HDR10

HDR10 is an open standard for high dynamic range (HDR) video that enables brighter highlights, deeper blacks, and a wider color range than standard dynamic range content. It has become the baseline HDR format for many consumer devices and media, including televisions, streaming devices, game consoles, and Ultra HD Blu-ray releases. Because HDR10 is open and royalty-free, content producers typically do not incur licensing fees to deliver HDR video that conforms to this profile.

Technical characteristics: HDR10 uses a 10-bit color depth, the Rec. 2020 color space, and the Perceptual Quantizer (PQ) transfer function defined in SMPTE ST 2084. It relies on static mastering metadata, as defined in SMPTE ST 2086, to convey the mastering display’s color volume and peak luminance. Unlike formats that use dynamic metadata, HDR10 does not carry per-scene metadata; tone mapping is performed by the display or by the video pipeline.

Delivery and compatibility: HDR10 content is commonly delivered with 4K resolution (and higher) at 24, 30, or 60 Hz, over HDMI, streaming, or physical media. It is widely supported by modern TVs and devices and is frequently the default HDR option when multiple formats are available.

Relation to other HDR formats: HDR10 is distinct from HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which add dynamic metadata to adjust tone mapping on a per-scene or per-frame basis. HLG is another HDR transfer function used for broadcasts.

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