Keep the original when possible
Compatible original playback avoids re-encoding the picture. Original 4K and HDR depend on the player, cable or casting route, display and connection.
The details behind your playback
Your big screen.
The full picture.
Understand what Beebo preserves, what it converts, and what your display and speakers must support. Resolution, HDR and surround sound each have their own requirements.
Technical information reviewed ; the 4K and HDR conversion rows were updated . Source implementation, local checks and device validation are identified separately.
A better match for the screen and sound system
Copy what already works
Remuxing can retain compatible H.264 or HEVC video while changing the container. A soundtrack may need conversion even when the picture remains untouched.
Convert for compatibility
When required, the computer makes a smaller or more compatible stream. Usual live output is 480p, 720p or 1080p. A 4K (2160p) output is offered only for a 4K source with a working graphics-card encoder. Optional AV1 or H.265 (HEVC) output must be switched on by the owner and needs compatible decoding.
$ Included for local playback
The conversion controls described here do not require a separate Beebo transcoding upgrade for use on your own computer at home. Hardware, electricity and your connection remain yours. Optional Beebo-managed connectivity is a separate service: check the current service offer and limits. A paid connection cannot make an incompatible player or overloaded computer support a format.
Resolution and HDR are separate capabilities
| Operation | What is implemented | What still depends on equipment |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p original | Original-file delivery without picture conversion. | Supported container/codec, bitrate and receiving player. |
| 4K original | Compatible 2160p source playback without picture conversion. | A capable decoder and display, and enough sustained network throughput. |
| 4K remux | Copies compatible video into an HLS delivery container. | Source keyframes, startup preparation, player format support and actual HDR handling. |
| 4K → lower resolution | Conversion to 1080p, 720p or 480p. | Source decoding and encoder capacity. This does not create a new 2160p output. |
| 2160p conversion output | Built · verification pending Offered only for a source of at least 1440 lines and only with a working graphics-card encoder; it never enlarges a smaller film. | A graphics card that can encode 4K, a 4K display and enough network throughput. Not tested on real 4K TVs yet. |
| HDR source recognition | Reads available transfer/format metadata and shows relevant information. | A badge is source information, not proof the display has switched into HDR. |
| HDR-preserving original/copy | Retains compatible encoded video and its signalling where the route permits. | Player, operating system, display, connection and exact source profile. |
| HDR → SDR tone mapping | Conversion can use available tone-mapping filters. Converted output is usually 8-bit SDR. With the owner’s H.265 switch on and a working graphics-card HEVC encoder, an HDR film can instead stay 10-bit HDR; that path is not tested on a real HDR TV yet. | Host build and graphics/filter availability; visual accuracy needs testing on representative sources. |
| Dynamic HDR | Source recognition and compatible copy paths are distinct from new metadata generation. | No blanket dynamic-HDR format certification or every-profile playback claim is made. |
Why an HDR movie can look dull after conversion
Converting HDR requires appropriate tone mapping to a standard-range display or stream. Available methods include VAAPI, libplacebo/Vulkan, OpenCL and zscale-based processing, depending on the build and encoder. The minimal macOS build recipe has different filters, so identical tone-mapping support cannot be assumed across operating systems.
If suitable tone-mapping routes fail, a fallback can produce a dull or otherwise incorrect picture. Choose a compatible original route where appropriate, and report the source, selected path and observed output. Do not treat metadata recognition alone as a successful HDR viewing test.
Surround sound without blanket promises
| Audio feature | Behavior | Practical condition |
|---|---|---|
| Original audio passthrough | Can preserve compatible original audio when enabled by the owner. | The whole player-to-receiver chain must support the codec and channels. Actual receiver output needs verification. |
| Audio copy during live streaming | Copy policy covers AAC, AC-3 and E-AC-3, up to 6 channels in the reviewed live-audio module. | An unchanged video stream does not guarantee unchanged audio. |
| Surround conversion | Up to 5.1, choosing E-AC-3, AC-3 or AAC according to client capabilities. | Higher-channel layouts are folded down. A conversion is not lossless original passthrough. |
| Stereo / dialogue-focused mix | Channel-aware standard or dialogue-focused downmix. | Useful for phones and limited speakers; processing requires audio conversion. |
| Object-based audio | Can only remain intact through a compatible original/copy route. | Re-encoding/downmixing can remove object metadata. The actual receiver mode is the decisive check. |
| Night mode | Dynamic-range compression plus limiting. | Reduces loud/quiet contrast; it changes the soundtrack rather than adding extra speaker channels. |
| Volume levelling | Basic or measured R128-style loudness processing. | Useful between differently mastered titles; measurement can be pending and use a Basic fallback. |
| Audio timing adjustment | Correction clamped to ±500 milliseconds. | Requires audio processing; availability can differ by player. |
Beebo can also use guests’ phones as left, right and surround speakers for a movie (Beta); see Phone speakers. Phone-speaker roles and synchronized group listening are a separate feature from a theater receiver decoding a movie soundtrack. A front-left role label is not proof of certified multichannel receiver output. Read about connected phone speakers.
Choose a client, then check its distribution
The platform catalogue lists the available clients and tester downloads. A built app, a signed downloadable package, a store listing and tested hardware playback are four different milestones.
Phone, tablet and television
Use the client intended for your screen. Check remote-control navigation, focus, subtitles and selected audio on the actual television; a phone test does not validate the TV experience. Fire TV, Roku and LG TV tester builds are In development and not tested on a real TV yet; see Beebo on your devices for downloads and install guides.
Browser and casting routes
The browser or cast receiver can have different codecs and maximum picture sizes from the sending device. Check the receiving screen’s route and capabilities.
Desktop and server operating systems
Encoder and filter availability varies by operating system and package. A library included in a build recipe is not a completed hardware test.
Smooth playback starts with the entire connection
A home-theater stream depends on more than headline resolution. Original video can have much higher and more variable bitrate than a converted profile. Wi-Fi stability, storage read speed, the source computer’s upload speed away from home, receiver support and simultaneous viewers all matter.
Understand the three main limits
- Delivery: original bitrate plus audio and overhead must fit the path. Peak scenes can exceed the average.
- Processing: the computer must decode, scale, tone-map, overlay subtitles and encode quickly enough when those operations are requested.
- Receiving: the player must decode and display the selected format. Server hardware cannot add a codec or HDR mode that the device lacks.
Conversion concurrency is a protective setting, not a promise of a fixed number of 4K streams on every machine. Start with one representative file, then add viewers while watching measured load.
Built features, honest testing labels
A ✓ Built · local checks passed label identifies the stated local verification scope, with real-user/device testing still needed. A ✓ Device tested label requires a recorded test on the stated equipment. Built · verification pending means implementation was inspected without a matching completed test record in this review. Hardware requirements are conditions, not a failure status.
Documented local integration checks cover parts of the direct/remux/HLS pipeline. Receiver modes, dynamic HDR presentation, real television playback, large 4K startup and each hardware/driver combination still need their own evidence. Their presence in the source is described as built; no unperformed equipment test is represented as complete.
A home-theater tester checklist
- Record the exact release, device, operating system, display and receiver.
- Try an authorized 1080p original and a 4K original. Confirm the selected playback route.
- Enable text subtitles, then test a source with image subtitles and observe whether conversion begins.
- Select stereo and surround tracks. Check the receiver display for the actual codec/channel mode.
- Test HDR original, then a lower-quality conversion; compare color and brightness.
- Seek forward/back, pause/resume, and test reconnect without losing audio/subtitle choices.
Join the testing programme and include the conditions that worked or failed.