Samsung’s HDR10+ Advanced Takes on Dolby Vision
▼ Summary
– Samsung’s new dynamic HDR format includes six features similar to Dolby Vision 2, as shown in a simulated demo.
– The format will enhance picture brightness for 4,000-5,000 nit TVs and adapt images to genres, motion smoothing, and ambient light.
– It will also improve visual performance for streamed games, tone mapping for different screen areas, and color control.
– Support from streaming services is required for viewers to experience these benefits, with Amazon Prime Video already on board.
– Adoption by other services like Netflix and Disney may be slow, as seen with the original HDR10 Plus format.
Samsung has unveiled its latest high dynamic range technology, HDR10+ Advanced, positioning it as a direct competitor to Dolby Vision. During a recent press demonstration, Samsung showcased simulated footage highlighting six key capabilities that closely mirror those announced for the upcoming Dolby Vision 2 specification. This strategic move signals Samsung’s intent to capture a larger share of the premium television market by offering a robust alternative to the established Dolby standard.
The new format is engineered to leverage the full potential of modern high-brightness displays. It promises to enhance picture quality on televisions capable of reaching between 4,000 and 5,000 nits, a brightness level now available in the latest models. Beyond sheer luminance, HDR10+ Advanced introduces intelligent features that tailor the viewing experience. The technology can automatically adjust the image presentation based on the content’s genre, providing optimized settings for movies, sports, or documentaries. It also offers granular control over motion smoothing effects, a feature often debated among home cinema enthusiasts.
For gamers, the format aims to significantly improve the visual fidelity of streamed games, delivering a more responsive and vibrant picture. Another practical innovation is its ability to adapt the picture dynamically to a room’s ambient lighting conditions, ensuring a consistent and comfortable viewing experience regardless of the time of day. Furthermore, HDR10+ Advanced employs more sophisticated tone mapping, allowing it to precisely manage brightness and contrast in different zones of the screen simultaneously for greater detail in both shadows and highlights. It also provides content creators with more precise tools for color grading, promising richer and more accurate colors.
However, the success of this new format is not solely in the hands of television manufacturers. For consumers to experience these advancements, streaming platforms must integrate support for HDR10+ Advanced into their applications and content libraries. Currently, Amazon Prime Video is the only major service confirmed to be supporting the new standard. Given the historical adoption timeline, where it took services like Netflix and Disney+ several years to support the original HDR10+ format after its 2018 introduction, the industry will be watching closely to see how quickly other streaming giants follow Amazon’s lead and implement HDR10+ Advanced.
(Source: The Verge)
