madVR Envy Apple TV Setup Guide

Apple TV Setup with the Envy

Please follow these instructions to setup your Apple TV for optimal playback with the madVR Envy. Click the gear icon ⚙️ on your Apple TV to access the Apple TV settings, and let's get started!

Image Description: The first image shows the main Apple TV settings screen with various icons including a gear icon (Settings), Apple TV logo, music note, and a controller.

1. Step 1: Select Video and Audio

   Select the “Video and Audio" option from the main Settings menu.

   Image Description: The second image displays the Apple TV Settings menu. On the right side, a list of options is shown, with "Video and Audio" highlighted and an arrow indicating selection.

2. Step 2: Select Format

   Click on the "Format" option. Important - Even if this option already shows that “4K HDR” is selected, you must still click on it and make the changes shown in step 3.

   Image Description: The third image shows the "Video and Audio" settings screen. The "VIDEO" section is visible on the right, with "Format" highlighted and showing "4K HDR".

3. Step 3: Select Other Formats

   Scroll through all the “Format" options until you get to the end of the list. There you will find "Other Formats". Please select that option.

   Image Description: The fourth image shows a list of video format options for the Apple TV. The list includes various resolutions and refresh rates like "1080p HDR", "4K HDR", "4K SDR", and at the bottom, "Other Formats" is highlighted.

4. Step 4: Choose Specific 4K Format

   Scroll down the Other Formats list until you find the "4K HDR 24 (23.976Hz) and 4K SDR 24 (23.976Hz)" options. If you tend to watch more HDR content than SDR, choose “4K HDR 24 (23.976Hz)". Otherwise, choose “4K SDR 24 (23.976Hz)". Then select OK to confirm the change, after the HDMI resyncs. Then return to the main Video and Audio Settings page.

   Further details: Choosing the HDR option from the list above provides instant playback with no HDMI sync when starting and stopping 4K 23.976 HDR movies. When starting and stopping SDR movies, on the other hand, you will have a short HDMI sync (generally 3-5 seconds, but this is largely dependent on how fast your display syncs).

   If you choose the SDR option instead, then the opposite will be true. Meaning, you would then have instant playback with SDR and a short HDMI sync with HDR. This is why we recommend choosing between HDR and SDR based on which type of content you watch the most.

   Note that these changes affect only the Apple TV user interface and menus, for the sole purpose of optimizing the HDMi sync time. Regardless, your movies will still be played back at their original frame rate (e.g. 23.976, 50p, 60) and as SDR or HDR as intended. This is explained further, in step 5.

   Caution: There are also 4K HDR 24 (24Hz) and 4K SDR 24 (24Hz) options – do not mix these up with the 23.976Hz choices, which are the ones you want.

   Image Description: The fifth image shows the "Other Formats" list again, with "4K HDR 24 (23.976Hz)" highlighted. A text note below the image states "23.976Hz is standard for film content on televisions in North America and other regions using NTSC."

5. Step 5: Match Content Settings

   From the main Video and Audio settings page, select “Match Content". Then set both “Match Dynamic Range” and “Match Frame Rate" to On.

   Image Description: The sixth image shows the "Match Content" screen on the Apple TV. "Match Dynamic Range" is set to "On", and "Match Frame Rate" is also set to "On". A text overlay states "Play content in its original dynamic range."

   Setting Match Dynamic Range to On ensures that the Apple TV outputs SDR when the content is SDR, and outputs HDR when the content is HDR - regardless of the setting choice you made in Step 4. Setting Match Frame Rate to On ensures that it outputs the original frame rate, also regardless of the choice in Step 4.

   Warning: Upon exiting the menu, Apple TV will save your settings, and these will be your new defaults, even across power cycles. However, if you change any equipment (in technical terms, if you do anything to change the EDID that Apple TV sees), the Apple TV will revert all your beautiful settings back to its system defaults! Therefore, if you ever change your AVR or introduce new equipment in the HDMI signal path, please recheck your settings to make sure Apple TV did not revert your changes.

This completes the setup of the Apple TV with your Envy. Now please go and enjoy some great content from your Apple TV, optimized perfectly for your Envy!