HDR vs SDR A Scam Nobody Knows | 2023 Edition

[Quantum_TV]

Whatever you choose is your choice. This information explains how and why HDR is a scam compared to modern SDR imagery.

[TheDevilsAccountant]

I completely agree.
HDR is just poorly implemented in gaming almost all my games on Series X and Ps5 look much better with HDR turned off.

[MondoMurderface]

I tried to explain this to friends years ago when HDR first appeared. Movies are color graded for SDR and even as HDR TVs become more popular, the HD technology is still not standardizes. The vast majority or videogames and movies are still not setup properly for HDR as it takes twice the work. You literally need to color grade everything twice. HDR as we are seeing it is mostly just contrast trickery that looks pretty on some displays. At least in the majority of cases.

[xenozillarex]

After watching a bunch of my 4K discs without HDR I have to say it’s a massive improvement, Godzilla 2014’s 4K disc without HDR is the definitive version of this movie in my experience

[greysymphonyearth]

My TV looks better on SDR then it does on HDR.

[TerryRed]

Been saying HDR is a scam since the beginning. I'm not a video professional, but I repaired older TVs and electronics and understand the basic fundamentals of colour range in digital video. As always... companies trying to push useless features with their TV's and sadly, its embedded into almost everything incorrectly now. I go out of my way to avoid HDR, despite having a new 4K ULED 144Hz Tv with beautiful colour. HDR is off. Good riddance.

[nomancave]

good on you for speaking the truth brother!

[brunoborer]

Hey Quantum: I think you nailed it. HDR may be more hype than substance. I have two 4K TVs, a Toshiba Fire TV hooked up to a Roku Box (I like the Roku platform better) and a Sony X85K.
The Toshiba is a low budget model. The Roku box streams 4K HDR10 on the auto setting. I never liked it. I assumed it didn't look good because it's a bargain basement TV. But I tried your suggestion. I turned off the auto setting and manually set the picture to 4K SDR. Wow! What a difference. Brighter, more natural color with enhanced detail, contrast, deeper blacks and almost no flicker. Thank you.
On the Sony X85K there are a number of HDR settings. I tried them all and didn't really like them.
I decided to give another of your suggestions a try.
I turned off HDR and changed the color space setting to DSI. The picture looked great! And afterwards, when I turned on HDR to see how it would look, the picture looked over processed; dull and unnatural with diminished color, detail and contrast...like I had thrown polish on something that already shined and didn't need any. HDR is no longer a big deal for me. Thanks again...

[aaroncoleman]

If you have a tv/monitor with actual hdr capabilities as in 1000 nits peak brightness and good amount of local dimming signs, minimum 500 and high rec 2020 coverage, over 70% rec2020 then hdr is vastly superior

[seanjoshualumbab]

You brought my C1 back to life with your newest SDR settings. Just wow 😮🎉

[agrikantus]

That's what I always thought, HDR most of the time makes my games look muted.
I love colours to pop.

[leandro_gass]

Everyone who can see all colors will notice that hdr looks just like washed out

[jailbrak_acdc]

Agreed. I always turn off HDR... in my PS5, laptop, OLED, Bluray, Smartphone.

[erickd]

So if I understand correctly, SDR is the best setting to watch on tv?

I have an Apple TV 4K and as you may know, there you can choose the format you want SDR 4K, hdr 4K and DOLBY VISION; plus you can choose the options to match the content.

If I understand right, I should turn on the SDR 4K and leave the match content options OFF/? That way everything I see will be displayed in SDR?

Thanks! 😊

[Tonysdh]

Sdr looks beautiful somehow with more Vivid colors

[tmiusa]

Very informative! So is it better to shoot in HDR rather than SDR (FX9 camera) no matter what the viewer's monitor is capable of?

[drvel]

Yea, kind of agree with you after years of giving 4K HDR a go. If you have an apple TV 4K, I have a question. What happens if I want the 4K + BT2020/DCI-P3 colour space but without the 'brightness/luminosity' HDR? Will setting an Apple TV 4K on '4K SDR' give me better resolution and colours than 1080p REC709 without the annoyance of eye-searingly-bright/ or loss of detail in super dark scenes? I'm tired of playing around with the brightness/contrast/oled light settings on my LG CX when watching HDR content, so considering buying an apple TV 4K if it lets me force content to 4K SDR. I just want oldschool 1080p bluray quality but at 4K, without all this HDR nonsense!

[LordDementus]

I don't care about 4K HDR. 1080p was always good enough to me.

[dragosCJ]

9 out of 10, yes, that explains everything I’ve experienced, rarely happened, while HDR turned on, the image getting actually better, most of the times it got worst or unnatural and I had to switch it of again. And scratching my head I was wandering myself wtf…Thanx for explaining.

[zforce]

Yes! I have been waiting for you to make this video. My friends and I argue about this all the time and they act like I'm crazy. I keep telling them to turn off HDR especially for gaming. My best buddy has a tv 3x the cost of mine yet my series x looks better because I know how to properly tweak my settings in sdr. I have that shit turned off on everything. Thanks for this video man!!