If you ’ve browse fora new TV , laptop , phone , or basically any modernistic technical school twist that includes a screen , you ’ve belike get along across the acronym HDR before . Quite simply , HDR stands for High Dynamic Range . Great ! Now what does that mean , on the button ? Well , when it come to 4 K and8 K TVs , HDR refers to a series of advanced picture formats that compatible TVs are able-bodied to decode . On paper , these are criterion likeHDR10 , HDR10 + , andDolby Vision .

When a video is display HDR content , there ’s a in force hazard that the final pictorial matter is quite a bit brighter and much more colorful than a non - HDR scene ( we call this SDR , or Standard Dynamic Range ) . But like anything tech - related , HDR is n’t as black-market - and - white as “ does my unexampled video have it , or does n’t it ? ” That ’s why we ’ve created this guide to teach you everything you ’d ever want to know about HDR technology .

What is an HDR TV?

An HDR telecasting is a telecasting ( usually with 4 K or 8 K firmness , but not always ) with built - in reinforcement for one or more HDR formatting . HDR formats — as opposed to standard active compass or SDR — can render a much bright image with a higher point of direct contrast between light and saturnine areas on the screen while also taking vantage of more colors to create a much more naturalistic image . In short , HDR looks way better than SDR .

Do n’t take our parole for it . Check out an HDR television ( that expose HDR content ) side - by - side with a non - HDR TV at your local retailer , and we vouch you will be impressed . The departure can be like nighttime and 24-hour interval .

HDR: The basics

What do you need for HDR TV?

Before we go any further , rent ’s set the degree . To have HDR on a TV , you necessitate at least two things : A TV that supports one or more HDR formats and the actual content that is produced using one ( or more ) of those HDR formats . A third , optional part is a playback gimmick like anUltra HD Blu - ray playerorstreaming devicesthat is HDR - compatible .

We say optional because most HDR TVs are also smart telecasting , which means they already have apps forstreaming serviceslike Netflix andAmazon Prime Video . If you ’ve got an HDR TV and that video can rain buckets HDR content from your favorite streaming service , then that ’s all you really need .

Are all HDR TVs equal?

No , not by a farsighted nip . You ’ll ascertain HDR TVs at tons of different prices and size , and ikon lineament can vary dramatically . We ’ll get into the specifics in a moment , but all of HDR ’s benefits ( brightness , contrast , color , etc . ) can only be appreciate if your TV can fully reproduce them . A gorgeous 4 K HDR stream ofStar war : The Empire Strikes Backfrom Disney+ only wo n’t look as good on a $ 500 55 - inch 4 K HDR LED TV as it will on a $ 1,200 55 - inch 4 G HDROLED TV or QLED TV .

Think of it like mellow - octane gasoline : you’re able to put that same fuel in a Hyundai or a Ferrari , but what the Hyundai does with that fuel is nothing like what the Ferrari can do with it . A high - quality HDR video will make HDR cognitive content look its best .

So what’s so special about HDR anyway?

HDR content ( when viewed on a high-pitched - lineament HDR TV ) looks better than received dynamical mountain range ( SDR ) content because it is brighter and more colorful . You do n’t agnize it until you see it next to HDR , but SDR cognitive content — the sort we ’ve been watch for decennary on TV , videodisc , and older Blu - ray of light — is n’t all that vibrant . HDR ramp up all of the elements we can see so that they ’re more graphic , or at least more like the form of images you ’d seen in a picture show theater .

After you ’ve watch over HDR content , move back to SDR can feel dull and lifeless .

Better brightness, better contrast

HDR increases the contrast of any give on - cover image by increasing brightness . line is the difference between the brightest whites and darkest blacks a goggle box can display . It ’s typically measured as a ratio , for example , 1:2,000,000 , which , in this instance , would mean that that boob tube can exhibit a bright field that is 2,000,000 times brighter than its correspondingly dark area .

By increase the maximum brightness ( commonly measured in nit ) for a given look-alike , HDR TVs can have a higher contrast ratio . LED goggle box , in particular , benefit from this increased luminosity , as they ca n’t show blacks as deep and dark as OLED television , so they demand to get brighter to reach the same or good demarcation ratio . For more on the differences between OLED and lead TVs , check outour full explainer .

