You've Been Doing PS5 [Adjust HDR] Wrong... Here's How to Get the Best Settings

Understanding HDR Calibration on Sony PS5

Introduction to HDR Calibration

• Vincent Beow from HDTV Test addresses confusion regarding HDR calibration screens on the Sony PS5, aiming to clarify their purpose and provide guidance for optimal picture quality.

Maximum Full Frame Tone Map Luminance

• The first screen allows users to set the maximum full frame tone map luminance, indicating at what peak brightness level the display will start clipping specular highlight details.

Maximum Tone Map Luminance Adjustment

• The second screen adjusts maximum tone map luminance for a 10% window, similarly informing the console about peak brightness levels where clipping occurs.

Minimum Tone Map Luminance Adjustment

• The third screen enables adjustment of minimum tone map luminance, determining at what minimum luminance level shadow detail begins to clip.

Waveform Monitor Analysis

• Using a Canon DPV 2411 reference monitor, Vincent demonstrates how to analyze digital code values and peak brightness through waveform monitoring and pixel value checking.

Peak Brightness Measurements

• Demonstrates that moving the cursor reveals a digital PQ code value of 1023 (maximum in RGB terms), with peak brightness measurements ranging from around 300 nits for sun details down to approximately 108 nits at darker levels.

Observations on Display Capabilities

• Discusses how adjustments can lead to significant differences in perceived brightness; for instance, moving up nine clicks results in around 400 nits while reaching just under 1000 nits at level 15.

Concerns About Clipping Levels

• Highlights concerns over consumer displays typically being under 1000 nits, emphasizing that many OLED displays may not reach this threshold effectively.

Crude Adjustment Levels

• Critiques the adjustment granularity on the PS5 as too crude; fluctuations in readings are attributed to conversion processes leading to rounding errors during analysis.

Implications of Incorrect Settings

• Warns against settling for lower settings that misrepresent display capabilities; doing so could limit output significantly below actual potential (e.g., resolving only up to 150 nits instead of true capability).

HDR Calibration and HGIG Compliance

Understanding the HGIG Guidelines

• The HGIG organization recommends adjusting the HDR slider until gray squares disappear, indicating clipping. This ensures optimal brightness without losing detail.

• For all HGIG compliant displays, it is suggested to set the logo visibility to just barely visible to maintain high peak brightness in games.

• When setting the logo faintness, ensure it is extremely subtle; otherwise, you risk losing additional peak brightness that enhances game visuals.

Clipping and Brightness Management

• If a logo is clearly visible on a monitor (like a Canon), it's better to clip it. This allows for higher perceived brightness while preserving most tonal range.

• The maximum tone map luminance should be consistent across screens; ideally, both should clip at similar values unless dynamic tone mapping alters this.

Setting Minimum Tone Map Luminance

• It’s advised to set minimum tone map luminance at its lowest level (zero nits), especially beneficial for OLED displays as it represents true blacks.

• Raising the black floor even slightly can lead to issues like near-black flickering or floating blacks due to how some displays handle zero digital clock values.

Considerations for HDR Viewing Environments

• For HDR gaming or movie watching in bright environments, slight adjustments may be necessary. However, in dark conditions (reference HDR), settings should remain at zero for best results.

• Many complaints about HDR being too dark stem from viewing in brighter environments; true HDR content requires low ambient light levels for proper perception of details.

Dynamic Tone Mapping and RGB Settings

• Adjusting settings above zero is unnecessary unless consuming content in non-reference lighting conditions; maintaining zero maximizes fidelity in dark environments.

• Using RGB full output preserves quality for games while switching to YCbCr for movies helps manage color ranges effectively during gameplay sessions.

Understanding RGB Settings for PS5

Fluctuations in RGB Output

• The values fluctuate between 149 and 151 when using RGB limited, compared to a narrower range of 150 to 151 with RGB full. This indicates that RGB limited allows for a wider spread in output values.

• A more consistent level of PQ code from the source can reduce fluctuations and rounding errors, which may be amplified during video processing.

• It is recommended to use RGB full for gaming and YCbCr limited for movies, as this setup optimizes display performance. Auto-detection features on displays are expected to handle these settings effectively.

Importance of HGIG Setting

• Engaging the HGIG setting on TVs simplifies adjustments and enhances accuracy. Without HGIG compliance, displays may clip brightness levels incorrectly.

• Some users suggest turning off dynamic tone mapping while engaging HGIG; however, this approach may not yield optimal calibration results.

Brightness Adjustment Recommendations

• For proper screen functionality, it is advised to engage HGIG and adjust brightness until symbols are barely visible. This method aligns with Sony's instructions regarding peak brightness settings.

• Sony TVs lack an option to disable tone mapping completely through HGIG, leading to potential discrepancies in peak brightness settings based on the algorithm used.

Conclusion on Tone Mapping