HDR10+
HDR10+ is an HDR video format that builds on HDR10 by adding dynamic metadata, which adjusts brightness and tone settings scene by scene or frame by frame. HDR10+ is royalty-free for content creators and was developed by Samsung with partners. It competes with Dolby Vision. It falls back to standard HDR10 on screens that do not support it.
Why it matters
HDR10+ gives OTT services scene-by-scene HDR control without per-device royalties, which matters on large Samsung TV audiences. The trade-off is extra mastering and encoding work, and support is narrower than HDR10 or Dolby Vision on some devices.
How it works
- The video is encoded as standard HDR10: 10-bit, Rec. 2020 colors and the PQ curve.
- Dynamic metadata is added that describes brightness for each scene or frame.
- A supporting TV reads the metadata and adjusts tone mapping as scenes change.
- Screens without HDR10+ support ignore the extra data and play the video as HDR10.
HDR10+ vs Dolby Vision: which is better?
Both use dynamic metadata, so picture results are similar on good TVs. Dolby Vision has wider device support and allows up to 12-bit. HDR10+ is royalty-free for content and strong on Samsung TVs. Many services deliver both, letting each device pick what it supports.
Do I need special equipment to watch HDR10+?
Yes, you need a TV, monitor or phone that supports HDR10+ and a streaming app that delivers it. Without support, the device plays the HDR10 base layer instead, which still looks like HDR but without scene-by-scene tuning. Support varies by brand and model, so check device specifications.
Where it's used
OTT services offer HDR10+ for better scene-by-scene picture on supporting TVs, especially Samsung models. Video platforms and short video apps meet it in uploads from some phones.
By the numbers
- HDR10+ was announced on April 20, 2017 by Samsung and Amazon Video. (Wikipedia: HDR10+)
