Jordan O'BrienSamsung has begun rolling out its HDR+ update to its 2016 SUHD TVs with the firmware update set to make the company’s Quantum Dot TVs even more visually impressive.
HDR is quickly becoming the most important TV technology in 2016, with all the major players touting its advantages. LG, Panasonic and Sony all have TVs with the format already shipping, but now Samsung is ready to unleash its special HDR+ technology.
So what is HDR+ and how does it differ to standard HDR? Well, Samsung says that with HDR+ users will be able to enhance High Dynamic Range quality to its highest picture quality capacity, even if the source isn’t in HDR format. It’s biggest advantage over standard HDR is its ability to upgrade Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) content to HDR-like picture quality.
With HDR native contents, HDR+ also uncovers previously hidden images from darker content scenes, supplementing the level of brightness to express objects hidden in darker shadows. For brighter content scenes, HDR+ increases the level of contrast ratio to differentiate objects from the background, while still depicting more image details on the screen for an overall better picture.
The goal of HDR is to make bright areas of the screen look even brighter, allowing the TV to display new colours and significantly expanding the range of the contrast ratio on-screen.
“The HDR+ function offers an exceptional HDR viewing experience to all 2016 SUHD and UHD TVs consumers,” said Jong-hee Han, vice president, visual display business at Samsung Electronics.
“We’re thrilled to share this latest advancement with our consumers to access directly on their 2016 SUHD TVs. Samsung is bringing the highest form of picture quality right to their living rooms.”
Installers may be keen to help their customers out with the HDR+ update on Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TVs. That’s because Samsung is rolling out new options in ‘Expert Mode’ that will enable installers to fine tune the picture quality exactly to the user’s liking. That means the ability to calibrate the brightness, contrast ratio and gradation to the finest degree. These settings can be access within the ‘Picture – Special Viewing’ mode options, where HDR+ can also be activated.
Samsung says that the HDR+ update is currently rolling out to its entire range of TVs. While the 2016 SUHD TVs are already receiving the update, all HDR-compatible 2016 UHD TV models will receive the update by September.