As an divagation , if you ever see a TV ( normally an OLED video ) market itself with the words “ countless contrast , ” that ’s a clever elbow room of saying that if the colored part of the look-alike is perfectly black , then technically address , the brightest part of the image is infinitely brighter , even if it ’s not very bright at all . Whether you buy into this reasoning or not , an OLED TV ’s ability to kill all illumination come from an individual pixel does give it the best black level presently potential .

stock dynamic mountain range TVs generally produce 300 to 500 nits of brightness at most , but in universal , HDR TVs aim much higher . Some top - tier models can exhibit upward of 2,000 nits of superlative luminosity for HDR highlights .

Brightness , more than any other attribute , is what TVs need to make HDR image occur alive , which is why you should always check the peak brightness specs of a raw HDR tv set . see for a TV that can deliver at least 1,000 nits to get the most out of today ’s HDR content .

More colors, too

4 K and 8 K TVs equipped with HDR applied science almost always own the ability to display Wide Color Gamut ( WCG ) . WCG provides a larger colour pallette than what HDTVs have been able to show in the past . 8 - bit people of colour , with its millions of shades , used to be the average , but WCG offers 10 - number color for billions of ghost .

HDR content takes reward of WCG by encoding video using more of those useable colors . When you watch HDR material on an HDR TV , these extra colors add together to realism — because they better rival what the human eye is up to of seeing in nature — but they also improve things like gradients , where you have a single surface area on the filmdom that shift from one end of a color shade to another , like bright red to dark Marxist . More color dark glasses mean these shifts will appear smooth .

The many versions of HDR

As we mentioned above , there is n’t just one HDR format . In fact , at the moment , there are five contend HDR data formatting : HDR10 , Dolby Vision , HLG , HDR10 + , and sophisticated HDR by Technicolor . If you ’re worried that this will lead to a data formatting war , akin to what we saw with VHS vs Beta or Blu - ray vs HD - DVD , you ’re right — there is a risk this could happen . However , the hazard is lower this clip because many of the top TV brands support all of the most common HDR format , and backward compatibility has been let in from the start . There are some exceptions , though , which we ’ll cover in a moment .

For now , allow ’s take a feeling at each HDR formatting to see how they differ .

HDR10

Though not the first HDR format to emerge , HDR10 is by far the most widely used . If you have an HDR television , it sustain HDR10 , even if it does n’t bear out any other HDR formats . HDR10 is the de facto HDR monetary standard because it ’s open - source and royalty - liberal , which means any manufacturer can go through it on its tv without a licensing fee . HDR10 allow for many of the improvements to epitome quality that HDR hold possible , but it is not as sophisticated as some of the other HDR formats .

HDR10 uses 10 - bit color , which provides for billion of people of colour , versus the millions of colour used by the preponderantly 8 - piece color of SDR . From a brightness ( and thus contrast ) point of view , HDR10 provides for a theoretical utmost of 10,000 nits .

We say “ theoretical ” because TVs with this sort of brightness are almost unsufferable to find , and actual HDR content come nowhere close to this luminosity level . However , HDR10 has nobottomlimit on brightness , meaning some HDR10 capacity can be created at level as abject as 400 nits , which will barely sense bright than SDR .

HDR10 apply metadata that rides along with the video signal down an HDMI cable and let the reservoir telecasting to tell a TV how to display people of colour . HDR10 uses a fairly simple glide path , send metadata once at the start of a video . This is be intimate as “ inactive ” metadata , and it ’s an effective , low-pitched - bandwidth fashion of adding the extra data required by HDR , but it ’s also limit compared to other approaching , as we ’ll see with Dolby Vision .

Dolby Vision

Before there was HDR10 , there wasDolby Vision . The relationship is surprisingly similar to the old Betamax and VHS videotape standards of the late LXX and 80s . Sony ’s Betamax was undeniably superior to VHS in many way . Still , because of Sony ’s insistence on high licensing fee , it finally lost out to the less capable but far more low-cost VHS .

Dolby Visionis a proprietary HDR data formatting developed and licensed by Dolby Labs . Like HDR10 , it can support brightness up to 10,000 nit , however Dolby Vision has a technological advantage over HDR10 from a colouration place percentage point of view : Dolby Vision supports 12 - snatch color which dilate the number of uncommitted colors to a Brobdingnagian 68 billion .

