Frame pacing unstable/stutter when tonemapping is needed

Platforms Mac
1

When playing back 8K HDR10 video with Infuse Pro (8.1.6) and MBP14 (2024, macOS15.5) internal monitor, I noticed frequent stutter. I recorded a slow motion video and realized that the problem should be unstable frame pacing. Then I tried playing the 8K HDR10 video on the internal monitor in other modes and an external monitor in SDR/HDR mode, the stutter problem only occurs when internal monitor in “Apple XDR Display” or “Apple Display” and external monitor in SDR mode. I assume the stutter problem is related to tonemapping. Can Infuse fix this or it’s Apple’s responsibility?
8K HDR10 video mediainfo:

General
Complete name                            : Cyberpunk 8K HDR RTX Afterlife.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/mp41)
File size                                : 1.67 GiB
Duration                                 : 2 min 29 s
Overall bit rate                         : 95.8 Mb/s
Frame rate                               : 60.000 FPS
Writing application                      : Lavf57.25.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L6.1@Main
HDR format                               : SMPTE ST 2086, HDR10 compatible
Codec ID                                 : hev1
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                                 : 2 min 29 s
Bit rate                                 : 95.6 Mb/s
Width                                    : 7 680 pixels
Height                                   : 4 320 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 60.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.048
Stream size                              : 1.66 GiB (100%)
Color range                              : Full
Color primaries                          : BT.2020
Transfer characteristics                 : PQ
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.2020 non-constant
Mastering display color primaries        : BT.2020
Mastering display luminance              : min: 0.0001 cd/m2, max: 1000 cd/m2
Maximum Content Light Level              : 1000 cd/m2
MaxCLL_Original                          : 65535 cd/m2
Maximum Frame-Average Light Level        : 400 cd/m2
MaxFALL_Original                         : 65535 cd/m2
SEI_rbsp_stop_one_bit                    : Missing
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 2 min 29 s
Duration_LastFrame                       : -15 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 196 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 3.49 MiB (0%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

Slow motion screenshot video showing the unstable frame pacing:

2

8K HDR video @ 60 fps may be pushing things to the limit, but if you have a chance to upload a sample video we can take a look and see if there is something that can be improved.

3

Uploaded. File name “Cyberpunk 8K HDR RTX Afterlife.mp4”. Also, my external monitor supports VRR and can show real-time framerate, I also find that playing 4K HDR10 videos in SDR mode has unstable frame pacing compared to playing it in HDR mode, but I can not realize any shutter.

4

Hi James! Any updates on this?

5

I’m not seeing any obvious issues here with this file when played on an M3 MBP and switching through the various display modes, but it could be something related to the environment.

Would you be able to replicate the issue and send in a report from your device (and post the 5 digit code here)? Maybe that would provide a clue as to what may be going on.

6

Still presents on Infuse 8.1.7. I have sent a report, the code is 9Z3QR.

7

After more tests I found that this problem is related to “HDR Colors” in settings. I use “Apple” and when set to “Infuse” the problem does not exists anymore. I hope this info will be helpful.

8

That is helpful to know, thanks!

The playback route used for Apple and Infuse colors are slightly different, and it’s possible the Apple route may not work as well with these 8K videos.

We can certainly look more info to this with your sample, but for now using the Infuse color option may be the best solution.