Samsung is prepping a new generation of TVs built around HDR10+ Advanced, the latest iteration of the HDR10+ ecosystem, reports Steve May. The new picture-processing platform features expanded scene-by-scene metadata, AI-powered tone mapping, intelligent motion control and cloud gaming optimisation.
Even as TV panels become brighter and more capable, much of today’s TV content today is still mastered to lower brightness levels – hence a common consumer complaint that HDR programme look too dark to watch in normal viewing conditions.
HDR10+ Advanced has been designed to bridge that gap by giving compatible displays more information about how images should be presented, while still preserving the creative intent of filmmakers and content producers.
ERT has had an early preview of the technology in action, at Samsung’s HQ in Suwon, South Korea. A side by side comparison with a current HDR10+ screen confirmed an appreciable uplift in overall picture brightness, without deep blacks and shadow detail.
At the heart of HDR10+ Advanced is an expansion of the dynamic metadata already used by HDR10+. Dynamic metadata allows TVs to adjust picture settings on a scene-by-scene basis rather than applying the same settings throughout an entire programme or film.
The use of extended distribution metadata provides a more detailed representation of an image’s tonal characteristics, giving compatible displays greater guidance when it comes to reproducing bright highlights, dark shadow detail and midtone areas.
This enhanced metadata is then combined with AI-driven tone mapping technology.
Samsung says its TVs will use AI models trained on thousands of professionally graded HDR examples, and be able analyse scene data in real time and generate tone-mapping curves tailored to the content being displayed.
The sales pitch is an HDR10+ Advanced picture that makes more effective use of a TV’s capabilities, while retaining fine detail across the brightness range. Bright areas can appear more impactful without causing loss of information in darker parts of the image.
Significantly, motion handling is another attribute of the new platform. HDR10+ Advanced comes with Intelligent Motion Smoothing, a system that allows content creators and streaming platforms to specify different levels of motion smoothing for individual scenes, on a dynamic basis.
Motion smoothing remains a contentious issue with viewers. While many sports broadcasts benefit from smoother movement, film fans often prefer the traditional cinematic appearance associated with 24 frames per second content, despite the judder that comes with it. Samsung’s new approach allows content providers to select smoothing levels on a scale from zero to five, depending on the nature of the programme. So a movie might adopt 24 fps for slow drama, and then accelerate to a higher frame rate for action sequences – with changes inperceptible to the viewer, and no pronounced ‘soap opera effect.’
HDR10+ Advanced also introduces genre-based metadata; an additional layer of information that helps compatible TVs identify the characteristics of the material on screen.
The system combines 16 broad content categories with 64 more specific descriptors. These can identify factors such as lighting conditions, camera movement and content type. In practical terms, a sports broadcast could carry information relating to ball movement, camera panning and outdoor daylight conditions, allowing picture processing to be adjusted accordingly.
While the immediate goal is picture optimisation, Samsung says the metadata framework could also support future interactive services and commercial experiences.
Gaming forms another part of the initiative. HDR10+ Adavnced extends support for HDR10+ Gaming into cloud gaming environments, through a technique called Adaptive Cloud Gaming.
The technology uses real-time ambient light information alongside dynamic tone mapping to optimise image presentation during cloud-based gameplay. The idea is to improve visibility and reduce the need for manual HDR calibration.
From a retail perspective, this is a smart move. HDR10+ Advanced represents a considered attempt to add value through picture processing rather than panel hardware alone. The technology builds on the existing HDR10+ ecosystem and demonstrates how software, AI and metadata can extract more performance from increasingly capable displays.
The first examples of content with HDR10+ Advanced metadata look likely to come via Prime Video.
Samsung is expected to unveil its new TV lineup at CES 2027.
Stay ahead in the Electrical Retail Industry
Never miss a beat in the world of electrical retail. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest industry news, insights, and trends – delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, receive ERT Magazine 10 times a year, bringing you the latest analysis, insights, and inspiration from across the industry.
Subscribe now: https://ertonline.co.uk/registration/
