Dynamic HDR and the Future of Visual Differentiation
Media companies are investing in high dynamic range (HDR) technologies to enhance consumer viewing experiences, but many in the industry are beginning to question whether current implementations are truly delivering on the format’s potential. Too often, predictable production workflows rely on static lookup tables (LUTs) that compress HDR signals to maintain compatibility with standard dynamic range (SDR) systems. This conservative approach may provide stability—but it also sacrifices visual impact, leaving HDR content that’s nearly indistinguishable from SDR versions.
This creates a fundamental problem. Viewers are being asked to pay premiums for “enhanced” HDR content that often fails to offer meaningful visual differentiation. If that trend continues, the value proposition of HDR as a premium viewing experience will erode, undermining consumer trust and stifling innovation in content production.
From my work as a media solutions consultant with InterDigital and contributor to the Advanced HDR by Technicolor initiative, I’ve seen the need for a strategic shift toward dynamic HDR implementations that preserve creative intent, simplify delivery architectures, and future-proof content ecosystems. Below, I break down the imperatives across four dimensions: strategy, operations, economics, and technology.
Strategic Imperatives
At its core, HDR is about elevating storytelling through richer contrast, deeper colors, and more immersive visual cues. But many broadcasters—especially those managing live content—default to a cautious approach that limits HDR’s full potential. Why? Brand integrity.
Advertisers demand consistency. Coca-Cola red must look like Coca-Cola red. And static LUTs offer predictability, forcing producers to clamp the HDR signal so it maps sufficiently into SDR. That makes sense from a brand safety perspective—but it narrows the dynamic range of HDR so much that its benefits are lost. In some cases, even experienced professionals reviewing simultaneous HDR and SDR feeds cannot distinguish between the two.
We’re reaching a crossroads. If content providers fail to deliver truly differentiated HDR experiences, audiences will start to question the higher price tag, and brands will miss out on the visual impact HDR can deliver. A format designed to expand creative possibilities risks becoming just another checkbox in a spec sheet—unless we pivot toward more adaptive, dynamic solutions.
Operational Implications
The conservative approach to HDR is especially common in live sports and events, where conditions change rapidly and consistency is critical. Producers shade HDR cameras with SDR in mind, and workflows are tuned to ensure the SDR feed is visually acceptable—even if it means sacrificing HDR performance.
The outcome? A premium-tier HDR feed that feels anything but premium.
We recently spoke with a sports broadcast service provider receiving HDR and SDR streams from a major live event. The feeds looked so similar, they thought something was wrong with the signal. That kind of feedback, coming from trained professionals, reveals a fundamental issue in today’s broadcast chains.
To reverse this trend, content production teams shooting in HDR need the tools and confidence to optimize for HDR first—not SDR. This requires moving away from static, one-size-fits-all conversions and embracing frame-by-frame adaptive HDR workflows. That’s what Advanced HDR by Technicolor offers: dynamic tools that allow creatives to focus on producing rich, high-impact HDR, trusting that SDR conversions will follow seamlessly.
Financial and Economic Considerations
From a business standpoint, the case for dynamic HDR is threefold: consumer value, content and advertising visual impact, and delivery efficiency.
Consumers are already being asked to pay more for HDR-enabled subscriptions or streaming tiers. But if HDR fails to deliver noticeable quality improvements, the perceived value declines—and so does the willingness to pay. In a competitive media landscape, where churn is a constant threat, that’s not a risk providers can afford to take.
Advertisers have skin in the game as well. Brands want their messaging to shine—literally and figuratively. HDR, when properly implemented, can make colors more vivid and lighting more lifelike. But the compromises imposed by static workflows often blunt these advantages. The key is to get advertisers into the conversation early—show them what dynamic HDR can do for brand storytelling, and they’ll become powerful advocates for change.
Then there’s the issue of delivery costs. Most broadcasters today send separate streams for HDR and SDR—a costly and complex arrangement. With Advanced HDR by Technicolor, we support SL-HDR, a single-stream format that includes metadata for both HDR and SDR rendering. This streamlining reduces bandwidth, simplifies infrastructure, and aligns well with standards like ATSC 3.0, where spectrum constraints are real.
Technological Optimization
So how does dynamic HDR actually work?
Unlike static LUTs that apply a fixed transformation to every frame, dynamic HDR intelligently analyzes each frame, determines the optimal SDR conversion in real time, and records the conversion characteristics in metadata. This allows producers to focus entirely on making the best possible HDR content, without constantly worrying about downstream compatibility.
In traditional workflows, SDR is the priority. Producers tweak HDR inputs until the SDR output looks “good enough.” With dynamic HDR, that model flips. HDR becomes the hero format, and SDR follows—without compromise.
And the best part? It’s all backward compatible. Our technology works with standard distribution tools and consumer devices such as TVs and set-top boxes.
The Advanced HDR by Technicolor solution passes a single stream in SDR along with metadata to achieve a dynamic conversion process, allowing the lossless reconstruction of HDR on the receiving HDR-enabled devices of viewers. Consumers viewing content on SDR devices will continue to enjoy uncompromised video quality in SDR.
By taking this approach, it’s not about replacing infrastructure; it’s about augmenting it with smarter, more responsive software.
We’ve already seen validation in the market. Advanced HDR by Technicolor is included in the ATSC 3.0 specification, and broadcasters using it today report better visual results, fewer operational headaches, and lower delivery costs. The technology is proven. The question now is: Will the industry adopt it fast enough to meet growing expectations?
To unlock the full value of HDR, we need to rethink the production chain—not just from a technical standpoint, but from a creative, operational, and economic one. HDR was never meant to be a checkbox; it was meant to transform how stories are told and experienced.
Dynamic HDR gives us the tools to finally deliver on that promise. The industry’s next step is clear: test, evaluate, and embrace the workflows that put HDR’s strengths front and center. The result will be not only better images—but a stronger, more future-ready content ecosystem.
[Editor's note: This is a contributed article from InterDigital. Streaming Media accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]
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