming. But I think with another TV, I had to choose the latter settings to dodge the apparent dimming when playing SDR content.
While in Match, you might want to go ahead and turn on Match Frame Rate too. That means that when you are playing something other than AppleTV native frame rate, it will pass it through at whatever the frame rate actually is... and your TV will then display it and/or do any frame rate processing. For example, MANY movies are 24fps, so that would be passing them through at 24fps instead of converting them to a higher frame rate within AppleTV.
Both Match options are basically about passing through whatever you are trying to play. Generally, I believe it is very good to have BOTH on at all times. It's that first option 4K or 1080p SDR or HDR that is apparently trying to force one or the other. But, I haven't dealt with this in some time so I may not be remembering it exactly right. Someone else chime in to correct me if you know better.
I hope this helps you.
Now your OLED TV should easily be able to handle HDR content, so I suspect the setting for you would be 4K or 1080p SDR but set the Match option to Match Dynamic Range (or whatever it is)... meaning that when you play something through AppleTV that is HDR, it will send it as HDR. However, when you are playing something that is SDR, it will send a SDR signal. The former might give you that sense of "dimming" but think of that as HDR kicking in, which basically promises "darker darks and lighter lights." So if like most movies the opening moments are mostly dark, it's going to look DARK. But when you have a brightly lit/daytime scene, the lights/whites will be extra bright (relative to SDR too).
So I think you should experiment to find the right combination. Try:
4K or 1080p HDR
Match Dynamic Range ON
...and play something that was delivering the "dimming" effect that was bugging you. If it doesn't dim now, you are probably done. If it does, try:
4K or 1080p SDR
Match Dynamic Range ON
That would basically be saying send HDR content to my TV only when it actually IS HDR content. SDR content would be delivered as SDR. Your TV will then respond accordingly.
For me, I have the former settings on my primary TV now and don't notice any dimming. But I think with another TV, I had to choose the latter settings to dodge the apparent dimming when playing SDR content.
While in Match, you might want to go ahead and turn on Match Frame Rate too. That means that when you are playing something other than AppleTV native frame rate, it will pass it through at whatever the frame rate actually is... and your TV will then display it and/or do any frame rate processing. For example, MANY movies are 24fps, so that would be passing them through at 24fps instead of converting them to a higher frame rate within AppleTV.
Both Match options are basically about passing through whatever you are trying to play. Generally, I believe it is very good to have BOTH on at all times. It's that first option 4K or 1080p SDR or HDR that is apparently trying to force one or the other. But, I haven't dealt with this in some time so I may not be remembering it exactly right. Someone else chime in to correct me if you know better.
I hope this helps you.
Last edited:
i’m having the same issue as the OP. And it’s annoying as hell. I have an LG OLED and a 2nd Gen Apple TV 4K. I have all energy saving options turned off on my TV. Yet when i’m playing something, and it has a somewhat static image, my Apple TV will autodim. Two examples:
When i watch Critical Role on YouTube, the actors pretty much sit in the same spots, so not much movement is registered, and the image will dim after a bit.
Worse, it can happen during sone movies. I was just watching “Pearl”, which has a scene with a long monologue. The camera sits still on the character, who doesn’t move very much, and my screen suddenly starts to dim. When the camera eventually cuts to a different character, the screen brightness pops back to normal. Super annoying.
So it happens during SDR and HDR content. It happens whether i have my video settings on HDR or SDR. I love my Apple TV, but not having an auto-dim setting to turn off is pretty bad.
When i watch Critical Role on YouTube, the actors pretty much sit in the same spots, so not much movement is registered, and the image will dim after a bit.
Worse, it can happen during sone movies. I was just watching “Pearl”, which has a scene with a long monologue. The camera sits still on the character, who doesn’t move very much, and my screen suddenly starts to dim. When the camera eventually cuts to a different character, the screen brightness pops back to normal. Super annoying.
So it happens during SDR and HDR content. It happens whether i have my video settings on HDR or SDR. I love my Apple TV, but not having an auto-dim setting to turn off is pretty bad.
PugApocalypse I think the issue you’re seeing is a built-in ,non-user controllable function of OLED TV’s. It’s called ABL (auto brightness limiting, think that’s what it’s called). It protects OLED screens from burn-in on bright, static screens. With LG TV’s at one time if you went into the service menu (need a special remote to get the tv in this mode) you could disable that feature, but based on TV model and firmware that may not be an option anymore. It’s designed to protect the screen from burn-in, so personally I don’t recommend changing that. Apple TV doesn’t know whether you have an LCD/LED or OLED TV, so the dimming is not coming from it. For addition information on ABL I suggest checking out AVS Forum, and search for ABL under your TV’s model.
I would believe this, except it doesn’t happen on any other device. I’ll look into this, though. Thank you.
In the general video settings it should always be (4K) SDR regardless of the TV set, and then for HDR capable TVs match range should be turned on which handles HDR. Optionally match frame rate can also be turned on, otherwise everything will be butchered to 60 fps.
I have the dimming issue also with an LG OLED and the latest ATV. When it occurs, it’s with certain shots. For example, if two characters are talking and the camera is popping back and forth between them, it’ll dim with one of the characters only. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s a jarring amount of dimming when it happens.
So far, I’ve only seen it on Apple TV+ and Prime.
So far, I’ve only seen it on Apple TV+ and Prime.