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Introduction

In the digital age, the choice of consumer displays and projectors has never been better –

and never more potentially confusing. Exciting new device technologies and distribution

platforms are jostling for attention at the same time that video content itself is undergoing

a dramatic transformation called Ultra High Definition (Ultra HD).

smoothness

• High Dynamic Range (HDR) delivers greater impact via darker “darks” and

brighter “brights” along with more nuanced gradations for better delineation of

on-screen shapes.

The global standards-setting body, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),

established this next-generation technology via two landmark standards: ITU R-BT.2020

for Ultra HD and ITU R-BT.2100 for High Dynamic Range.

Although all of the technical advances under the Ultra HD umbrella are important, HDR

is critical. While production professionals and A/V enthusiast publications understand the

significance of HDR, it has not achieved awareness on par with its transformational

ecosystem fully delivers these advantages.

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The importance of High Dynamic Range

After decades of Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) television, HDR represents a

breakthrough. Consumers, if they’re aware of HDR at all, typically associate this

technology with “brighter” pictures, which are measured in units called “nits.” While

brightness is a major aspect of HDR – it is only one part of the story. HDR is really about

the entire dark-to-light range of tonal values, what cinematographers call “grayscale.”

HDR enables us to see the entire grayscale: not just the highlights, but all the shadows

and all the subtle gradations in between.

Today’s cameras capture deep shadows and bright highlights. SDR

can’t reproduce them. HDR can.

HDR starts with better reproduction of the grayscale extremes: deeper blacks and brighter

highlights. You also get better detail in the brightest areas of the scene – without the

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Additionally, you get better dark areas – without the information loss called “crushed

In the simulated SDR image at left, the circled shadow areas are

“crushed.” The simulated HDR image at right retains significant detail

in the boats, pine trees and the dock.

You’ll also see better expression of the “middle grays” that give on-screen objects their

apparent shape.

Middle grays help us interpret on-screen objects, here defining the

curvature of a ball on a flat surface.

The experts agree

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HDR to be one of the most beneficial features of the UHD standard.

“brilliantly realistic,” “a huge advancement,” “like night and day,” “impressive,” and an

“entirely new level.”

In short, HDR is a giant step forward delivering a better, more engaging entertainment

experience across all types of screens.

Dramatically better picture quality in consumer displays is just half of the story. To the

creative community, HDR goes directly to the heart of visual storytelling, enabling a

greater range of expression. Careful control of grayscale’s light and shadow helps to

establish mood, convey realistic skin tones and identify what to look for in a scene. In

fact, grayscale is so important that for each individual scene, movie crews typically set up

should be.”

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Summit on Cinema, NAB 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H35yFAhnbXY

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The development of HDR10

The foundation of HDR was the establishment of the ITU R-BT.2100 standard, which

caused an explosion of interest in compatible content creation and consumer products. In

response to these developments, the trade group now known as the Consumer

Technology Association (CTA) adopted an easy-to-implement configuration for HDR

compatible displays. Announced in 2015 and built on the ITU standards, this was called

the “HDR10 Media Profile” because it incorporates 10-bit grayscale quantizing.

In addition to compelling picture quality, HDR10 provided other benefits:

• Any content creator can work with it.

• Device manufacturers can easily implement it.

• No payments to patent holders are necessary.

In a short period, HDR10 became widely utilized throughout the content, production,

utilizes one-size-fits-all “tone mapping” for the entire program, which limits flexibility.

(A detailed discussion on metadata and tone mapping appears in the section “A closer

look at HDR10+ technology.”) For greater flexibility, a “dynamic metadata” system

called HDR10+ was announced in April 2017. This direct extension of HDR10 is both

backward and forward compatible and is seamless to implement. By using dynamic

metadata, HDR10+ enables consumer devices to optimize tone mapping on a scene-by-

scene and frame-by-frame basis.

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Maximum light levels vary from scene to scene. For example,

highlights in the skyscraper scene at the bottom could extend up to

line in low-light scenes, delivering much more detail in the shadows.

To deliver all these technical benefits as a consistent user experience, HDR10+

Technologies, LLC was created. Since June 2018, the organization has been supporting

HDR10+ compatible content and services, plus certifying nearly 20,000 devices, which

can then display the HDR10+ logo. This also helps promote consumer awareness.

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The growing acceptance of HDR10+

professional content creation to consumer electronics.