Bug 501622 - SDR black has faint glow
Summary: SDR black has faint glow
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: colour-management (show other bugs)
Version: 6.3.3
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-03-17 07:32 UTC by FK
Modified: 2025-03-24 17:01 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description FK 2025-03-17 07:32:58 UTC
SUMMARY
On my OLED screen I use as much black as possible (wallpaper, dark mode). With kwin-6.3.3 I noticed that in SDR mode my "solid color: black" wallpaper appears to have a faint gray. Switching to HDR mode has proper true black again.
This is with no ICC profile configured and "Prefer efficiency" set. Though toying with either didn't appear to change anything. 

Reminds me of a https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=494854 - except likely no vk_hdr_layer involved.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Own an OLED
2. Display black in SDR mode
3. Turn down external light sources in your room

OBSERVED RESULT
See the whole screen faintly glowing

EXPECTED RESULT
Only the mouse cursor should emit light

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.12.0
Qt Version: 6.8.2
Kernel Version: 6.13.6-arch1-1 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U with Radeon Graphics
Memory: 46.3 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon Graphics
Comment 1 Zamundaaa 2025-03-24 13:31:47 UTC
Can't replicate that on my LCD's backlight dimming, though the brightness levels they turn on might be different from OLED.

Please attach the output of kscreen-doctor -o
Comment 2 FK 2025-03-24 17:00:54 UTC
(In reply to Zamundaaa from comment #1)
> Can't replicate that on my LCD's backlight dimming, though the brightness
> levels they turn on might be different from OLED.
> 
> Please attach the output of kscreen-doctor -o
SDR:
Output: 4 HDMI-A-1
        enabled
        connected
        priority 1
        HDMI
        Modes:  91:3840x2160@60*!  92:4096x2160@120  93:4096x2160@120  94:4096x2160@100  95:4096x2160@60  96:4096x2160@60  97:4096x2160@50  98:4096x2160@30  99:4096x2160@30  100:4096x2160@25  101:4096x2160@24  102:4096x2160@24  103:3840x2160@120  104:3840x2160@120  105:3840x2160@100  106:3840x2160@60  107:3840x2160@60  108:3840x2160@50  109:3840x2160@30  110:3840x2160@30  111:3840x2160@25  112:3840x2160@24  113:3840x2160@24  114:2560x1440@120  115:1920x1200@60  116:1920x1080@120  117:1920x1080@120  118:1920x1080@100  119:1920x1080@60  120:1920x1080@60  121:1920x1080@60  122:1920x1080@50  123:1920x1080@30  124:1920x1080@30  125:1920x1080@25  126:1920x1080@24  127:1920x1080@24  128:1600x1200@60  129:1680x1050@60  130:1280x1024@60  131:1440x900@60  132:1280x800@60  133:1152x864@60  134:1280x720@60  135:1280x720@60  136:1280x720@50  137:1024x768@60  138:800x600@60  139:720x576@50  140:720x480@60  141:720x480@60  142:720x480@60  143:720x480@60  144:640x480@60  145:640x480@60  146:720x400@70  147:1600x1200@60  148:1280x1024@60  149:1024x768@60  150:2560x1600@60  151:1920x1200@60  152:1280x800@60  153:3840x2160@60  154:3200x1800@60  155:2880x1620@60  156:2560x1440@60  157:1920x1080@60  158:1600x900@60  159:1368x768@60  160:1280x720@60 
        Geometry: 0,0 3840x2160
        Scale: 1
        Rotation: 1
        Overscan: 0
        Vrr: Always
        RgbRange: unknown
        HDR: disabled
        Wide Color Gamut: disabled
        ICC profile: none
        Color profile source: sRGB
        Color power preference: prefer efficiency and performance
        Brightness control: supported, set to 100% and dimming to 100%
HDR:
Output: 4 HDMI-A-1
        enabled
        connected
        priority 1
        HDMI
        Modes:  91:3840x2160@60*!  92:4096x2160@120  93:4096x2160@120  94:4096x2160@100  95:4096x2160@60  96:4096x2160@60  97:4096x2160@50  98:4096x2160@30  99:4096x2160@30  100:4096x2160@25  101:4096x2160@24  102:4096x2160@24  103:3840x2160@120  104:3840x2160@120  105:3840x2160@100  106:3840x2160@60  107:3840x2160@60  108:3840x2160@50  109:3840x2160@30  110:3840x2160@30  111:3840x2160@25  112:3840x2160@24  113:3840x2160@24  114:2560x1440@120  115:1920x1200@60  116:1920x1080@120  117:1920x1080@120  118:1920x1080@100  119:1920x1080@60  120:1920x1080@60  121:1920x1080@60  122:1920x1080@50  123:1920x1080@30  124:1920x1080@30  125:1920x1080@25  126:1920x1080@24  127:1920x1080@24  128:1600x1200@60  129:1680x1050@60  130:1280x1024@60  131:1440x900@60  132:1280x800@60  133:1152x864@60  134:1280x720@60  135:1280x720@60  136:1280x720@50  137:1024x768@60  138:800x600@60  139:720x576@50  140:720x480@60  141:720x480@60  142:720x480@60  143:720x480@60  144:640x480@60  145:640x480@60  146:720x400@70  147:1600x1200@60  148:1280x1024@60  149:1024x768@60  150:2560x1600@60  151:1920x1200@60  152:1280x800@60  153:3840x2160@60  154:3200x1800@60  155:2880x1620@60  156:2560x1440@60  157:1920x1080@60  158:1600x900@60  159:1368x768@60  160:1280x720@60 
        Geometry: 0,0 3840x2160
        Scale: 1
        Rotation: 1
        Overscan: 0
        Vrr: Always
        RgbRange: unknown
        HDR: enabled
                SDR brightness: 150 nits
                SDR gamut wideness: 0%
                Peak brightness: unknown
                Max average brightness: unknown
                Min brightness: 0 nits
        Wide Color Gamut: enabled
        ICC profile: none
        Color profile source: sRGB
        Color power preference: prefer efficiency and performance
        Brightness control: supported, set to 100% and dimming to 100%

It's really faint, almost unnoticeable - much lower luminance iirc than with 494854.