Remember the days when you could connect to a game console on screen and it all just worked? No resolution, deep color or RGB settings are limited / full of controversy – and maybe even misunderstandings? Well, the complexity shows only increase with the advent of HDR-enabled screens. A good example is Samsung's range of HDR compatible products – we consider some of the best in the market right now for gaming, but rightly setting up HDR is not easy. Our goal here is to explain how to optimize the best image for your new 4K display.
When you look at online forums, the lack of clear guidance here is causing some confusion as to what the real benefits of HDR are – because it can be difficult to see any actual image enhancement at all if the settings are not optimized. Certainly, Samsung has some work to do in upgrading its current firmware to ensure that HDR is set up as soon as it sees the right result, especially when the critical & # 39; game mode & # 39; of low latency is enabled.
In our tests we used the current king in the mid-range – the 49-inch Samsung KS7000 etch, but the same firmware is installed on each screen throughout the 2016 range, and should be the same on any 2016 Samsung screen where are you on earth. For example, the KS7000 is a offering from Europe only, but the steps we describe here are just related to US KS8000 users – or indeed any other Samsung screen down, up to the epic 65-inch KS9500.
That said, users of Samsung's smaller 8-bit panels – in fact the entire KU series – should completely shut down HDR. There is no dynamic backlight support, no 10 support, and most screen doesn't support the wide gamut. The result is an incorrect presentation that is not a pool in a properly calibrated SDR image. On the flipside side, if you have a KS screen, these tweaks settings are the way to go.
Rich sits down with expert Dave Bierton to talk about how to get the best HDR image from Samsung's latest screens.
The first order of business is to enable game mode. This is very important, because if not, sticking to the standard movie mode you see the sky-rocket latency to 120ms. The reason we recommend Samsung for gaming is that the lag is far better: only 22ms or some KS7000. Available under the & # 39; Image & # 39; on a special & # 39; s screen & # 39;
After that, it is time to take a professional photography / HDMI UHD photography journey. In this option, surprisingly, you actually need to enable HDRI support for each of the HDMI ports on the screen (the KS7000 has four, but the mileage will vary depending on the display).
But you're not doing it yet. Next, select a photo / expert settings / backlight and understand this up to 20. This is actually done automatically in standard movie mode, but it doesn't happen when HDR is enabled in game mode, which means it needs to be manually done. After that, select Image / Expert / Smart smart settings with the ramp reaching the top.
Your final port of call is the photos / specialists for the setting / color space. If you have not calibrated the screen in HDR mode, we recommend selecting the auto here, to make sure the screen correctly tracks the DCI-P3 color space in the Rec 20 color gamut – the main component of HDR gaming presentations. And that's it. Now you're done, fully HDR enabled.
Dave introduces a complete overhaul of Samsung's settings, as well as his recommendations for the best game image.
But even though he has all these arrangements in place, he is still placed in something for the best, because not all games support HDR – in fact, they are something of a few people. So in the worst case, you need to manually dial the rear lamp and switch the LED option on or off. And then you need to get everything back if you play the HDR title next.
Our advice here? Yes, the settings are individual to each HDMI port, so it would make sense to use two HDMI cables, each connected to different ports and switch between them – or just get used to the tweakery settings required every time you switch between HDR and offline powered by -HDR But in the right world, Samsung needs to step up here by improving the quality and quality of its firmware to automatically get the required settings depending on the console's output. It shouldn’t be too hard and a little bean from an engineering standpoint, bearing in mind the high quality and the R&D effort poured into what is a good part of the display technology.
But it works to highlight that HDR is still in its development stages right now, and it's hard to find a display no have some kind of problem relating to large dynamic range content. In addition, there are three very distinctive features of HDR support – firstly there are cheap screens that can process the signal but cannot present HDR at all (and yet are still marketed as support). Secondly, there are mid-range screens such as the KS7000 / KS8000 and Panasonic DX750 that can produce good results, but with no feature known as location control, which means you don't always see HDR. And finally, there are all the music screens, which dance to everything like the LG OLED, Panasonic DX902 and Samsung KS9500 models, which are fully equipped and work in terms of HDR performance – but they are expensive too much money.
At Digital Foundry, we will be discussing multiple screens, and following the progress of 4K and HDR technology. We will have a full review of the KS7000 soon, but as of now, we know that many Samsung HDR screens have been sold out in the black Friday period. And to avoid the disappointment of HDR, we wanted to get the word out there for what it takes to get the best picture from your PC, PS4 / PS4 Pro or Xbox One S.