For now , that ’s strictly a potential advantage — no current HDR cloth is mastered using 12 - bit color — and only a fistful of professional varan can even expose it . We are , however , a third of the way toward a 12 - bit future : HDMI 2.1 48Gbps connection can transmit 12 - bit signals , so now we ’re just waiting for the content ( and our TV panels ) to catch up .

Where Dolby Vision ’s benefit can be appreciated immediately is its use of dynamic metadata , which means that every setting and every frame of video can be correct with colour and direct contrast information . It ’s a huge amount of additional information and the result is capacity that looks far better than HDR10 and comes nearer to what a filmmaker create when they produced their movie or show .

ultimately , the Dolby Vision formatting contain information about the equipment that was used to create the master recording . Using this info , your video can then recalibrate some of its display setting to cancel the conflict between the mastering equipment and your base TV .

Because of the licensing fees affiliate with Dolby Vision , not all HDR tv patronize this format . Only those that specifically impart the Dolby Vision logotype are compatible . Likewise , not all HDR cognitive content is available in Dolby Vision . To see true Dolby Vision HDR , you necessitate both a Dolby Vision source ( like UHD 4 K Blu - ray or Dolby Vision streaming video recording ) and a video ( and peradventure a stream twist ) that can show it .

Nowadays , it ’s rarefied to line up a becoming HDR TV that does n’t tolerate Dolby Vision , with one gravid exclusion : Samsung television have never included Dolby Vision compatibility , and we do n’t see any sign that the company is about to reconsider its position .

Keep in mind , if you like to watch stream media through a do - top box , not all of them support Dolby Vision . Roku ’s card of cyclosis devices is a notable example . Only the flagship Roku Ultra 2022 support Dolby Vision ; the rest are restrain to HDR10 .

On the content side of the equality , you will discover wide and growing support for Dolby Vision on 4 K UHD Blu - rays , swarm media service like Netflix , Amazon Prime , Apple TV+ , andDisney+ , and on many TVs and devicesfrom brands likeLG , Vizio , TCL , Sony , and Apple .

HDR10+

Samsung ’s conclusion to boycott Dolby Vision might fall upon you as unmatched , but there ’s a method acting to its madness . Dolby Vision ’s licensing fee requirement prompted a mathematical group of companies led by Samsung to originate an undecided - source HDR data format that shares most of the advantages of Dolby Vision but without the fees . HDR10+is that format . Like Dolby Vision , it bear a maximal brightness of 10,000 nits , up to 16 - bite colouring , and dynamical metadata for more precise colouring material and dividing line in every view or even every frame .

HDR10 + ca n’t claim Dolby Vision ’s extra information concerning the gear that was used to do mastering , but that ’s not a deal - ledgeman .

A much tougher vault that HDR10 + must overcome is content availability and manufacturer support . TV support is improving rapidly , with compatible model available from Samsung ( naturally ) , Panasonic , Toshiba , Amazon , TCL , and Hisense . But that still go away two giants — LG and Sony — as standouts . Apple now corroborate HDR10 + on its most recent Apple TV 4 K , but previous versions did not .

cyclosis support remains spotty . While almost all streaming overhaul support Dolby Vision , only Apple TV+ , Hulu , Amazon Prime Video , Paramount+ , YouTube , Google Play Movies , andmost lately Netflix , plump for HDR10 + .

Other contenders

Dolby Vision and HDR10 ( and , to a lesser extent , HDR10 + ) are currently experience as the large players in HDR , but there are two other HDR formats we should mention . Hybrid Log - Gamma ( HLG ) is a format born from a partnership between the BBC and Japanese broadcaster NHK . It was developed with an emphasis on live broadcast medium , though it can also be used for prerecorded cognitive content .

Unlike HDR10 , HDR10 + , and Dolby Vision , HLG does n’t expend metadata , which could turn to its reward in some ways , calculate on how television manufacturers apply it . Additionally , HLG is the defacto HDR format for broadcast TV because it ’s backward compatible with senior SDR idiot box . For a more thorough look into the matter , readour complete guide to HLG , which discusses both what it offers mighty now and what it could declare oneself in the futurity .

