Arguably no recent TV picture quality enhancement technology has become more well known and widely loved than the Dolby Vision high dynamic range system. Dolby Vision’s extra scene by scene picture information and end to end eco-system together with Dolby’s unrivalled relationship with the creative industries have made it a ‘must have feature’ for many AV fans. Today, though, Dolby has revealed that those AV fans are about to have a new definition of picture quality excellence to look out for in the shape of Dolby Vision 2.
Unveiled at the current IFA technology show in Berlin, Dolby Vision 2 really does look set to deliver a major upgrade on the original system (which has now been around for more than a decade). It includes a number of enhancements targeted at various aspects of picture quality, all “designed specifically to meet the evolving opportunities of television experiences today,” as part of Dolby’s wider stated mission of advancing picture quality across all entertainment and devices, no matter how big, small, affordable or premium.
Dolby Vision 2 is promised to unlock much more of the potential of today’s cutting edge TV technologies.
Photo: Dolby
Before we get into specifics of Dolby Vision 2’s new features, I think it’s helpful to share this further background on the new system from Senior Vice President of Entertainment at Dolby Laboratories, John Couling: “We’ve reached an inflection point where TV technology has dramatically changed while artists continue to demand even more innovative tools. 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.”
To someone like me who loves to see the continual, increasingly rapid advances in TV technologies but who has been frustrated at times by the creative industries’ apparent reluctance to embrace what cutting edge TV technologies can do, having an AV industry company as respected and influential as Dolby committing to trying to bridge the ‘gap’ between creative vision and cutting edge TV technology is a potentially fantastic development.
Dolby Vision 2 is claimed to be even more powerful than its predecessor, incorporating a complete redesign that introduces new “Content Intelligence” features and expands the capabilities of Dolby Vision beyond mere HDR enhancement by introducing a new element that’s focused on improving motion handling.
The AI-enhanced Content Intelligence element of Dolby Vision 2 allows it to “authentically and automatically” (two very important words in Dolby’s vocabulary) optimize the performance of TVs that sign up for the system to the specific qualities of both the incoming content and your room’s viewing conditions.
Included within Content Intelligence is a new Precision Black feature that seeks to tackle the common consumer complaint that dark HDR images look too dark in bright rooms by improving clarity in any viewing environment without compromising artistic intent. A new Light Sense element fine-tunes picture quality through the prism of a new, more advanced ambient light detection system in conjunction with new reference lighting data from the source, while a new Sports and gaming optimization feature introduces new enhancements such as white point adjustments and motion control designed specifically to address the unique needs of live sports and gaming.
On top of all this, Dolby Vision 2 introduces new tone mapping technology specifically designed to take advantage of the latest TV technologies, with their increasingly extreme brightness and colour range capabilities. The bi-directional tone mapping Dolby Vision 2 provides apparently gives content creators new controls with which they can better unlock the potential of these cutting-edge TVs, delivering more brightness, contrast and colour while preserving the artistic vision.
Dolby Vision 2’s new Authentic Motion element, finally, is described as “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”.
This might actually sound a bit controversial to the sort of AV enthusiast who insists that doing anything to movie motion on a TV is sacrilege – but if any brand can tweak motion sensitively enough not to upset home cinephiles, it’s Dolby.
Dolby Vision 2 is going to be available in two product tiers from TV manufacturers: a core Dolby Vision 2 tier, and a step up Dolby Vision 2 Max version. The more basic version will, in Dolby’s own words, “bring 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 “delivers the best picture on the highest performing TVs, adding additional premium features designed to utilize the full capabilities of these displays.”
Some of the claims Dolby is making for Dolby Vision 2 raised a few questions with me that I put to Dolby ahead of publishing this story. And since the replies I got were so useful and detailed, I figured I might as well simply post them here verbatim. So:
Q: Can I confirm that Dolby Vision 2 is not just predominantly a TV hardware-based feature, where Dolby Vision content is likely to remain broadly the same?
