Dolby Vision VS HDR10, Which is Better?

Have you ever wondered why some videos look so much more vibrant and realistic than others? Those stunning effects often come down to the technology called High Dynamic Range (HDR). This innovation has changed how we experience visuals. It makes movies and home videos more immersive. In this article, we'll dive into the world of HDR. And compare two popular HDR formats: Dolby Vision VS HDR10. Finally, recommend a tool to easily upgrade videos from SDR to HDR.

What is HDR?

 High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology is utilized in video and photography for enhancing brightness levels and color contrast in images by broadening the spectrum, between dark areas effectively improving the visibility of details, in shadows and highlights well as enhancing color vibrancy resulting in a more realistic and vibrant image compared to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).

Key Features of HDR:

1. Extended Brightness Range:

   HDR content is created with a wider brightness range, often up to 1,000 nits or higher. SDR generally peaks at around 100 nits, which is lower than HDR. The brightness range of HDR adds depth and realism, especially in scenes with high contrast.

2. Higher Bit Depth:

   HDR usually has a 10-bit color depth or more, so it can display over a billion colors. In contrast, SDR's standard 8-bit color depth can only show 16.7 million colors. This gives smoother gradients and richer colors without banding.

3. Enhanced Color Gamut:

   HDR can display a wider color spectrum. Thus, its colors appear more realistic and vibrant. It offers richer reds, deeper blues, and more lifelike greens.

Different HDR Formats:

Several HDR formats are in use today, each with unique specifications:

• HDR 10: The most common, open standard. It uses static metadata to set a fixed brightness and contrast level for the entire video.
• HDR 10+: It is similar to HDR10, but includes dynamic metadata. HDR10+ can adjust brightness and contrast for each scene.
• Dolby Vision: A proprietary format by Dolby. Dolby Vision supports dynamic metadata and up to 12-bit color depth.
• HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma): HLG is an HDR standard designed for broadcast. It works with both SDR and HDR displays without using metadata.

What is Dolby Vision?

Dolby Vision is an advanced form of HDR. This technology is developed by Dolby Laboratories. It enhances picture quality by expanding the contrast, brightness, and color range. It makes the content look more vibrant and realistic compared to the standard dynamic range (SDR). Dolby Vision can adjust the display settings for each frame or scene in real time, which allows for a highly dynamic and nuanced picture.

Dolby Vision VS HDR10, Which is Better?

Dolby Vision vs HDR10 Comparison

Dolby Vision is a high-end HDR format, while HDR10 is a basic, open-source HDR format. When we compare Dolby Vision and HDR10, we typically look at three main things: visual quality, compatibility, and flexibility.

1. Dynamic Metadata

• Dolby Vision: Uses dynamic metadata, which allows adjustments in brightness and contrast on a frame-by-frame or scene-by-scene basis. This allows for better control over how each scene looks, resulting in more consistent and improved picture quality.
• HDR10: Relies on static metadata, setting brightness and color levels for the entire video, which can sometimes result in less consistent image quality across various scenes, especially in high-contrast content.

2. Color Depth

• Dolby Vision: It supports up to 12-bit color depth, displaying a stunning 68 billion colors for smoother gradients and minimal banding, so transitions between colors look seamless and lifelike. This wider color range gives more life to scenes, especially in content with subtle color transitions.
• HDR10: It’s limited to 10-bit color depth, which still offers over a billion colors and decent gradients. However, it doesn't quite match the smoothness and richness that Dolby Vision provides.

3. Brightness

• Dolby Vision: Can support brightness up to 10,000 nits, though most consumer displays handle around 1,000-4,000 nits. This allows for high peak brightness with greater contrast in capable displays.
• HDR10: Designed for peak brightness up to 1,000 nits. While this still offers strong contrast and brightness over SDR, it may not reach the same highlights and depth as Dolby Vision.

4. Compatibility and Accessibility

• HDR10: Widely adopted and compatible with almost all HDR-capable TVs, Blu-ray players, and streaming devices. As an open standard, it doesn’t require licensing fees, making it accessible across a broad range of devices.
• Dolby Vision: Proprietary format requiring licensing and specific hardware support. Many premium TVs, streaming services, and 4K Blu-rays support it, but it’s not as universally compatible as HDR10.

5. Content Availability

• Dolby Vision: Increasingly popular on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ and available in 4K UHD Blu-rays, but fewer titles are available in Dolby Vision than in HDR10.
• HDR10: Since HDR10 is the standard HDR format, almost all HDR content is available in this format, making it compatible with all HDR-capable displays.

Which is Better?

• Dolby Vision provides a better picture, especially for high-end content and devices that can fully support it. It delivers more realistic colors, contrast, and depth through adjustments made for each scene.
• HDR10 is a better choice for wider compatibility and works well with most HDR content, especially on devices that don’t support Dolby Vision.

Each item is scored out of five points. The following is a bar chart comparing Dolby Vision VS. HDR10

For professionals, Dolby Vision's dynamic metadata and greater color accuracy are very helpful. If you want maximum compatibility across devices, HDR10 might be a more flexible standard. If possible, providing both formats offers the best of both worlds. Also, recommend you some methods to download HDR video, maybe you're interested in.

Convert Videos to HDR10 and Dolby Vision with AI

UniFab HDR Upconverter AI is an easy-to-use software to help you enhance your video. This AI tool can convert SDR videos to HDR10 or Dolby Vision. It can automatically enhance the brightness, contrast, and color range of the video to make it more visually appealing on HDR-compatible displays.