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What is HDR?

High dynamic range media represents a wider span of brightness than standard dynamic range media. HDR systems commonly combine increased bit depth with defined transfer functions, color primaries, and metadata.

How HDR works

HDR video encodes scene or display brightness through a defined transfer function rather than simply storing brighter RGB values. A complete signal also depends on color primaries, matrix coefficients, range, bit depth, and sometimes static or dynamic metadata. Common systems differ in whether display adaptation is guided by metadata and whether backward compatibility is built into the signal. HDR enters the workflow at grading and must survive encoding, muxing, manifests, decoding, and display mapping.

Key facts

  1. PQ and HLG are different HDR transfer systems: PQ maps code values to absolute display luminance, while HLG uses a relative approach intended to integrate with broadcast workflows.
  2. Static metadata can describe mastering and content-light characteristics for an entire program, whereas dynamic metadata may provide changing guidance by scene or frame when the format supports it.
  3. An HDR codec bitstream with missing or contradictory container signaling can be decoded using the wrong transfer or color interpretation, producing washed-out, dark, clipped, or shifted output.

When HDR matters

Developers must preserve HDR signal characteristics through encoding, packaging, and playback. Missing or mismatched metadata can cause clipped highlights, incorrect colors, or poor SDR conversion.

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