Dolby Vision 2 announced
Today, Dolby Labs announced the next version of its premium HDR video format. Dolby Vision 2 uses a new image engine, Content Intelligence, and introduces a new Max tier. After a little over 10 years of HDR video, we have HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision. These are HDR video formats that support an expanded range of luminance and color for movies, series, games, live TV and other types of content. Soon, we will have Dolby Vision 2, powered by a new video engine from Dolby – what the TV industry has often referred to as "a black box" because only Dolby knows exactly how it works and retains full control. - "We've reached an inflection point where TV technology has dramatically changed while artists continue to demand even more innovative tools," said John Couling, SVP, Entertainment at Dolby Labs. "Dolby Vision 2 redefines how we think of Dolby Vision to unleash the full capabilities of modern TVs while giving artists unprecedented opportunities to push their creative boundaries further than ever before."Dolby Vision 2 Max
Dolby Vision 2 builds on Dolby Vision by incorporating some of the innovations that Dolby has already experimented with in recent years, namely Dolby Vision IQ (consisting of Light Sense and Automatic Playback Optimization) and Precision Black. Also read: What is Dolby Vision IQ and which TV models support it? Rather than being optional, Precision Black, Light Sense and Automatic Playback Optimization will now be integral parts of Dolby Vision 2 under a so-called 'Content Intelligence' umbrella. Dolby Vision 2 also adds 'Sports and Gaming Optimization' and 'Authentic Motion'. And there are now 2 tiers:
- Dolby Vision 2, which "brings dramatically improved picture quality to mainstream TVs, delivering the core next-generation capabilities made possible through the new Dolby Image Engine and Content Intelligence."
- Dolby Vision 2 Max, which "delivers the best picture on the highest performing TVs, adding additional premium features designed to utilize the full capabilities of these displays."
In Dolby's own words
| Content Intelligence introduces new tools to better bridge the creative suite to the viewer's living room. This foundation allows Dolby Vision 2 to authentically and automatically optimize your TV to deliver a more captivating picture based on what you're watching and where you are watching. And with AI capabilities, Dolby Vision 2 will intelligently adapt to give the best presentation of the content fine-tuned for your device and viewing environment. Content Intelligence includes: - Precision Black reduces consumer frustration that the image is "too dark" by making it crystal clear and improving clarity in any viewing environment without compromising artistic intent. - Light Sense fine-tunes picture quality through advanced ambient light detection and new reference lighting data from the content source to optimize your TV for the ideal viewing experience. - Sports and Gaming Optimization introduce new enhancements such as white point adjustments and motion control designed specifically to address the unique needs of live sports and gaming. With bi-directional tone mapping, creators now have new controls that let them make the most of these enhanced displays Additionally: - Authentic Motion expands the capabilities of Dolby Vision 2 beyond HDR. This includes features like Authentic Motion, the world's first creative driven motion control tool to make scenes feel more authentically cinematic without unwanted judder on a shot-by-shot basis. |
What to expect
Having tested what was previously called Dolby Vision IQ, FlatpanelsHD is not entirely convinced that an approach that takes the room's lighting conditions into account is always a good thing. In our testing, it has sometimes produced odd results with raised blacks and pictures that look off, perhaps partly due to inaccurate light sensors in TVs. Hopefully, this is something Dolby has further improved, with strict requirements for hardware implementation and content standards – as well as user options to turn it off completely. We have yet to see Dolby Vision 2 demonstrated. We are also not sure what to expect from 'Authentic Motion'. It sounds somewhat like motion smoothing or another technique applied in the film studio (rather than on the TV?) to give creative control, or perhaps something more akin to TrueCut Motion from Pixelworks. Either way, rather than continuing to adhere to aging standards defined for traditional cinemas, and try to adapt these to TV displays, we hope that film studios in particular will start to embrace the possibilities of higher frame rates, higher luminance, improved color, and more, made possible by modern TVs. And we hope that TV makers will stop putting the Dolby Vision sticker on any TV model out there, especially display that cannot deliver HDR picture quality. We hope that Dolby is helping them all move forward with Dolby Vision 2.
Hisense will be the first brand to incorporate Dolby Vision 2. Photo: Dolby
