ScreenCheckv1.0
EDUCATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONhdr
3 min
Client-Side Local

SDR vs HDR Demonstration

A scientifically honest educational demonstration exploring the technical concepts behind High Dynamic Range, SDR limitations, highlight roll-off, and display tone-mapping curves.

Technical Scope & Limitations

Educational simulation and conceptual demonstration. An SDR browser environment cannot simulate true physical HDR luminance.

Browser rendering output can be influenced by OS display scaling, GPU driver color settings, and active HDR profiles.

Testing Instructions
  1. Use the interactive slider to observe simulated highlight clipping and shadow compression.
  2. Review the core technical differences between SDR (sRGB / Rec.709) and HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG).
  3. Read the guide on how tone-mapping compresses specular highlights into display capabilities.
Interaction Controls
Next Pattern
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Previous Pattern←
Exit FullscreenEsc
Mouse / TouchTap screen to cycle

Conceptual SDR / HDR Dynamic Range Comparison

Educational Simulation
Standard Dynamic Range (SDR)Rec.709 / sRGB
Harsh highlight clipping at ~100 nits ceiling
  • Limited 8-bit quantization (256 tonal steps per channel)
  • Fixed gamma curves (typically 2.2 or 2.4)
  • Bright clouds and skies clip into undifferentiated white
High Dynamic Range (HDR)BT.2020 / DCI-P3 / PQ
Expanded headroom for specular highlights
  • 10-bit or 12-bit encoding (1,024 to 4,096 tonal steps)
  • Perceptual Quantizer (PQ / ST.2084) absolute luminance mapping
  • Retains detailed cloud textures inside bright sun highlights
1. Dynamic RangeThe ratio between the darkest black and the brightest specular highlight a display can simultaneously reproduce.
2. Tone MappingAlgorithm that fits high-nit master signals into a display's physical peak brightness without harsh clipping.
3. Color VolumeThe 3D space formed by combining wide color gamuts (P3/Rec.2020) with high peak luminance levels.

What This Test Checks

  • Core conceptual differences between SDR (sRGB / Rec.709) and HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG).
  • Highlight roll-off compression vs hard clipping.
  • Color volume expansion in modern high-performance displays.

How to Perform the Test

  • Review the simulated comparison cards above.
  • Note how SDR truncates highlights at an early threshold while HDR preserves details.
  • Learn the terminology behind dynamic range and tone mapping before running monitor calibration.

What to Look For

  • Understanding how tone mapping affects movie highlights and gaming visual clarity.

Common Display Problems & Diagnostic Guidance

Fake HDR Claims on Budget Displays

Many budget monitors advertise "HDR10 Support" but only reach 250–300 nits with standard 1000:1 contrast, causing HDR content to look worse and more washed-out than SDR.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a website display true physical HDR without an HDR monitor?

No. Web pages cannot produce physical brightness beyond your panel hardware limits. This page provides an educational simulation to explain technical principles.