The advent of HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology has revolutionized video display by offering heightened detail and color accuracy, particularly in depicting the nuances of light and dark areas within an image. Recognizing the significance of HDR as a sought-after specification among media professionals and entertainment enthusiasts, BenQ, a developer committed to elevating image quality, introduces its exclusive HDR-PRO technology. Designed to deliver precise color reproduction and dynamic contrast, BenQ's HDR-PRO projectors aim to immerse consumers in a cinematic visual experience, a testament to the creators' vision.

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, represents a standard in video signals that provides a wider dynamic range, allowing images to be displayed with higher brightness and finer tonal details. HDR enhances both the brightness of highlights and the contrast in shadow areas, resulting in a more comprehensive and faithful representation of the original image, closer to what the human eye perceives.

In this series of articles, we delve into the fundamental definition of HDR and gain insights into its capture and post-production for videos. In the previous installment, we explored the presence of true HDR in projectors, revealing efforts by manufacturers to replicate the cinematic viewing experience despite the inherent limitations of projector brightness.

Apart from LCD TVs and display panels, BenQ invests heavily in projector development, integrating software and hardware technologies to present true HDR imagery, offering consumers refined visual content with superior image quality.

Different devices often have varying brightness specifications, and the limited maximum brightness of projectors may lead to misrepresentation of original content in terms of color and brightness.

BenQ HDR-PRO technology incorporates Tone Mapping during design, compressing the brightness range to fit within the projector's brightness range, ensuring image projection is based on accurate calculations and precise projection.

When image information is concentrated in medium brightness, the Global Contrast Enhancer adopts an "S curve" to enhance detail in highlights and shadows. While these features can produce contrast enhancement effects, challenges arise when an image contains both highlights and shadows. BenQ's industry-leading Local Contrast Enhancer overcomes such challenges. Each image is divided into over 1,000 regions for applying localized contrast enhancement algorithms, optimizing contrast and detail in both shadow and highlight areas simultaneously.

Utilizing both Global & Local Contrast Enhancer technology, BenQ projectors produce deeper black levels and optimized contrast detail. With revolutionary overall stereoscopic perception, they offer viewers richer 4K HDR image depth, catering to the preferences of audiovisual enthusiasts.

To maximize the effectiveness of tone mapping, BenQ employs Dynamic Black technology tailored for different light sources. While most projectors in the market prioritize either highlights or shadows, some sacrifice image fidelity to maintain contrast within their range. Through Dynamic Black, projectors calculate the optimal light output for different content or scenes, dynamically adjusting their light source output through control of the projector's optical system. This optimization enhances contrast, bringing scenes closer to the vision intended by directors or creators.

With its Dynamic Black technology and proprietary deep dark sealing coating optical engine, BenQ lamp projectors can create an exceptionally wide dynamic range. Regardless of whether the original scene is very bright or very dark, viewers can see the original content more clearly. Especially noteworthy is BenQ's Solid State Illumination (SSI) technology, which boasts a 20% higher contrast compared to other SSI technologies, responding faster to changes in image brightness.

Unlike HDR displays, where brightness is fixed by the signal assigned to them, HDR projector brightness varies depending on factors such as the distance between the projector and the screen, screen size (larger screens yield darker measurements), and screen material, affecting overall image brightness. Hence, BenQ HDR-PRO projectors offer five different recommended HDR brightness levels for five common home projector screen sizes*. They also feature brightness control, allowing users to adjust brightness levels based on screen size for the best viewing experience. (*Common home projector screen sizes are 80, 100, 120, 150, and 200 inches.)

Moreover, BenQ's HDR-PRO technology not only focuses on providing maximum brightness to showcase a broader dynamic range but also offers ample and comfortable brightness choices to prevent long-term eye fatigue. This feature presents images in a comprehensive, detailed, and authentic manner, optimized for human vision.