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The future looks bright: Prepare to be dazzled by HDR telly tech

But will the EU take a dim view of things?

Eco worriers

This up conversion isn’t just a linear brightness boost. If it was, you would just get washed-out colours. “You can’t simply boost standard dynamic range content by a factor of 7,” explains Tack. “Extra processing is required to maintain colour saturation and contrast. New noise reduction technology also has to be developed.”

Dolby Vision IFA demo regular broacast feed (left) vs. Dolby vision (right)

Dolby Vision IFA demo: regular broadcast feed (left) vs. Dolby vision (right)

This up-converted demo footage of sunlight breaking out across a verdant valley appear astonishingly realistic. The sunlight itself looks warm and authentic; it’s as though the screen has become a window. Comparisons between a standard LCD TV with a brightness of 450 Nits, and up conversions to 700 and 1000 Nits are quite startling. There’s so much extra vibrancy and drama to the images.

TP Vision also demonstrates a Dolby Vision HDR system showing still images at 4000 Nits. Image highlights are so bright and realistic they make me wince involuntarily. Indeed, the viewing experience is so intense I’m prompted to ask if there’s research relating to viewer discomfort. You can’t long stare out at daylight without feeling dazzled, and the same is true of HDR.

The industry clearly has a lot of work to do deciding just how much brightness is a good thing. On a 1,000 Nit screen, the HDR demo sequence ran its course and then defaulted to full white screen with a small logo. The suddenly peak blast was borderline painful. “We know we need to take care that the consumer doesn’t get a flash in their eyes, when content changes suddenly. There are technologies that we can use to limit that,” confides Tack. “We can also lessen eye fatigue by using Ambilight.”

Beyond gimmickry: Philips Ambilight may have viewing benefits

Beyond gimmickry? Philips Ambilight may have HDR viewing benefits that reduce eye strain

Of course, the idea behind HDR isn’t to dazzle viewers with the maximum amount of light possible, but to highlight the extra brightness in small parts of the image. “The average brightness is not much more than what you’ll see on a standard dynamic range TV,” admits Tack, “but because the dynamics of a picture are no longer being compressed, you get far more shadow detail in the image. The result is much more realistic.”

Several HDR standards are currently under scrutiny. “10,000 Nits is one option that Dolby Vision is looking at, Philips is looking at an HDR standard of 4000 Nits. The BBC is looking at a design of 1500 Nits. There are various options…” says Tack.

Ultimately though, a standard may be dictated by other factors. HDR technology flies in the face of reduced power consumption edicts from the EU and other global environmental agencies. If you really think an organisation that maintains how vigorously we can clean our homes with a vacuum cleaner will let every TV emulate the brightness of sunlight, you’re probably being a bit naïve.

Work in progress: roadmap for Philips/TP Vision and partners

Energy saving is work in progress on the roadmap for Philips/TP Vision and partners

Given such a backdrop, will we ever see 4000 or 10000 Nit TVs become commercially available? Even Danny Tack isn’t sure. “If the EU is going to pursue its energy consumption strategy, I think not. Even 800 Nit is going beyond its limits,” he says candidly. “And from a cost point of view we’re also not yet there. But never say never! We need to take it in steps – 800 Nits, then 1500 Nits. Power consumption in this whole picture quality story is a really big challenge!” ®

Steve May is a veteran AV journalist and senior editor at Inside CI.

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