Auto HDR and bullshit marketing

Utnayan

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Word to those that have HDR / Dolby vision displays across any gaming platform.

Auto HDR is a marketing gimmick. Throwing an SDR color palette into Auto HDR does nothing more than wash the entire color system into the ground. HDR regardless of system variety (HDR10, Dolby Vision, etc.) needs to be implemented in development stages to actually take advantage of the feature.

Unfortunately, Auto HDR now gives publishers the marketing of HDR on the box as the latest buzzword of bullshit. RDR2 and countless others are an example of idiots throwing SDR color palettes into an HDR flash out and it looks like absolute horseshit. I was reminded of this when I downloaded Mortal Kombat 11 on gamepass to screw around with the story mode and when in settings it’s fucking ridiculous how bad it looks compared to turning it off. To the point SDR looked like Dolby vision compared to having their bullshit fake implementation of it having the balls to claim HDR.

HDR is a fucking awesome feature when implemented correctly. True color pop and amazing color detail. Leave it to this fucking bullshit industry to be left to their own devices and fuck it all up for marketing purposes and at the same time dumb down the experience to the point casuals will wonder why they care about HDR in the first place.

If you are bored, load up a few games on your OLED or any HDR capable display. Try RDR 2, Grand Theft Auto for PS5/Series X, Planet of Lana (at least this one was indie) Mortal Kombat 11, or a plethora of others and switch modes in the menu system of the game, or sometimes you have to go to the system menu of the console itself to disable auto HDR. You’ll be fucking shocked.

For a few games that actually implemented it well, check out Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 or the latest version of Death Stranding.

The bullshit needs to stop. It’s quite literally neutering the entire feature. Same thing goes for the 3D audio “spatial audio” setting some of these games have. It isn’t Dolby Atmos unless the fucking tracks were cut with that in mind. In tandem they are conducting the same horseshit with spatial audio overlays and labeling games as having 3D audio.

At any rate, if you want to take advantage of your setups should you have these types of gaming configs, when this happens you are better off using SDR and surround audio because both get driven into the ground AND are FAR worse then SDR/surround 5.1 when they simulate it for nothing more than buzzwords on a marketing slick.
 
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DickTrickle

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Yeah, I was so confused when RDR2 looked like shit with HDR on. Off it was so much more alive. I don't understand how they think that was a good idea.
 
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Mist

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Yeah, I was so confused when RDR2 looked like shit with HDR on. Off it was so much more alive. I don't understand how they think that was a good idea.
Word to those that have HDR / Dolby vision displays across any gaming platform.

Auto HDR is a marketing gimmick. Throwing an SDR color palette into Auto HDR does nothing more than wash the entire color system into the ground. HDR regardless of system variety (HDR10, Dolby Vision, etc.) needs to be implemented in development stages to actually take advantage of the feature.

Unfortunately, Auto HDR now gives publishers the marketing of HDR on the box as the latest buzzword of bullshit. RDR2 and countless others are an example of idiots throwing SDR color palettes into an HDR flash out and it looks like absolute horseshit. I was reminded of this when I downloaded Mortal Kombat 11 on gamepass to screw around with the story mode and when in settings it’s fucking ridiculous how bad it looks compared to turning it off. To the point SDR looked like Dolby vision compared to having their bullshit fake implementation of it having the balls to claim HDR.

HDR is a fucking awesome feature when implemented correctly. True color pop and amazing color detail. Leave it to this fucking bullshit industry to be left to their own devices and fuck it all up for marketing purposes and at the same time dumb down the experience to the point casuals will wonder why they care about HDR in the first place.

If you are bored, load up a few games on your OLED or any HDR capable display. Try RDR 2, Grand Theft Auto for PS5/Series X, Planet of Lana (at least this one was indie) Mortal Kombat 11, or a plethora of others and switch modes in the menu system of the game, or sometimes you have to go to the system menu of the console itself to disable auto HDR. You’ll be fucking shocked.

For a few games that actually implemented it well, check out Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 or the latest version of Death Stranding.

The bullshit needs to stop. It’s quite literally neutering the entire feature. Same thing goes for the 3D audio “spatial audio” setting some of these games have. It isn’t Dolby Atmos unless the fucking tracks were cut with that in mind. In tandem they are conducting the same horseshit with spatial audio overlays and labeling games as having 3D audio.

At any rate, if you want to take advantage of your setups should you have these types of gaming configs, when this happens you are better off using SDR and surround audio because both get driven into the ground AND are FAR worse then SDR/surround 5.1 when they simulate it for nothing more than buzzwords on a marketing slick.
What displays are you using? And have you used the HDR calibrator from the Windows Store? Get Windows HDR Calibration from the Microsoft Store

I used to have the same opinion as you, but then I figured out I was doing stuff wrong and got a more capable display.
 

DickTrickle

Definitely NOT Furor Planedefiler
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What displays are you using? And have you used the HDR calibrator from the Windows Store? Get Windows HDR Calibration from the Microsoft Store

I used to have the same opinion as you, but then I figured out I was doing stuff wrong and got a more capable display.
I played on PS5, not PC. That could explain a different experience.

I did calibrate according to some trusted sites' guidance but even if that was off I would think it would also look bad in all games. HFW did look better with it on, like Ut said.
 
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Utnayan

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What displays are you using? And have you used the HDR calibrator from the Windows Store? Get Windows HDR Calibration from the Microsoft Store

I used to have the same opinion as you, but then I figured out I was doing stuff wrong and got a more capable display.

OLED 65" C1 2022. (All console based titles between PS5 and Series X)

There are weird variables at play too. For instance on Series X auto HDR is system menu driven. There is no Auto Dolby Vision, only to support it when the game does. Let's take MK11 on Series X as an example of how there can be mass confusion.

Scenario 1) Auto HDR disabled in the system menu. Dolby Vision support enabled on the system menu. Launch MK11 - enable HDR10 support (In game)- it looks awful (Similar to RDR2 when an SDR Color palette is placed in an HDR container)

Scenario 2) Auto HDR disabled - Dolby Vision Support enabled on the system menu. Launch MK11 with HDR10 disabled, dolby vision enabled and it looks great as expected.

Scenario 3) Auto HDR siaabled, Dolby Vision Disabled, Disable HDR10 = SDR looks even better than Dolby Vision.

What should be happening is not have any of this. The game either supports one of the HDR flavors or it doesn't. Enable HDR10, Disable Auto HDR, Enable Dolby Vision - the game, if developed for one of those variable HDR modes, takes over.

(I conducted ISF style calibrations from the RPTV days - so everything has been configured correctly on PS5 and Series X. I used to use my Video Essentials DVD back then but now most of the color patterns to calibrate against are "Good enough". Either way, the washed out Auto HDR Taking SDR and throwing it in a container for HDR is horrible.