What is your opinion with HDR?

[Asere]

I have been seeing more and more how they say HDR is a marketing scam and how SDR is much better because HDR degrades the picture making it less colorful and washed out. Is this your experience with HDR?

 

[Michael Boeker]

HDR doesn't degrade the picture - only one's calibration and display settings degrade the picture. HDR needs to be properly tone mapped and many of the current TV's (LG, Sony, Samsung) do this properly. On a projector the best results are from using dynamic tone mapping such as done by the JVC NX/NZ projectors, video processors such as Lumagen and madVR Envy, or video renderers such as madVR (Windows only) or JRiver Video Renderer (Windows, Mac, Linux).

HDR in a properly calibrated and tone mapped system is a huge step up from SDR.

 

[Asere]

HDR doesn't degrade the picture - only one's calibration and display settings degrade the picture. HDR needs to be properly tone mapped and many of the current TV's (LG, Sony, Samsung) do this properly. On a projector the best results are from using dynamic tone mapping such as done by the JVC NX/NZ projectors, video processors such as Lumagen and madVR Envy, or video renderers such as madVR (Windows only) or JRiver Video Renderer (Windows, Mac, Linux).

HDR in a properly calibrated and tone mapped system is a huge step up from SDR.

Makes sense. Is there an option to turn HDR on/off?

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

HDR makes a far bigger improvement than the pixel jump from 1080p to 4K. A properly configured and calibrated HDR display is what truly adds the wow factor.

 

[Asere]

HDR makes a far bigger improvement than the pixel jump from 1080p to 4K. A properly configured and calibrated HDR display is what truly adds the wow factor.

If something is displayed as HDR or Dolby Vision will the TV automatically do it?

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

If something is displayed as HDR or Dolby Vision will the TV automatically do it?

In theory, if you send an HDR or DV signal to an HDR/DV capable display, it will automatically engage the correct mode on the display. Like with all things HDMI, however, there is the possibility something is disappearing in the handshake, perhaps you have a non-HDR/DV device in the chain that is stripping the flag or something?

 

[Asere]

In theory, if you send an HDR or DV signal to an HDR/DV capable display, it will automatically engage the correct mode on the display. Like with all things HDMI, however, there is the possibility something is disappearing in the handshake, perhaps you have a non-HDR/DV device in the chain that is stripping the flag or something?

I don't know if I have something off in the chain. Just trying to learn more. I never had 4k. I may get the 4k oled A80J.
My avr x4200 is 4k/60P HDCP 2.2.
Would the x4200 be a problem?

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Shouldn’t be any problems. That unit will pass 4K.

 

[DonH57]

I'm with @thrillcat : HDR was a step up in picture quality and the real draw to a 4K setup versus the resolution. Did have to fiddle with some settings in my Oppo and AVP to make sure everything played nicely.

 

[intmarine]

The point of HDR is not more pixels or some abstraction that can be washed out. The point of HDR is better pixels. …pixels outside the old 'normal' range, not only further into the shades of a larger color space (reds that are redder, bluer blues and greener greens – but show further into the dark and bright.

 

[Asere]

Thanks I just bought the Sony A80J. Will arrive Saturday.