Upload HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision videos

High dynamic range (HDR) videos utilize a wider range of colors and luminance to deliver a high-quality image that mimics what the human eye can see. Standard digital videos are referred to as Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).

HDR and Dolby Vision videos can be uploaded to ZenVideo in the same ways as any other type of video. However, your video needs to be edited and/or shot in HDR or Dolby Vision before upload to ZenVideo.

In this article:

• Upload process for HDR and Dolby Vision
• Source file requirements
• Create videos in Dolby Vision
• Create HDR and HDR10+ videos on Samsung

Upload process for HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision

During the upload process, we will detect that your video is HDR or Dolby Vision based on metadata in your source file. Videos shot with HDR will only be transcoded to 4K even if the original video uploaded to ZenVideo is 8K. The 8K playback quality will be available only if the uploaded video is in 8K Spatial format.

If a video is detected as Dolby Vision (Profile 8.4), it gets Dobly Vision and SDR renditions. If it’s detected as HDR10+, then it gets HDR10+ and SDR renditions. Otherwise, it gets regular HDR10 and SDR renditions. In each case, regular HDR displays will be able to fall back to static HDR metadata for displays that don't support dynamic metadata. 

The maximum output quality depends on the dimensions of your source file. Please note that Dolby Vision videos will not exceed 4K. If you would like to upgrade a video to Dolby Vision, you can use Apple Compressor to export a Dolby Vision file for upload. 

Not seeing HDR or Dolby Vision after uploading

Please note that due to the multiple layers of transcoding required for HDR formats such as Dolby Vision, lower-quality files of your video will be available initially while additional transcoding takes place in the background. Be sure to allow extra time for your video to fully transcode to be available in Dolby Vision. 

Source file requirements

In order to be considered HDR, your file must be tagged with color transfer characteristics and have a bit depth greater than or equal to 10.

We support both the PQ (SMPTE 2084) or HLG (AKA Hybrid Log Gamma or arib std-b67) transfer functions. 

If using the PQ (SMPTE 2084) transfer function, please include the following metadata to ensure the most accurate display of your video’s colors on all devices (in SDR and HDR):

• Mastering Display Color Volume (SMPTE 2086) — This metadata is typically added automatically in post-production and defines the color information about the screen on which your video was mastered.
• Content Light Level (CEA 861.3) — This metadata is also included automatically in post-production and defines the peak brightness of your video sequence.

In order to be considered Dolby Vision, your file must be delivered as HEVC-10bit, HLG, and Dolby Vision 8.4. The Dolby Vision metadata is already included in the file.

⚠️Note: We only support Dolby Vision Profile 8.4, and we don’t support mixed Dolby Vision/HDR10+ videos. 

Create videos in Dolby Vision

To create videos in Dolby Vision, you can capture, edit, and share your video with the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and some iPad models. Visit our partners at Dolby to learn how to capture Dolby Vision and export Dolby Vision using an iPhone.

Creators can also create Dolby Vision content by capturing footage with an HDR-compatible camera and editing content using Final Cut Pro or other non-linear editing software. Apple Final Cut Pro and Apple Compressor can be used to export and convert existing HDR content in Dolby Vision. Please note that Dolby Vision export for ZenVideo is not currently supported on Windows PCs.

Create HDR10+ videos on Samsung Galaxy

To read about creating HDR10+ videos on your mobile device, visit Samsung's guide here.