Samsung and Amazon have announced the HDR10+ open standard:
HDR10+ elevates the HDR10 open standard with the addition of Dynamic Tone Mapping. The current HDR10 standard utilizes static metadata that does not change during playback despite scene specific brightness levels. As a result, image quality may not be optimal in some scenes. For example, when a movie's overall color scheme is very bright but has a few scenes filmed in relatively dim lighting, those scenes will appear significantly darker than what was originally envisioned by the director.
HDR10+ incorporates dynamic metadata that allows a high dynamic range (HDR) TV to adjust brightness levels on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis. With the ability to display outstanding contrast with detailed highlights and a richer range of colors, HDR10+ produces images that are much closer to the director's intent.
All of Samsung's 2017 UHD TVs, including its premium QLED TV lineup, support HDR10+. In the second half of this year, Samsung's 2016 UHD TVs will gain HDR10+ support through a firmware update.
This is in contrast to the closed Dolby Vision standard:
Dynamic metadata is a particularly important addition in HDR10+ as it closes the gap between the open HDR standard and the closed Dolby Vision spec, which had previously touted dynamic metadata as one of its main differentiators over the original HDR10 standard. (Although Dolby still leads the pack when it comes to the highest color and brightness requirements, at least for now.) And of course, I'd be remiss in noting that unfortunately, the addition of HDR10+ now marks the fifth major HDR standard vying for industry support, along with the original HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG, and Advanced HDR, because clearly four different versions were not quite enough for anyone yet.
Also at 4k.com, CNET, Digital Trends, and PC Magazine.
Related Stories
VESA has announced the first version of its DisplayHDR specification, which defines standards that displays must meet to be certified by VESA as enabling the use of high dynamic range (HDR). Three tiers are defined: DisplayHDR-400 (low-end), DisplayHDR-600 (mid-range), and DisplayHDR-1000 (high-end). The number is the minimum peak luminance (in nits) that the display must be able to output:
The core of the DisplayHDR standard is a performance test suite specification and associated performance tiers. The three tiers have performance criteria related to HDR attributes such as luminance, color gamut, bit depth, and rise time, corresponding to new trademarked DisplayHDR logos. Initially aiming at LCD laptop displays and PC desktop monitors, DisplayHDR permits self-certification by VESA members, as well as end-user testing, for which VESA is also developing a publicly available automated test tool.
[...] In terms of the first two luminance tests, the minimum 400, 600, and 1000 nit (cd/m2) requirements give the respective DisplayHDR tiers their namesake. At the base level is DisplayHDR-400, which for AnandTech-level enthusiasts is likely to come off as a bit disappointing/unaggressive. To the credit of the VESA, the standard tightens things up over budget LCD monitors and laptops; in particular it requires much higher luminance levels and true 8bpc color support (6+2 is explicitly disallowed). This is coupled with the previously mandatory support for HDR10, and black-to-white response time requirements. However it does not require any "advanced" features,such as the DCI-P3 color space – instead allowing 95% of sRGB – and both the max and min brightness requirements are still quite tame for HDR. Based on the VESA's guidance, it sounds like this is primarily aimed at laptops, where displays are historically power-limited and anything better than global dimming is unlikely to be used.
Moving things up a notch are DisplayHDR-600 and 1000. These two standards are quite similar outside of their maximum luminance, and both are much closer to the requirements many would expect for an HDR specification. In particular, these two tiers require 10-bit color (8-bit native + 2-bit dithering permitted), much lower minimum black levels, as well as having color gamut coverage a minimum of 99% Rec. 709 and 90% DCI-P3. Gamut-wise, VESA mentioned that minimum coverage was essentially tolerance metrics by another name. Of particular note here, while the VESA does not require local dimming for any of the DisplayHDR standards, they note that they don't believe these tiers to be achievable without local dimming, at least not with current LCD technology.
Also at Tom's Hardware.
Related: Samsung and Amazon Announce HDR10+ Standard for High Dynamic Range Video
(Score: 2) by Celestial on Sunday April 23 2017, @10:38PM (11 children)
As someone that currently owns about eighteen films on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray, I look forward to all of the re-releases with the new HDR10+. Sigh.
(Score: 1) by corey on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:05PM (8 children)
Yep and now you must go out and buy a new TV.
Nice timing for Samsung to announce this 'standard' when it's already implemented in their high end TVs. Generate the news, generate the need, drive sales. Profit.
I like the sentence about richer colours, more like what the director intended blah blah. Like hdr10 (non +) didn't already?
(Score: 3, Informative) by Celestial on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:21PM (7 children)
According to Samsung, HDR10 television sets can be upgraded to HDR10+ with a firmware upgrade. So, no new television required. However, as I said, what will require re-purchasing are the re-releases of the films already out on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:26PM (4 children)
Don't worry the bay of re-releases will take care of that faster than you can grab your hands on a disc ;)
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:40PM (3 children)
Amazon couldn't care less about discs. Their involvement obviously pertains to original streaming content they produced. So if you have an Amazon Prime account and the correct TV, you are ready to go.
