Tuesday, February 6th 2024

NVIDIA Readies RTX TrueHDR, Converts SDR Games to HDR in Real-time using AI

by
btarunr
 Discuss (34 Comments)
NVIDIA is giving finishing touches to a new feature called RTX TrueHDR. This was discovered by a user on NexusMods, who went ahead and published a mod based on it. This is essentially a driver-level utility that converts SDR games to HDR in real-time by leveraging the generative AI capabilities of GeForce RTX GPUs and their Tensor cores. From the looks of it, it appears to be a derivative of RTX Video HDR enhancement, except it works with the lossless output of a game. A vast selection of gaming monitors these days come with at least DisplayHDR 400 capability and the ability to display HDR content; which gives NVIDIA a sizable market to address with RTX TrueHDR. There's no word on when NVIDIA plans to release this feature, but it could only be a matter of time (weeks, if not months), given that NVIDIA drivers are already capable of SDR-to-HDR conversion technologies.
Sources: NVtrueHDR (NexusMods), Tom's Hardware

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34 Comments on NVIDIA Readies RTX TrueHDR, Converts SDR Games to HDR in Real-time using AI

#1
theouto
I guess this is nice for those that don't feel like updating to windows 11. Also man, advertising it by mentioning DisplayHDR 400? My only expectation now is either a shambolic release or something not worth noting. I also wonder if the use of the tensor cores might interfere with DLSS or any other applications that use tensor cores.
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#2
R0H1T
Looks like Nvidia's hell bent on stress testing your latest (W)OLED to pro max extreme :pimp:
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#3
Readlight
I like low resolution TV, with computer.
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#4
GoldenX
theoutoI guess this is nice for those that don't feel like updating to windows 11. Also man, advertising it by mentioning DisplayHDR 400? My only expectation now is either a shambolic release or something not worth noting. I also wonder if the use of the tensor cores might interfere with DLSS or any other applications that use tensor cores.
10-bit colour handling still benefits from it, even if peak brightness or FALD aren't available. Just test AutoHDR on a DisplayHDR 400 display.
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#5
AusWolf
Finally some good use of AI! I hope it'll work as well as it sounds.
theoutoAlso man, advertising it by mentioning DisplayHDR 400?
There's a lot of relatively cheap displays capable of HDR400, but nothing better (mine being one of them).
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#6
framebuffer
"Converts SDR Games to HDR in Real-time using AI"

Isn't this de facto the definition of "FakeHDR" or "MadeUpHDR"?
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#7
AusWolf
framebuffer"Converts SDR Games to HDR in Real-time using AI"

Isn't this de facto the definition of "FakeHDR" or "MadeUpHDR"?
HDR400 is fake enough already, so I'm not complaining. :ohwell:
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#8
BrainCruser
framebuffer"Converts SDR Games to HDR in Real-time using AI"

Isn't this de facto the definition of "FakeHDR" or "MadeUpHDR"?
Windows 11's AutoHDR is pretty good for a "fake HDR". Especially for bright/metalic objects it works perfectly.

For shadows, not so much. It shows the 5 shades of black available in the SDR signal "perfectly" as well, you can see each and every one of them separately.
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#9
theouto
GoldenX10-bit colour handling still benefits from it, even if peak brightness or FALD aren't available. Just test AutoHDR on a DisplayHDR 400 display.
Yeah, I have noticed way less colour banding when turning on the "HDR" available in my monitor, which is quite nice.
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#10
faquino
I guess a more descriptive name for this tech would have been FakeHDR but let the marketing guys earn their pay
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#11
SOAREVERSOR
HDR is kinda shitty Windows anyways. It's got a ways to go.

I feel like we are waiting for micro LED to become more common among professional displays before HDR is a big thing on computers. For the rest of us it's still way out there. Good HDR that is.
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#12
bug
GoldenX10-bit colour handling still benefits from it, even if peak brightness or FALD aren't available. Just test AutoHDR on a DisplayHDR 400 display.
Except... DisplayHDR 400 does not mandate even that: displayhdr.org/performance-criteria-cts1-1/
DisplayHDR 400 is only a little better than cancer, that's how little is has to do with HDR :(
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#13
Halo3Addict
Excited to try this, I've used the auto-hdr feature built into Windows and felt it a bit lacking.
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#14
ThrashZone
Hi,
So Nintendo... games will be awesome now :cool:
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#15
marios15
Fake HDR, fake frames, fake resolutions, fake photos, fake cores, fake process nodes

