Understanding HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+

High Dynamic Range (HDR) has become one of the most significant advancements in television picture quality since the transition to high definition. When implemented well, HDR delivers more lifelike images with greater contrast, brighter highlights, and more subtle colour gradations than standard dynamic range content. This guide explains what HDR is, how different formats compare, and what matters when choosing an HDR-capable TV.

What Is HDR and Why Does It Matter?

Dynamic range refers to the span between the darkest blacks and brightest whites a display can produce. Traditional SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) content was designed for older display technology with limited brightness capability—typically around 100 nits (a measurement of light output). Modern TVs can achieve 1,000 nits or more, with some exceeding 2,000 nits in highlights.

HDR content takes advantage of this expanded capability. Instead of being constrained to the limited range of SDR, HDR content can specify much brighter highlights and more subtle gradations between light and dark. The result is an image that more closely matches what the human eye sees in the real world.

The Visual Impact of HDR

Well-implemented HDR produces visible improvements across several areas:

• Specular highlights: Bright light sources—the sun, flames, reflections—can actually look bright rather than being clipped to the same white level as everything else
• Shadow detail: Dark areas retain visible detail rather than becoming uniform black
• Colour volume: HDR enables wider colour gamuts, meaning more saturated colours that remain accurate even at high brightness levels
• Contrast and depth: The greater range between dark and bright creates a more three-dimensional, lifelike image

HDR10: The Universal Standard

HDR10 is the foundational HDR format supported by virtually every HDR-capable device and piece of content. It's an open standard with no licensing fees, which has driven its universal adoption.

How HDR10 Works

HDR10 uses static metadata—information embedded at the beginning of the content that tells the TV about the overall brightness characteristics of the entire movie or show. The TV uses this information to map the content's brightness values to its own capabilities.

Key HDR10 specifications:

• 10-bit colour depth (approximately 1 billion colours)
• Static metadata (SMPTE ST 2086)
• Peak brightness up to 10,000 nits (content) / 1,000+ nits (typical displays)
• Rec. 2020 colour space

HDR10 Limitations

The static metadata approach means the TV receives only one set of brightness instructions for the entire content. A scene in bright sunlight receives the same tone mapping as a dark interior scene. On TVs with limited peak brightness, this can result in suboptimal rendering of some scenes—either blown-out highlights or crushed shadows depending on how the TV interprets the metadata.

Dolby Vision: The Premium Format

Dolby Vision is Dolby Laboratories' proprietary HDR format that addresses HDR10's limitations through dynamic metadata and enhanced specifications.

Dynamic Metadata Advantage

The key difference with Dolby Vision is scene-by-scene (or even frame-by-frame) metadata. Instead of one set of instructions for the entire movie, Dolby Vision provides specific guidance for each scene. The TV knows exactly how bright that sunrise should be and how dark that cave interior needs to be, optimising its tone mapping for every moment.

Dolby Vision Specifications

• Up to 12-bit colour depth (potential for 68 billion colours)
• Dynamic metadata scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame
• Support for peak brightness up to 10,000 nits
• Backward compatible with HDR10
• Proprietary—requires licensing for implementation

Dolby Vision IQ

Dolby Vision IQ is an enhanced version that uses the TV's ambient light sensor to adjust HDR presentation based on room lighting conditions. In a dark room, you see the full intended contrast; in a brighter room, the TV adjusts to maintain visibility without washing out the image.

HDR10+: Samsung's Dynamic Alternative

HDR10+ is Samsung's answer to Dolby Vision, adding dynamic metadata to the HDR10 foundation without the licensing requirements of Dolby's format.

HDR10+ Features

• Dynamic metadata like Dolby Vision
• 10-bit colour depth (same as HDR10)
• Open standard with minimal licensing
• Backward compatible with HDR10

HDR10+ provides similar scene-by-scene optimisation benefits as Dolby Vision but has seen more limited adoption. Samsung TVs support HDR10+ rather than Dolby Vision (though this is changing with some models), while other manufacturers often support both.

HDR10+ Adaptive

Similar to Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive adjusts the picture based on ambient light, maintaining optimal HDR presentation regardless of room conditions.

HLG: Broadcast HDR

Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) was developed by the BBC and NHK specifically for broadcast television. Unlike other HDR formats, HLG doesn't require metadata—the HDR information is embedded directly in the video signal.

Why HLG Matters in Australia

Australian free-to-air broadcasters experimenting with HDR content typically use HLG because it's backward compatible with SDR displays and works well with live broadcast workflows. If you watch live sports or events in HDR via antenna or streaming, HLG is likely the format in use.

Which HDR Format Is Best?

In practical terms, the format differences matter less than you might expect. All HDR formats deliver significant improvements over SDR, and the quality of HDR implementation varies more between specific TVs than between formats.

Format Support by Platform

Streaming Services in Australia:

• Netflix: Dolby Vision, HDR10
• Disney+: Dolby Vision, HDR10
• Stan: HDR10
• Amazon Prime Video: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10
• Apple TV+: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Gaming Consoles:

• PlayStation 5: HDR10 (some games support HDR10+)
• Xbox Series X: Dolby Vision gaming, HDR10

What Actually Matters for HDR

Format support matters, but your TV's underlying HDR performance has far more impact on your viewing experience. Consider these factors:

Peak Brightness

HDR content is mastered assuming displays can achieve at least 1,000 nits of peak brightness. TVs that can't reach this level must compress the dynamic range, potentially losing highlight detail. For the most impactful HDR experience, look for TVs achieving at least 700-1,000 nits in real content (not just test patterns).

Contrast Ratio

The other half of dynamic range is black level. OLED TVs achieve perfect blacks, maximising HDR's contrast impact. LED/QLED TVs with effective local dimming can approach similar performance, while edge-lit LED TVs may struggle with HDR's contrast demands.

Colour Volume

HDR enables wider colour gamuts, but not all TVs can display saturated colours at high brightness levels. Look for good coverage of DCI-P3 colour space at various brightness levels, not just at peak or reference brightness.

Tone Mapping Quality

How the TV processes HDR content—compressing the mastered range to its actual capabilities—significantly affects the final image. Good tone mapping preserves highlight detail and shadow information even when the TV can't reproduce the full mastered range.