4K HDR – what it is and how to get it

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TV picture quality has been constantly improving over the last number of years. After Standard Definition (SD) came HD and Full HD. Then, most recently, 4K TV brought in much higher resolution – clearer images than we’d previously seen. While higher resolution improved picture clarity, it didn’t improve the ‘dynamic range’ to allow for a richer palette of colour, but now there’s a revolutionary new standard of video signal called ‘HDR’.

 

What is HDR?

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which contains a much wider range of colour and brightness than we’re used to from conventional Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) content. HDR is better able to replicate what is seen by the human eye, and shot by a camera, meaning the picture looks much closer to what we see in real life. Previously, cameras could capture more colour and brightness than televisions could reproduce, but now with an HDR TV there’s no need to degrade the source image to fit.

There are several labels for the most up-to-date televisions: 4K, Ultra HD and UHD. You’ll also see references to the resolution of Ultra HD, which is 2160p. 4K HDR is Sony’s identifier for their Ultra HD televisions, which pair the clarity of 4K high resolution with the ground-breaking detail, colour and brightness of HDR.

How you can watch HDR

To watch 4K HDR, you'll need a 4K HDR television. You’ll also need HDR compatible content, which is currently available from internet streaming apps (e.g. Netflix and Amazon video, depending on your country/region), 4K UHD Blu-ray players and gaming consoles such as PS4/PS4 Pro¹. Major broadcasters also have plans to produce compatible content.

Your 4K HDR TV should display HDR compatible content automatically. If you’re watching HDR from an HDMI device, you’ll need to change the HDMI signal format to ‘Enhanced Format’ on the TV. You’ll also need a premium high-speed HDMI cable, which has more bandwidth to handle the additional data.

In addition to the 4K HDR TV range, in January 2017 Sony announced High Definition HDR-enabled TVs for HDR gaming from the PS4/PS4 Pro and HDR video from the built-in Netflix app². This makes HDR accessible to an even wider audience.

HDR is an exciting new development ready to revolutionise your viewing experience. Find out about Sony HDR models here: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/tv/t/televisions?type=new-hdr

1. If you’re a gamer or watch videos via a PS4 Pro with PS VR connected, you can get enhanced quality (HDR and 2160p RGB) on your compatible TV by bypassing the processor unit. Follow this link for instructions: https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/get-help/help-library/playstation-vr/getting-started/how-to-get-4k... This applies to non-PS VR content only. VR content and headsets don’t have HDR capabilities.

2. Compatible with all HDR PS4 game titles via HDMI and HDR videos of built-in Netflix app only (see Sony support website for more information.) HDR image signal specifically means HDR10 Media Profile format (commonly referred to as HDR10). Compatibility with all HDR content is not guaranteed.