Why are the images on our screens not as vivid as what we see in real life? Is it impossible for images taken on a camera and displayed on a screen to be as clear as what we see with our eyes? Imaging and display developers are working hard to overcome this obstacle in the development of display technology. Limited advances have been made in improving the realistic qualities in display to make images more vivid and closer to reality. But HDR (High Dynamic Range) has emerged on the market and is receiving a lot of attention. HDR displays, a spectrum of light that is closest to that of true light! Let's take a look at what HDR really is and how LCD and OLED technology developers LG Display are implementing this technology.
What is HDR?
DR (Dynamic Range) is a term used to refer to the spectrum ranging from the bright light to the dimmest light. The typical display input source SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) has limits to have realistic images as the range of it is shorter than the light spectrum that people see with their eyes. HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a technology that expands the possible range of display by making the brightness even brighter and the darkness even darker to make the spectrum of the display closer to that which people see with their eyes.
So, how close is HDR display to what we really see with our eyes? Displays with HDR offer more vivid pictures and realistic images by making expanding the display spectra to include brighter and darker colors. The brightest of light such as a metallic shine or sunlight can be displayed even to the degree that the viewer can feel the glare in their eyes. The darkest of colors or the 'blackest of black' can also be displayed.
The Old New Technology, Why HDR Now?
In actuality, HDR is a technology that has been around for a while. But why is HDR just now coming into the spotlight? Light is what makes a clear display with higher resolution and captures the eyes of the viewer. People are sensitive to how much brighter and darker light is displayed on a screen. We can sense this when adjust the contrast on the screens of our smartphones.
Because of this, content providers are already concentrating on increasing the amount of mainstream content with higher image quality for HDR display. HDR content does not carry the additional costs of shooting 'left' and 'right' content separately as with 3D so imaging content manufacturers see this as a more cost effective field for new content.
With this change in content production, there has also been an increase in the need for proper HDR display capabilities. The sudden rise of HDR is welcomed news in the display industry. With the emergence of super-high resolution Full HD and UHD solutions, HDR is in line to be the new breakthrough in the competitiveness of realistic imaging and become the keyword in advanced resolution technology.
This broader light spectrum, thin design and optimal pricing will allow the display industry to produce differentiated products with HDR through drastic developments to the existing paradigm. It looks as though HDR technology will start a new trend of producing more realistic pictures and images in the same way that brightness, shading and screen thickness set trends in the display market in the past.
HDR Realistic Imaging by LG Display
Can HDR satisfy consumers by merely providing more realistic images? And can it really start a new trend in a display market saturated with competitive resolution technologies? Interest from the imaging industry in HDR display is growing. SD displays cannot compete with HD displays and once consumers become accustomed to HDR, it will be hard for them to go back to SDR.
As a result, the HDR photography infrastructure is making fervent progress in the image production process from compression and transmission to TV SOC management set technology companies. LG Display is accelerating the development of the most advanced HDR implemented realistic resolution display. LG Display is developing algorithms for OLED and LCD display that can increase the brightness and darkness of ordinary image content in order to display it as HDR images.
They are also working with studios in Hollywood to analyze the requirements for HDR content to produce an optimum HDR display. We are looking forward to the day when next-generation HDR realistic resolution technology makes its mark in the fierce super-size display market.
www.lg.com
