The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has updated the High-Performance Monitor and Display Compliance Test Specification (DisplayHDR) open standard specifying high dynamic range (HDR) quality.

The updated spec, DisplayHDR version 1.1, includes tighter performance requirements, including for luminance and color gamut, as well as new test requirements, such as for active dimming. Companies can begin certifying their display products under the new DisplayHDR 1.1 spec today. In addition, VESA will continue to allow products to be certified under the previous DisplayHDR 1.0 spec through the end of May 2020 in order to allow for products already in development that have been designed to meet the original spec, which was published in November 2017.

VESA also announced that it has added a new 1400 performance level to the DisplayHDR standard, which targets professional content creators. The DisplayHDR 1400 level requires a dynamic contrast ratio that is 3.5X greater than the DisplayHDR 1000 level.

ASUS is demonstrating the industry's first pre-certified display for the DisplayHDR 1400 spec at IFA 2019, September 6-11, in Messe Berlin in Hall 12, Booth 110.

The DisplayHDR 1.1 specification includes a number of performance updates, such as:

• Active dimming – DisplayHDR now mandates active dimming performance levels, a feature that when adopted in displays can reduce power consumption and yield significantly darker black levels
• DisplayID accuracy – ensures that accurate luminance and color gamut data is populated in the DisplayID or legacy Extended Display Identification Data (EDID), which enables the GPU to optimize the video signal for that display to ensure the highest display performance
• Dual corner box test – the black-level test has been updated with larger corner box structures to allow for accurate colorimeter measurement of both black and white levels, resulting in improved dynamic contrast ratio testing
  
• New color gamut specifications – DisplayHDR now includes a 10 percent color patch test in addition to the 100 percent full screen color test, with both tests now using the display's maximum luminance and RGB primary color values from the DisplayID/EDID; this revised test method more accurately determines the color gamut that will render on the display when running Windows
• Combined color luminance – DisplayHDR has added a mechanism to validate full color volume at the full logo level luminance
• New Delta-ITP test – added to test that the luminance level on the display is correctly rendered, helping to ensure the faithful reproduction of the original content creator's intent (luminance, and D65 white balance)
• On-screen display (OSD) mode indication – any DisplayHDR-certified monitor with an on-screen menu function must now clearly indicate which modes support DisplayHDR, making it easier for users to optimize their display settings
• DisplayPort certification specification – any DisplayHDR-certified monitor that has a DisplayPort interface must also undergo DisplayPort certification, ensuring that the display performs optimally with VESA DisplayPort-certified cables and other peripherals
• DisplayHDR 1400: A New HDR Performance Level for Content Creators
  

In addition to updating the DisplayHDR compliance test specification (CTS), VESA has also introduced a new 1400 performance tier targeting professional content creators. This higher, premium performance tier provides a 40 percent increase in luminance and a 2.5X reduction in black level compared to the DisplayHDR 1000 tier – increasing the contrast range by 350 percent. Color gamut performance requirements have also been increased for the first time, from 90 percent to 95 percent of DCI-P3-D65 – a visibly noticeable difference compared to the 500/600/1000 tiers. Another key feature of the new DisplayHDR 1400 tier is that it requires 900 nits of brightness for full-screen long-duration (30 minute) testing, which provides for a rock-solid stable luminance-based display for professional and prosumer video editing.