It's set to "On App Launch"
there is a very simple solution:
- set Apple TV to default 4K SDR with "Automatically Match Range and Frame Rate" turned on
Thats it. Now your HDR content automatically switches the dynamic range and plays in HDR. Channels works perfectly with its SDR content. Apple TV menus and navigation pages appear brighter and more colorful. Everything just works.
I am not sure why people are so insistent on fighting this.
If you have "default to SDR", then you can't set 4:2:2 right? Also, it's not clear that Apple TV menus, screen saver, etc. are in HDR (you say they're "brighter" and more colorful, but that implies that either:
(a) In HDR mode, Apple TV presents menus in SDR (which makes no sense)
(b) HDR mode is inherently less "bright"/"colorful" (which makes no sense)
(c) Apple TV's HDR implementation is completely broken, and you shouldn't use it (not outside the realm of possibility, but I've not observed this)
Bottom line--other apps behave just fine when Apple TV is configured in HDR mode--why doesn't Channels?
well, the HDR switches automatically and looks very good for HDR content on a Samsung TV (I have a few). But, your option list, the answer is either (a) 'menus are SDR' --or-- the Apple HDR menus just don't have the added contrast/color depth... ie: it is using HDR output for a menu that doesn't have much extra HDR information.... Flip between the modes and try it... if you don't agree with me, look at it yourself.
EDIT: I decided to post a couple pictures, just to provide some evidence here. This is a Samsung Curved UHD TV, showing the menus in HDR and SDR. An iPhone camera is probably not the best way to capture this, but you can still see a difference.
The menus look better in SDR (the second picture). There is better colors and contrasts. Notice the blues in the background. The contrast and red in the X-games logo, the green grass in the golf image, the colors in the Channels logo, the blue in the prime video logo, the red and blue in the apple music logo. It is even more evident in person as it appears brighter and crisper sitting in front of the SDR 4K image.
Setting default to 4K SDR is the best way to set up an Apple TV 4k. With automatic mode switching, HDR content will play in HDR, as it should. And your menus, plus SDR apps continue to look amazing and full of color.
If you are a DVR subscriber, please try the new experimental video driver in the TestFlight beta which should improve colors when the TV is in HDR mode.
https://community.getchannels.com/t/beta-hdr-playback-on-apple-tv-4k/23120?u=tmm1
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