HDR can be a major stylistic change so I doubt we will see too much old content remastered for HDR. It will be a bigger consideration for new content, especially where the benefits are clear (maybe fantasy stuff like Game of Thrones, or anything in a film noir style).
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(Score: 2) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Monday April 24 2017, @02:05AM
There may be some benefit for black & white stuff. But 4k is probably enough resolution to dither instead.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday April 24 2017, @04:22AM (1 child)
I'll guess the film Sin City [wikipedia.org] is a prime target for a HDR enhancement. Other candidates are Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow [wikipedia.org], Casshern [wikipedia.org], Immortal [wikipedia.org] etc.
Btw, how many bits/s does Amazon Prime chew up?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday April 24 2017, @04:39AM
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201859000 [amazon.com]
BTW you have asked so many questions lately that you can just Google.
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(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:43PM (1 child)
> According to Samsung, HDR10 television sets can be upgraded to HDR10+ with a firmware upgrade. So, no new television required.
Only certain models of Samsung sets. And they don't speak for any other manufacturers.
Its also not clear if they will support HDR10+ over HDMI or only for streamed content using the internal streaming apps.
That's because the HDMI protocol will also need a new revision (2.1) in order to support the new dynamic meta-data.
You'll also need a new bluray player that knows how to transmit the new meta-data.
If history is any guide, you are boned.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday April 24 2017, @04:36AM
I think there's an obvious way out in which you can screw the planned obsolesce in this case. If they will support HDR10+ for streamed content using the internal apps. Then surely one can fake the BluRay disc as a streaming service on a PC and have ones own app receive the video over Ethernet which is then displayed as HDR10+ etc. And if it's only over HDMI.. well then the standard ways of things will do.
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Monday April 24 2017, @12:29AM (1 child)
The {wonderful | nice} thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from.
--{Grace M. Hopper | Andrew S. Tanenbaum}
(Score: 2) by wonkey_monkey on Monday April 24 2017, @03:55PM
Great, there isn't even a single standardised version of that aphorism now!
systemd is Roko's Basilisk
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday April 23 2017, @10:40PM (2 children)
People taking algorithms that have been implemented in ridiculously simple hardware for half a century and only now are applying them to digital video?
* A-hem...* Color me impressed!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:08PM (1 child)
I want to see brighter whites and deeper blacks.
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(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @01:57AM
Racist!
(Score: 2) by bart9h on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:09PM (2 children)
We have enough spatial resolution already. Give me more color resolution. 8 bits per channel is not enough for a smooth gradient of colors.
(Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:14PM
All of the standards already have more than 8 bits per channel. Regular HDR10 has 10 bits, HDR10+ probably the same, and Dolby has 12.
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(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @02:33AM
Even if you increase the bits per channel most compression ruins it anyway.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:30PM (5 children)
Is it the specified use of patented technology? or submarine patents? dead end development map because the standard thought "640k enough.." ? IP rights only for recording?
Large corporations rarely do things to be nice unless it lines their bottom line somewhere..
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday April 23 2017, @11:35PM (4 children)
Samsung wants to add a selling point to their TVs and Amazon distributes content and has to be on top of HDR since, like Netflix and others, it produces original content. That means that directors have to take into account the effects of HDR if they want creative control over it. I imagine a film noir style would look very different with HDR.
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(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday April 24 2017, @03:16AM (3 children)
Any reason why manufacturers will not go with Dolby Vision spec?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday April 24 2017, @03:55AM (2 children)
https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/5/14180456/hdr-formats-hdr10-dolby-vision-hlg-advanced-ces-2017 [theverge.com]
But then you have this:
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/139947-what-is-dolby-vision-dolby-s-very-own-hdr-tv-tech-explained [pocket-lint.com]
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(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday April 24 2017, @04:27AM (1 child)
since it can calibrate the picture for the specific TV hardware
Doesn't sound like rocket science. Should be possible to replicate using other means. And I assume it's the backlight and display panel that is the critical pieces of hardware to calibrate for besides ambient room light. One catch is of course that take into account the direction of light. Ie into the display or reflected etc.
On the marketing side. If a significant number of displays become HDR10+ capable instantly with a firmware update. Then Dolby will have a uphill battle. The other side of things is adoption from film studios.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday April 24 2017, @06:42PM
I'm holding out for HDR14++.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @12:53AM (2 children)
XKCD on standards [xkcd.com]
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday April 24 2017, @04:32AM
I think that Blu-ray Disc Association in 2016 released Ultra HD Blu-ray with mandatory support for HDR10 probably closed the case for Dolby.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday April 25 2017, @12:31AM
That one was far too obvious for the Editor to pass on. See the Dept: line ...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @06:59PM (1 child)
what about the dumb ass directors who film it so dark you can't see shit or have background noises way louder than dialogue, etc? they are completely oblivious. cheap films do impossible shit that someone with even the slightest bit of common sense should have noticed. not being a dumb ass doesn't cost more money you B directors.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday April 25 2017, @12:33AM
If it wasn't so dark/chopped/muted, wouldn't you notice that they haven't come up with many original ideas in a few decades?