Dolby Vision HDR is about to get a major upgrade, with Dolby Laboratories unveiling a new version of its flagship picture quality technology ahead of IFA Berlin 2025 next week.
The new version is somewhat unoriginally known as “Dolby Vision 2”, and Dolby promised that it will be a “ground-breaking evolution” of the original HDR format. It added that it’s “designed specifically to meet the evolving opportunities of television experiences today”, but it was somewhat evasive regarding what that actually means.
Dolby said it’s trying to bring an extra “edge” to picture quality on a range of different devices, so not just televisions but also smaller devices such as tablets, monitors and smartphones.
Intriguingly, the new Dolby Vision will come in two flavours. There’s the standard Dolby Vision 2, which promises “dramatically improved” picture quality on mainstream TVs, made possible by a new Dolby Image Engine and Content Intelligence feature. Then there’s Dolby Vision 2 Max, which is said to deliver the “best picture on the highest performing TVs”, with additional premium features that use the full capabilities of higher-end displays.
Dolby didn’t really specify the differences between Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby Vision 2 Max, so we’re going to have to wait until it takes to the stage at IFA next week, when we’ll almost certainly see more.
The company’s announcement was chock-full of superlatives, however. For instance, the new Dolby Image Engine is said to be “more powerful” than its predecessor and will excel in mainstream films and TV shows, as well as live sports and gaming. Dolby also promised that content will “look even more astonishing” when it’s viewed on an official Dolby Vision 2 display.
With regards to the new “Content Intelligence” functionality, this is all about adapting the picture on the fly, based on what’s being watched and where, the company explained. Its capabilities span Precision Black, which can help to increase clarity in dark scenes without compromising the artistic intent, and Lightsense, which uses a sensor to detect ambient light and optimise the picture accordingly. Content Intelligence will also help to optimise the pictures for sports and gaming content, adjusting things like white point and motion control.
There’s also a new bi-directional tone-mapping engine for “high-performance TVs” that promises to enhance brightness, sharpen the contrast further and enhance colour saturation. Finally, Dolby talked about a new Authentic Motion capability, saying this is the “world’s first creative-driven motion control tool”, and will help to make scenes feel more “cinematic” on a shot-by-shot basis, without unwanted judder.
Dolby revealed it’s partnering with Hisense to launch the first Dolby Vision 2-compatible TVs, and specifically mentioned that company’s humongous 116-inch RGB-Mini LED TV, as well as some of its standard Mini-LED TVs. In those TVs, Hisense is using the new MediaTek Pentonic 800 chip with a MiraVision Pro PQ Engine, which is the first processor to support Dolby Vision 2. Another partner is the French media and entertainment company CANAL+, which will be among the first to develop native Dolby Vision 2 content.
"We've reached an inflection point where TV technology has dramatically changed while artists continue to demand even more innovative tools,” said Dolby’s senior vice president of entertainment John Couling. “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."
Dolby said it’s planning to host a press briefing on Sept. 5, just hours before IFA Berlin 2025 opens its doors, so we can expect to see and hear more specifics then.
