HDR10+: the new HDR standard that's taking a leaf out of Dolby's book

We’re only part of the way into the era of HDR televisions, and we already have way too many standards to be dealing with. First came HDR10, then Dolby Vision, and more recently Hybrid Log Gamma and Advanced HDR.

If you thought the situation was confusing before, buckle up, because you’re going to have to get familiar with another standard pretty soon. Its name is HDR10+, and it wants to bring the same advanced functionality of Dolby Vision to an open standard.

Essentially what this means is that the players behind HDR10+ want to get the same Dolby Vision goodness without having to pay a licensing fee to Dolby, and what that means is scene-by-scene HDR mastering (enabled by its 'dynamic metadata') to get the best out of an entire film or TV show.

It might have 10-bit color rather than Dolby Vision's 12-bit, but this should at least make for a better balance between light and dark scenes.

Scared this is going to be another fly-by-night TV technology that can only be seen in one or two movies? Don't be. HDR10+ is getting packed it into every model of Samsung's 2018 TV catalog, not to mention Panasonic TVs and Blu-ray discs from 20th Century FOX. The HDR10+ revolution has already begun.

Confused about HDR10 vs Dolby Vision? Our guide is here to help.

Check out the video below for everything you need to know about HDR.

Where did HDR10+ come from?

We first heard about HDR10+ back in April 2017 when Samsung announced it was partnering with Amazon Prime Video to support the new format, but the format took a big step forward in August with the announcement that 20th Century Fox and Panasonic were joining forces with Samsung to develop the format.

2018's CES saw the format come to physical media with the announcement that it had been been accepted as part of the Ultra HD Blu-ray specification. Panasonic then followed that announcement up by saying its new 2018 players will support the format, but there isn't any word on which discs will be available.

Then, in early March 2018, Samsung took the stage at its annual TV unveiling to once again reaffirm its commitment to the standard by putting it into every one of its 2018 QLED TVs.

On the content side, you can already find around 100 movies and TV shows in HDR10+ on Amazon Video and Netflix has suggested that it might support the format in the future, although it currently has no firm plans to do so.

Why do we need another standard?

But do we even need another standard of HDR in the first place?

The reasoning we've heard comes down to the creation of content. From how we've come to understand it, it's far easier for production houses to create HDR10+ content instead of Dolby Vision. Whereas the latter requires a scene-by-scene color correction, the former can take HDR10 content and bring it up to par without any extra labor.

It turns out that content creators really like that last part: Amazon already has a number of HDR10+ shows, including The Grand Tour, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Man in the High Castle, to name a few, and it's only a matter of time until the first HDR10+ UHD Blu-ray discs arrive on the market.

All things considered, the early signs for HDR10+ are looking positive. Panasonic is bringing the technology to all of its ‘4K Pro’ televisions, which includes the newly announced 77-inch model of its Panasonic EZ1002 and its 2018 FZ950 and FZ800 OLED sets, in addition to Samsung's five new QLED TVs.

Does this spell the end for Dolby Vision?

No. Well ... OK, it's unlikely.

Even when HDR10+ picks up some steam, Dolby Vision still has the slight tech advantage with support for 12-bit color and up to 10,000 nits of brightness. The lack of licensing fees with HDR10+ could end up being mightily tempting for manufacturers and content creators alike – but it's not like big Hollywood blockbusters are hurting when it comes to budget.

The most likely scenario that we can see happening is the peaceful coexistence of HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, a idea that Dolby's SVP of Consumer Entertainment Giles Baker seems to tolerate if not directly support.

Whichever format wins or loses, the result is going to be better picture quality for all – and that's something we can all get behind.