HDR technical info

[Peter_S.]

For the first time, TV technology has evolved to be able to display the extended colour and brightness offered by High Dynamic Range. You asked us how HDR works, so here’s the lowdown.

The numbers game

If you’re interested in HDR, you’ve probably heard about peak brightness and blackness levels expressed in nits - a unit describing brightness equivalent to one candle. You’d be forgiven for thinking that HDR is merely a question of numbers – but actually, it’s not just about hitting a peak level or numeric requirement. Instead, it’s about the technology that TVs use to assist, operate and manage HDR signals. That’s where processors come in.

What processors can do for you

To ensure you get the very best out of your HDR content, you need a powerful processor paired with good display technology; either OLED or LCD/LED with a good backlight. At Sony, twenty years of experience with picture processors has come from an even longer history of TV innovation – including the first transistorized TV and the Emmy-award winning Trinitron.

The very latest Sony processor is the X1 Extreme, equipped with a range of intelligent technologies. It uses Object-based HDR Remaster to dictate contrast levels by identifying and analysing individual objects in a picture. (In most TVs, contrast is only adjusted along a simple range that offers images less depth).

Dual Database Processing is unique to X1 Extreme. It uses two powerful image improvement databases to ensure clear, quality pictures.

This processor can also upscale non-HDR content to near 4K HDR quality. It prevents ‘banding’ – visible lines between colours – with a feature called Super Bit Mapping™ 4K HDR.

X-tended Dynamic Range Pro™ is another intelligent technology used in certain Sony TVs. It analyses video and gives advanced control to backlighting, delivering more brightness range than conventional LED TVs.

Backlight technology

Most HDR TVs brighten the screen using backlights. The best use of backlight technology also uses local dimming to brighten or darken specific areas. This enables better delivery of colours and contrast across the whole screen.

The Sony XE90 TV uses a system called Full Array LED Backlight. It’s divided into zones which are independently lit and dimmed.

The Sony XE93/94 uses the innovative Dynamic Local Dimming system Slim Backlight Drive+. This directs light where it’s needed for higher peak brightness, contrast and realism.

The exception to the backlight rule is OLED TV, which uses self-illuminating OLED pixels instead. Each one can be turned off completely to give the absolute best black levels you can get. OLED also results in a wider viewing angle, meaning that how good it looks doesn’t depend on where you sit. New this year, the Sony A1 BRAVIA OLED TV combines OLED and HDR picture quality with a unique sound system – another new direction for TV.