Start with the mode actually reported
A Kodi display whitelist concerns combinations of resolution and refresh rate. A television supporting a resolution somewhere in its specification does not prove every combination is available through the current connection. Begin with the actual player, operating system, receiver and display inputs.
Choose one authorized local sample and record its dimensions and frame rate. Also record the output while it plays. For an original comparison, a 1080-line sample and a higher-resolution desktop can legitimately show different numbers. Keep source properties and output properties in separate columns rather than treating one as proof of the other.
Read the current whitelist behavior
Kodi’s display settings documentation says a configured whitelist limits switching to selected exact resolution-and-rate entries. The offered modes depend on the connected hardware. Open the actual Expert-level whitelist where available and record the original selections before changing them.
Choose only a mode that the current system genuinely offers. A number copied from a tutorial for another display is not an available output mode. Keep the intended pair precise; selecting the same resolution at a different rate does not establish that the desired timing has been permitted.
Compare one pair with the same media
After a deliberate selection, start the same sample and inspect the actual output. Keep Kodi’s refresh-switching behavior noted as a separate setting. A whitelist entry alone does not show that the playback-start route requested a switch or that every condition for the selected mode was met.
Observe the transition, stable output and return to the interface. If the display cannot be viewed normally, use the system’s supported recovery route and restore the recorded working configuration. Avoid testing a series of unfamiliar modes without preserving a way back to a usable screen.
Interpret the result without changing the source claim
If output remains at the desktop mode, retain that result with the selected pair and switching setting. Do not rename or re-encode the sample merely to make the display banner look different. A later decoder or motion investigation can use the same known source once output selection is understood.
The expected outcome is a small justified whitelist for the actual route. It does not upscale source detail, certify a cable’s advertised version or prove every receiver supports every mode. Keep the final selections with the hardware inventory so a future HDMI-route change prompts a fresh verification.
Questions answered
Does selecting a resolution permit every refresh rate at that resolution?
No. The documented whitelist concerns exact resolution-and-refresh combinations. Check the intended pair.
Does a whitelisted mode prove that playback switched to it?
No. Observe the actual output with the same sample and retain the relevant refresh-switching setting as a separate condition.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.