Dolby has introduced Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2, an up to date and upgraded model of its proprietary HDR format that is present in a number of of our picks for the greatest TVs of 2025. The highlights embody, properly, the promise of higher highlights, plus simpler playback and different enhancements.
However don’t fret — your TV’s not going to go darkish. This is not a format substitute. Actually, in case your TV is Dolby Imaginative and prescient appropriate now, you should not discover any adjustments. DV2 brings a couple of behind-the-scenes upgrades on the manufacturing facet, together with adjustments to new TVs that may carry the Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2 branding. These updates might be fairly fascinating, as I am going to clarify beneath.
Since this was simply introduced, we have solely acquired fundamental information, however we’ll discuss this extra as we begin getting our palms on DV2-compatible TVs.
Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2
On the core of DV2 is a “redesigned and much more highly effective picture engine.” What meaning is not completely clear, however the thought appears to be that it takes benefit of how a lot brighter and extra succesful TVs have develop into since Dolby Imaginative and prescient first launched. DV2 appears to be designed to make the most of that larger efficiency with new tone mapping, amongst different enhancements. Serving to creatives take higher benefit of the capabilities of recent TVs is a part of the behind-the-scenes upgrades as properly.
The largest change with DV2 is “Content material Intelligence,” which “introduces new instruments to higher bridge the artistic suite to the viewer’s front room.” As in, what you see at house is nearer to what the artistic group behind the present or film you are watching wished you to see. Broadly talking, this side is to assist HDR content material look higher on a greater variety of screens and viewing environments. There are three points to this. This is how Dolby describes them:
Good Black is intriguing. In my evaluations, I’ve usually discovered that shows with poor HDR efficiency really look brighter and higher with HDR turned off — projectors particularly. How Precision Black will work stays to be seen, however hopefully that is extra than simply robotically adjusting the brightness. I believe Dolby’s use of the phrases “clear” and “readability” listed below are extra within the vernacular sense, not associated to element or sharpness.
Put merely, this implies brightening the picture when there’s plenty of ambient mild within the room and darkening it when there is not. Many shows already do that robotically, so it is smart that Dolby would need to take again management on behalf of creators. How properly it really works in observe stays to be seen.
Lastly, there’s Sports activities and Gaming Optimization, which goals to will “handle the distinctive wants of stay sports activities and gaming.” A part of that features what I believe is probably the most fascinating and doubtlessly controversial side of DV2: Genuine Movement.
“Genuine Movement”
One of many issues I despise most about new TVs and projectors is movement smoothing, aka the cleaning soap opera impact. “Hate” does not even cowl it — and I am not alone. It is an abomination of a expertise, and I truthfully cannot fathom why anybody would get pleasure from it. But individuals do, so what do I do know? Now, with DV2’s new Genuine Movement characteristic, Dolby is pushing past the confines of HDR:
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Genuine Movement is billed because the world’s first creative-driven movement management software, designed to make scenes really feel extra cinematic with out undesirable judder, adjusted on a shot-by-shot foundation.
I reached out to Dolby for clarification on this, because it made the hair on the again of my neck get up. The corporate’s response: “[Authentic Motion allows a creative] to regulate the quantity of de-judder for the precise photographs or scenes they really feel greatest matches the look of what they’re making an attempt to convey. It is pushed by artist intent and might/will solely be used on the photographs they really feel really want it and solely on the quantity they consider is required.” Which means a director will have the ability to select to add movement smoothing to particular scenes in the event that they really feel it is necessary. I hope it additionally means they’re going to have the ability to disable it completely if the TV has it on already. We’ll must see how that is applied. To be clear, that is simply an possibility in DV2 — that means a director or artistic has to allow it, and also you’d additionally want a DV2-compatible TV for it to matter. So, put down the pitchforks (for now).
DV2 coming 2 U
Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2 is available in two flavors: Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2 Max, aimed toward high-end TVs with “further premium options” (presumably together with Genuine Movement), and the usual Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2, or “Vanilla,” which nonetheless contains Content material Intelligence and the brand new Picture Engine, designed for mainstream TVs.
The tl;dr (conveniently on the backside): Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2 is on the way in which. It will be in new TVs, will not have an effect on present ones and will result in extra Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material total as the brand new artistic instruments make it simpler to make use of.
Hisense would be the first to supply TVs with DV2 in a few of its upcoming mini-LEDs. Different corporations will probably comply with. Anticipate to see a bunch introduced at CES 2026 in January.
Along with masking cameras and show tech, Geoff does photograph essays about cool museums and different stuff, together with nuclear submarines, plane carriers, 10,000-mile street journeys.
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