Samsung and Panasonic have begun pushing out firmware updates so that the majority of their 2018 4K TVs will support HDR10+.
HDR10+ is an updated version of HDR that is being developed through a partnership between Samsung, Panasonic and 20th Century Fox. HDR10+’s primary enhancement is adding dynamic metadata to each frame to provide for better picture quality on a wider range of displays.
HDR10+ compliant products have to meet parameters including display mode, peak luminance level, peak luminance stability, transfer function and white point tracking performance and color gamut coverage. Certification also requires products to handle tone mapping based on HDR10+ metadata, and processing and accuracy of HDR10+ metadata carriage over the HDMI interface.
HDR10+ Technologies said that adopter categories for the format include UHD Blu-ray player manufacturers, OTT set-top box manufacturers or services, display manufacturers, SoC vendors, content companies and tool vendors. The group said it’s actively partnering with companies throughout the media ecosystem, and more than 80 companies have already applied or completed the license program.
HDR10+ is royalty-free but does require an administrative fee.
“A standardized licensing process has allowed partners, including content creators, television and device manufacturers, to easily incorporate HDR10+ technology,” said Danny Kaye, executive vice president of 20th Century Fox and managing director of the Fox Innovation Lab, in a statement. “We’re encouraged by the interest of early adopters and an expanded HDR10+ ecosystem that will improve the viewing experiences for all audiences.”
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20th Century Fox has committed to incorporating HDR10+ in its upcoming new release slate. The studio is currently exploring several titles for release in the marketplace and plans to announce availability in the coming weeks.
“Panasonic is happy to announce that through the deployment of a firmware update, the majority of our 2018 4K models are now HDR10+ certified meaning that our viewers will be able to enjoy content even closer to the intentions of the filmmakers,” said Toshiharu Tsutsui, director of Panasonic’s TV Business Division, in a statement.
“We are thrilled that the majority of our 2018 lineup will be fully certified for HDR10+,” said Bill Mandel, vice president of Industry Relations at Samsung Research America, in a statement. “We are collaborating with other HDR10+ adopters globally who are making tools, developing their own SoCs and/or TV lineups to be HDR10+ compliant to provide consumers broad access to a great HDR experience.”