Sydney Butler is a technology writer with over 20 years of experience as a freelance PC technician and system builder and over a decade as a professional writer. He’s worked for more than a decade in user education. On How-To Geek, he writes commerce content, guides, opinions, and specializes in editing hardware and cutting edge technology articles.
Sydney started working as a freelance computer technician around the age of 13, before which he was in charge of running the computer center for his school. (He also ran LAN gaming tournaments when the teachers weren’t looking!) His interests include VR, PC, Mac, gaming, 3D printing, consumer electronics, the web, and privacy.
He holds a Master of Arts degree in Research Psychology with a minor in media and technology studies. His masters dissertation examined the potential for social media to spread misinformation.
Outside of How-To Geek, he hosts the Online Tech Tips YouTube Channel, and writes for Online Tech Tips, Switching to Mac, and Helpdesk Geek. Sydney also writes for Expert Reviews UK.
He also has bylines at 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, Tom’s Hardware, MakeTechEasier, and Laptop Mag.
HDR is arguably the biggest leap in visual quality that we’ve experienced in home entertainment, but if you go to your local cinema, most are still SDR and the few that are “HDR” offer anything but an impressive image.
So there’s an argument to be made that the first time you see a movie shouldn’t be in the cinema at all, but instead on your home HDR TV set.
What Is HDR—and Why It Matters
HDR or High Dynamic Range describes the distance between the darkest part of an image and the brightest parts. It’s how much room there is between pure black and pure white essentially. SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) content created for the age of CRT TVs are mastered for a peak brightness of 100 nits. Though modern TVs can peak at a bit higher than that when showing SDR content.
HDR, on the other hand extends this and is mastered for a minimum of 400 nits, with mastering for 1,000 nits being the most common and some 4,000 nit mastering here and there too. A mid-range HDR TV usually lands somewhere between 600 and 1,000 nits of peak brightness. High-end HDR TVs can get over 2,000 nits easily, and there are already some models boasting 4,000, 5,000, and even 10,000 nits of peak brightness.
HDR completely transforms how lifelike an image looks, and brings it closer to the dynamic range of real life. There’s more nuance, pop, shimmer, depth, and a long list of other adjectives that can be attached to a good HDR image. However, in the end, seeing is believing, and trust me when I say HDR is a big deal. Bigger than 4K resolution, or fancy motion handling technology.
How Most Cinemas Fall Short on HDR
You might be surprised to know that most cinemas don’t offer HDR, and that SDR in a cinema context means targeting a peak brightness of only 48 nits! Of course, that’s in the context of a pitch-black theater, but cinema movies have always appeared dimmer than watching on a CRT or modern LCD TV. The few HDR cinemas that are out there master for between 80 and just over 100 nits, depending on the specific cinema HDR standard. That does present a big jump in relative dynamic range versus the 48 nits SDR standard, but it’s still hardly eye-popping.
But, cinema HDR aside, the fact that most cinemas still only offer SDR is something I find disappointing as someone who does like to go out to the movies semi-regularly. These days I only do it when a new movie comes out and I can’t wait to see it, but inevitably I get home and then feel disappointed at the experience compared to my OLED or mini-LED TV.
It’s not like I don’t understand why this is still the case either. Switching from SDR to HDR is an expensive process. It’s one thing if you’re building a new facility, but the equipment, training, and licensing process puts a dent in revenue and cinemas are already struggling. Since I think most customers probably don’t know or care about HDR, it’s a sensible move. Which doesn’t mean I can’t feel a little sad that my first contact with a new movie is in SDR!
What You Miss Out on Without HDR in Theaters
The truth is that SDR movies in cinemas look dull. Like literally dull. To me, the lack of HDR makes these films lifeless. Fire, sunlight, reflections, metal sheen, and all the other visual elements that HDR elevates just don’t hit like they do on a good home television.
Not to mention, the level of detail in dark and bright areas is much lower. When mastered for HDR, movies literally have more for you to see. It’s not just about brightness either, one knock-on effect of HDR is better color and a wider color range.
When Cinemas Are Still Worth It—and When It’s Better to Stay Home
For all my whingeing, I’m not actually going to stop going to the cinema. I’d never let a technical image quality issue stop me from seeing a story I really want to experience. It’s just that cinemas are supposed to be places where people can have the best audiovisual experience and that’s just not true anymore.
But, even without HDR (or impressive HDR), you still get those huge screens, thunderous surround sound, and the experience of watching a movie with an audience. Those things aren’t worthless.
But, for movies that are largely dark, like a new Batman movie, or movies that benefit from searing brightness, like a new Star Wars movie, well I might just stick my fingers in my ears to avoid spoilers until I can watch them at home in a dark room with my OLED TV.
TCL QM6K
7/10
- Brand
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TCL
- Display Size
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85-inches
- Dimensions
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74 x 42 x 2.3 (without stand)
- Operating System
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Google TV
- Display Type
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QD Mini-LED
- Display Resolution
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4K (3840 x 2160)