I love the progress of technology
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#16
Franzen4Real
AusWolfFinally some good use of AI! I hope it'll work as well as it sounds.
Halo3AddictExcited to try this, I've used the auto-hdr feature built into Windows and felt it a bit lacking.
I've tried the RTX Video HDR that they released with the last driver update and thought it wasn't too bad, I've left it turned on. It is a bit more understated than other faked HDR that I've seen. With Windows AutoHDR, on the few games that I have tried I felt it was a bit exaggerated at times, so I do not leave it turned on. I'll be giving this a shot with hopes of it also being a bit more subtle.
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#17
Cr4zy
After trying the HDR video conversion it works ok for some stuff. Content where things are blown out are just more blown out because the data isnt there. Subtitles are brightened, static white UI elements if you watch twitch or game related content are brightened if they do implement this in-game id expect UI to be ignored otherwise OLEDs are gonna have a bad time. Anime/Cartoon content is ok most of the time, some scenes end up with very over bright eyes/teeth because they're the only pure white elements.
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#18
bug
Cr4zyAfter trying the HDR video conversion it works ok for some stuff. Content where things are blown out are just more blown out because the data isnt there. Subtitles are brightened, static white UI elements if you watch twitch or game related content are brightened if they do implement this in-game id expect UI to be ignored otherwise OLEDs are gonna have a bad time. Anime/Cartoon content is ok most of the time, some scenes end up with very over bright eyes/teeth because they're the only pure white elements.
My own experience with HDR photos tells me getting HDR to look natural is rather hard. Maybe the AI can get smart enough to recognize scenes and apply the right settings, but before that happens, I'm fully expecting AutoHDR to be hit and miss.
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#19
ThrashZone
Hi,
Pick a color and exaggerate it and you now have AI speculation.
TV's / monitors have been doing this for years with different modes gaming and sport modes do this already and usually look bad.
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#20
stimpy88
More A.I. BS to wow the easily fooled. No doubt this will only work on the 40x0 series, for "reasons".

SDR Rec709 to HDR DCi-P3 is a fairly simple mathematical equation. No A.I. needed.
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#21
bug
stimpy88More A.I. BS to wow the easily fooled. No doubt this will only work on the 40x0 series, for "reasons".

SDR Rec709 to HDR DCi-P3 is a fairly simple mathematical equation. No A.I. needed.
It would be if it were a straight-up translation. Unfortunately, it is not. It's a perceptual transform.

Also, in SDR, much of the luminance info is clipped (lost). Getting it back is anything but straightforward.
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#22
stimpy88
bugIt would be if it were a straight-up translation. Unfortunately, it is not. It's a perceptual transform.

Also, in SDR, much of the luminance info is clipped (lost). Getting it back is anything but straightforward.
True, but there are many off the shelf algorithms for the task today. And you wanna bet with me that even the mighty A.I. HDR won't be as good as real HDR?
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#23
bug
stimpy88True, but there are many off the shelf algorithms for the task today. And you wanna bet with me that even the mighty A.I. HDR won't be as good as real HDR?
I know there are, I mentioned my experience with HDR photography earlier. It's hard to get an image to look right, but it's not inconceivable AI will grow smart enough to recognize scenes properly and get it right eventually. You could even add setting about the look you want: natural, saturated, cartoonish...

Ideally, we will have HDR everywhere. But this is just a band-aid to (try to) instill new life into the titles that came before. If it gets it right in a third of the games out there, that's still a win.
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#24
stimpy88
bugI know there are, I mentioned my experience with HDR photography earlier. It's hard to get an image to look right, but it's not inconceivable AI will grow smart enough to recognize scenes properly and get it right eventually. You could even add setting about the look you want: natural, saturated, cartoonish...

Ideally, we will have HDR everywhere. But this is just a band-aid to (try to) instill new life into the titles that came before. If it gets it right in a third of the games out there, that's still a win.
So true, I must admit that when this feature comes out, and if it's good, it would make me revisit all my older games. I love HDR, it's one of the best things to happen in the Cinema/TV/Monitor industry.

But I guess this is nGreedia, and they will artificially limit this new feature to 40x0 cards, and maybe I'd be expecting too much to see my 2070 get a crack at this, but it would be great, as I decided to skip the 40x0 series because it's not performant enough for the money they want.
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#25
chrcoluk
Shame article didnt link to the mod, if the mod gave TPU a story, at least link to the work.

I wanted to check the mod to see if its restricted to 4000 series, as it would be funny if the mod wasnt restricted but then the official version is.

Found this, this may or may not be what the story is based on, if it is the story sure came up quick as its very new.

Hardware restrictions not mentioned, but does require Windows 11.
WDDM 3.1 (Win11+)
www.nexusmods.com/site/mods/781
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