Technicolor was an other role player in HDR , and at CES 2016 , the company harbinger a partnership with Philips to make a new formatting . Like HLG , modern HDR by Technicolor aims to be backward compatible with SDR displays , which the companies said in a press release “ will simplify HDR deployments for distributors , who will be able to send one signaling to all of their client , regardless of which TV they have . ” This likely explicate why Technicolor Advanced HDR is included in the newATSC 3.0 broadcast monetary standard .

One challenging vista of Advanced HDR is that it assure to take SDR content and “ upscale ” it to HDR , presumably in the same elbow room that 4 K tv set can upscale non-4 atomic number 19 message . So far , we have yet to see any capacity come along in this formatting .

What can we watch in HDR?

These are the easiest ways to get your HDR fix :

Ultra HD Blu-ray

offer the high - quality speech method for a top - tier up HDR experience at home , UHD Blu - ray allows for 4 K UHD settlement , HDR and colour elaboration , alongside beleaguer sound formats likeDolby AtmosandDTS : X.

Ultra HD Blu - ray tone ending with HDR have become the raw monetary standard , and   HDR10 is presently the leader there , though Dolby Vision is working intemperately to capture up . Which discs do HDR sound ? Check out our picks forthe best 4 K UHD Blu - beam of light releases .

Netflix

It probably comes as no surprisal that   Netflix was one of the first companies to announce HDR   support . Its first HDR title , Marco Polo , was joined by a issue of other Netflix originals such asAltered Carbon , and the third time of year ofStranger Things . HDR titles from Netflixare presently useable in HDR10 , HDR10 + , and Dolby Vision .

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon also announced HDR support clean early on . A number of HDR pic   are useable viaAmazon Prime Video , along with many of its original serial , includingJack Ryan(in Dolby Vision),Man in the High Castle , Transparent , Mozart in the Jungle , andThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel . It ’s likely that most if not all of Amazon ’s future original programming will also be available in   HDR .

Disney+

From its first day of cyclosis , Disney+ has been heavily dedicated to HDR content . It ’s the only place you’re able to watch all of the Star Wars picture show in both 4 K and HDR . Many of its headlining movies and appearance , like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the originalThe Mandalorian , are present in Dolby Vision and HDR10 . No matter which formats your HDR TV supports , you ’ll get the best potential characterization caliber .

iTunes

Alongside the 2017 launching of theApple TV 4 green , the iTunes Store was updated to offer movies and boob tube shows in HDR . Both HDR10 and Dolby Vision title are useable , with a handy icon flagging which movies use which format .

One perk for those impinge in the Apple ecosystem is that eligible iTunes titles you already own are mechanically updated to the HDR version , so you do n’t have to purchase a motion-picture show or TV show twice . If you ’re an Apple fan who just bought a new 4 M HDR TV and an Apple TV 4 honey oil , this could be a heavy fashion to show them off without spending more money .

Apple TV+

You ’ll discover that almost all of the content onApple TV+is in HDR and put up HDR10 , Dolby Vision , and HDR10 + . There ’s nowhere virtually as much content as you ’ll discover on other services , but what Apple TV+ lack in quantity , it makes up for in tone .

Google TV

Like Apple TV+ , the Google TV / Android platform TV offers content that abide HDR,10 , HDR10 + , and Dolby Vision formats .

YouTube

It does n’t share much in common with the above service , but YouTube does stream in HDR . YouTube supports cyclosis in HDR10 and HDR10 + and can be see on a compatible machine or TV , but you may not rule much in the fashion of HDR10 + mental object right now . Google has n’t said much about whether YouTube will ever support Dolby Vision .

In price of subject matter , there are a whole lot of television depict off the power of HDR — there ’s even adedicated HDR TV channel . This is great for showing off your tv set , and down the road , we ’re certain there will be more content making economic consumption of it . For now , it ’s mainly a fun novelty .

Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu)

One of the earliest providers of 4 K programming , Vudu was also quick to offer HDR living . Now operating as theFandango at Home , the service has one of the largest libraries of 4 K movies and TV shows useable for letting or purchase , many with HDR as well asDolby Atmossurround sound .

For some time , Vudu ’s HDR offerings were only useable in Dolby Vision . In November 2017 , the fellowship announcedcomplete support for HDR10 , making its library of HDR titles uncommitted on a far greater compass of gimmick .

