how does 8-bit/10-bit colour work on PC ?

[DnFx91]

I've been wondering how this stuff all works recently. Basically i have an ASUS PB287Q which is a 10-bit panel (albeit an 8-bit with dithering but i digress) and i downloaded a 10-bit greyscale ramp test video, the instructions said that on a 10-bit panel you will see two separate halves of the image with smooth 10-bit on top and 8-bit beneath, but on an 8-bit monitor the entire thing is obviously 8-bit across the whole image. Gladly i could see the 10-bit section at the top confirming that ASUS didn't lie  what i am really wondering though, is why almost nothing else that i view on my PC appears to be in 10-bit format, even really high quality rips of 10-bit amazon shows and stuff (that i legally bought)  don't seem to actually be in 10-bit mode as i can see the "colour banding" on the sky etc. and youtube videos obviously just look awful with smooth gradients being turned into blotchy square staircase kind of thing.

 

As for video games, i dont think i've actually seen any of my games run in 10-bit colour mode, is this something that the programmer has to write into the game ? or some setting that i am missing somewhere ?

 

Just confused as to why i can see 10-bit on my monitor with a test video, but not with anything else 

[zMeul]

for decoding HDR video content you need capable hardware and appropriate decoder

 

it took me quite a while to find a HEVC main10 decoder for HDR content

[The_Denks]

Games dont do 10-bit color

[zMeul]

3 minutes ago, UberGamerKing said:

Games dont do 10-bit color

Hitman and Shadow Warrior 2 do

[mariushm]

You can play movies encoded in 10 bit  (actual 10 bit etc, for ex with color spaces bt2020 etc)  using Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC) and the MadVR renderer (download separately, here : http://madvr.com/ )

 

Configure the renderer manually in MPC-HC and if you can configure the monitor from Windows to 10bit per color then it should play straight forward otherwise, it may play 10bit per color only in full screen mode (the renderer acts like a full screen video game and goes around the Windows desktop stuff outputting 10bit per color straight to the video card and monitor)

 

[DnFx91]

2 hours ago, zMeul said:

for decoding HDR video content you need capable hardware and appropriate decoder

 

it took me quite a while to find a HEVC main10 decoder for HDR content

 

2 hours ago, zMeul said:

Hitman and Shadow Warrior 2 do

 

1 hour ago, mariushm said:

You can play movies encoded in 10 bit  (actual 10 bit etc, for ex with color spaces bt2020 etc)  using Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC) and the MadVR renderer (download separately, here : http://madvr.com/ )

 

Configure the renderer manually in MPC-HC and if you can configure the monitor from Windows to 10bit per color then it should play straight forward otherwise, it may play 10bit per color only in full screen mode (the renderer acts like a full screen video game and goes around the Windows desktop stuff outputting 10bit per color straight to the video card and monitor)

 

thanks guys thats pretty useful

[zMeul]

4 minutes ago, DnFx91 said:

thanks guys thats pretty useful

I'm using K-Lite pack: http://www.codecguide.com/about_mega.htm with the LAV decoder

MadVR gave me headaches