A: It’s both. On the hardware side, we are launching new and redesigned capabilities to unlock even more out of Dolby Vision content. It remains backwards compatible with our existing content ecosystem and will even deliver an improved picture through its ability to unlock more out of the panel. In addition, we are launching new tools for creatives that allow them to push the boundaries of picture quality even further. And when you combine these new creative capabilities with a Dolby Vision 2 capable TV, you get any even more astonishing picture.
Q: Can I clarify to what extent DV2 will know and work with the precise capabilities of every TV it appears in? For instance, can it have an understanding of the brightness potential of a particular TV and work right up to whatever that TV’s limits are?
A: “Dolby Vision has always included a characterization of each TV model to allow accurate reproduction of images based on the capabilities of the TV. This process of measuring maximum and minimum luminance levels and color capabilities of each TV and then mapping signals to each TV model’s capabilities continues with Dolby Vision 2. What’s new is that we are taking it further with Content Intelligence to unlock the full capabilities of modern displays while still ensuring an even more authentic translation of the content through new information we are able to add to the Dolby Vision signal combined with reimagined and new technology on the hardware side.
“For example, Precision Black adds new information for the lighting conditions in the reference studio where the content was created as a reference point and then adjusts the TV image based on the characteristics of the TV. Content Intelligence then leverages Light Sense (which is our improved ambient light sensing capabilities) to further tailer the picture to your room based on the content, lighting environment, and capabilities of your display. We are also adding new tone mapping capabilities, which we call bi-directional tone mapping. Think of this as an improved and more intelligent “Bright Mode” that works in conjunction with all the features of Content Intelligence to deliver the most spellbinding and authentic image experience based on the content and your device. And we’ve further innovated with Content Intelligence to capture/reproduce the perception of original HDR detail/contrast and translate it to lower contrast, (lower cost) larger displays. This is particularly useful for improving performance on low-cost global dimming and mainstream TVs”.
Q. As someone who has become frustrated with the way the pace of TV improvements has outstripped the way content is created, would I be correct in characterizing Dolby Vision 2 as allowing TVs to ‘let rip’, but under the watch and control of a company that’s hugely invested in and obsessed with creative intent?
A: “Exactly. TVs have dramatically changed over the last 10 years and over this time, Dolby has inspired the TV industry that TVs could not just be bigger, but brighter, capable of unprecedented contrast, and way more colorful. Dolby Vision 2 unlocks these full capabilities.
“At the same time, creatives wanted more too. Judder is a huge challenge, which is now solved by Authentic Motion – a world first creative driven tool. Another example is the balance of using darker scenes as a creative tool while making sure their audiences can see every detail with crystal clarity (which can be really hard given lighting conditions / panel capabilities etc.) , which is now solved with Precision Black. And with these new advancements in TV capabilities, creatives are also struggling with how to tap into these new advancements while not compromising their artistic intent. Dolby Vision 2 addresses all these creative challenges through new and resigned Dolby Vision tools for this community.
“Another important messaging to end with is our tiering structure. Dolby Vision 2 Max was designed to unlock the full capabilities and best picture quality on the highest performing TVs. This includes capabilities such as bi-directional tone mapping, Authentic Motion, and more advanced tools tailored for enthusiasts (that I’m sure will be appreciated by this calibration community). And we are equally excited about the benefits that the Dolby Vision 2 tier can bring through a dramatically improved picture to mainstream TVs, delivering on the core capabilities that are the backbone of this new innovation. This is part of our effort to bring great picture to everyone.
Dolby confirmed during its announcement of Dolby Vision 2 that Hisense will be the first brand to introduce Dolby Vision 2 to its TV lineup. This is down in no small part to Hisense TV’s use of MediaTek Pentonic 800 with “MiraVision Pro” PQ Engine silicon chips, which will be the first to integrate Dolby Vision 2. Dolby can’t say yet, though, exactly which Hisense models will get Dolby Vision 2 first, or when the feature will roll out.
On the content side of things, the first media and entertainment group to commit to Dolby Vision 2 to enhance its line up of movies, TV shows and live sport is Canal+.
Keep an eye on my Forbes channel for future updates on Dolby Vision 2’s progress.