What about gaming?

While most guide focus on passive viewing experience for HDR , secret plan consolesare an important part of the give-and-take . With thePlayStation 5andXbox Series X and S , Sony and Microsoft have flip their hats into the HDR halo , but it can be much more complicated to access all that sparkly goodness than you might await . And unfortunately for Mario fans , the Nintendo Switch has zero HDR support whatsoever .

Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One S, Xbox One X

Both the Xbox Series X and S proffer native support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision . The latest Microsoft hardware also comes package with a feature forebode Auto - HDR . This upscales SDR images to appear nearer to honest HDR calibre . To take advantage of your latest Xbox ’s upconversion , you ’ll need to ensure your TV is set to Game modal value . You ’ll then require to inscribe your organisation setting to calibrate your TV image . SelectPower and System > preferences > General > TV and Display options . Then , selectCalibrate HDR for Games .

Xbox streaming in HDR work with Netflix , Amazon Prime Video , Vudu , Plex , and YouTube . But Microsoft has taken matter a step further by including an Ultra HD Blu - shaft of light crusade built - in , meaning you get twice the bang for the buck — especially debate the Xbox One S is priced competitively with many UHD Blu - ray instrumentalist .

PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and PS4 Pro

The PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro include onboard HDR support , but it can be a routine buggy . Many PS5 owner have reported their tv display in non - HDR formats even when TV input and system setting are correct . fortuitously , there are a few ways to attempt andwork around the outcome .

Unlike Microsoft ’s first effort , Sony added HDR to the original PS4 without 4 K Ultra HD support . That mean it wo n’t be very helpful as a rain cats and dogs gadget for HDR , especially since apps like Netflix and Amazon presently only support HDR alongside 4K.

The PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro featureHDMI 2.1 connectivity , while the PlayStation 4 Pro has HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 capabilities , which allow them to offer both 4 K and HDR10 . Dolby Vision is still not supported by any PlayStation console .

Unlike the Xbox One S and Xbox One X — and this is key for base field of operations partisan — Sonydidn’tinclude a UHD Blu - ray drive in the PS4 Pro ( even though Sony excogitate Blu - ray ) . That ’s quite surprising considering how much the built - in DVD drive help sales event of the PlayStation 2 , while the PlayStation 3 helped Sony ’s Blu - ray format bring home the bacon the high - definition computer hardware war over HD DVD . luckily , the standard version of the PlayStation 5 does come with a 4 K UHD disc drive ( the cheaper digital edition does n’t ) .

aboriginal 4 K gambling is possible on the PS4 Pro , though it ’s a complicated situation , as some games are native while others are upscaled . HDR gaming is sustain for   a variety of title , includingUncharted 4 : A Thief ’s End , The Last of Us : Remastered , Thumper , and many more .

For VR gaming , you ’ll need to pay attention to the PlayStation VR translation you ’re using . The original PSVR did n’t allow HDR passthrough , which imply that even if you were playing an HDR VR game , the signal that was send to your telecasting would be stripped of its HDR selective information . The PSVR 2 solve this problem by provide HDR passthrough .

Is IMAX Enhanced the same as HDR?

No , it is not . IMAX Enhanced refers to any TV or projector with the IMAX Enhanced credential . This mean that cinema and TV shows mastered usingIMAX ’s postproduction technologywill look particularly great when viewed on an IMAX - indorse television set or projector . Viewers can also require rich colors , excellent contrast levels , and a slightly larger icon all around ( during IMAX tantrum ) , as IMAX Enhanced television set support the 1.90:1 IMAX aspect ratio .

A new 4 K QLED can be both IMAX Enhanced - certified and HDR - compatible .

Is Filmmaker Mode the same as HDR?

Samsung , LG , Hisense , and a host of other projector andTV brandshave a feature calledFilmmaker Modethat you ’ll be able to access on specific models . Where HDR kicks in once the idiot box receive an HDR signal from a movie , show , or plot , Filmmaker Mode is a characterisation preset you ’ll be able to tack to . Other vulgar presets let in Standard , Natural , and Dynamic ( or Vivid ) .

The idea behind Filmmaker Mode is to showcase mainstream and independent movie theater precisely the way of life the creatives behind the project intended for viewers to see the moving-picture show visually .