4K x265 remove HDR but, keep HDR settings as a backup.

[Someonecool]

Hey all,

I've been searching and I cant find the EXACT answer. I have a bunch of movies done in HEVC/x265 but, they have HDR. So when I watch them, there is almost no color in the video. I do not have a HDR display but, plan on getting one in a year or 2.

So, how can I convert these movies to Non-HDR and is it possible to export the HDR settings for the video so at a later point, I can import them in so they are just like they are now ?

The Goal is to view the movie in 4K with really nice color (losing as little as POSSABLE) on a 4K monitor but, leave myself the possibility to re-add the HDR to the video file.

If there is, what would be the best way to go about this for the best results ? Again, I don't want to lose any quality if possible (accept HDR data) from the video.

[Selur]

So when I watch them, there is almost no color in the video. I do not have a HDR display but, plan on getting one in a year or 2.

That's because the HDR data doesn't get converted to SDR during playback, but is simply ignored.

So, how can I convert these movies to Non-HDR and is it possible to export the HDR settings for the video so at a later point, I can import them in so they are just like they are now ?

The player you currently use already does what you want it ignores the HDR data and plays the content as if they weren't there.
So, why would you want to drop the HDR data if you don't use it ?
What you ask for: Split Video in SDR and HDR content, save them separate and later reunite them later isn't possible with current software as far as I'm aware of.

In my opinion, the best way would be to:
a. keep the HDR file
b. use a player like MPC-HC which converts HDR to SDR on the fly
downside: requires more power during playback.

Cu Selur

[Someonecool]

So when I watch them, there is almost no color in the video. I do not have a HDR display but, plan on getting one in a year or 2.

That's because the HDR data doesn't get converted to SDR during playback, but is simply ignored.

So, how can I convert these movies to Non-HDR and is it possible to export the HDR settings for the video so at a later point, I can import them in so they are just like they are now ?

The player you currently use already does what you want it ignores the HDR data and plays the content as if they weren't there.
So, why would you want to drop the HDR data if you don't use it ?
What you ask for: Split Video in SDR and HDR content, save them separate and later reunite them later isn't possible with current software as far as I'm aware of.

In my opinion, the best way would be to:
a. keep the HDR file
b. use a player like MPC-HC which converts HDR to SDR on the fly
downside: requires more power during playback.

Cu Selur

Sorry, I mis-placed my logon for this site Doh !

Anyway, I still use Windows Media Center on Windows 7 for my HTPC to watch all my movies so using a 3rd party player wont work. I want to keep the experience inside Media Center because I can access everything with a single remote. I use Shark007 for my codecs, I can look into a way to see if I can have them strip out on the fly. This would be the BEST way if possible.

Is there a way to EXPORT the HDR settings before stripping them from the file, so I can import them back in if needed. Just in case I wanted go this route ?

[sneaker]

It's not as simple as "exporting" some "HDR settings" and later "importing" them again. You need to re-encode the complete file with tone mapping. Either to HLG format (some half-assed format that's supposed to be both SDR and HDR compatible, not really recommended) or both convert to SDR as well as keep the original HDR movie file. So you need to invest time for converting to SDR as well as hard disk space to keep both versions of the movie.

Converting HDR to SDR is IIRC offered by StaxRip, Hybrid, RipBot (which in turn rely on more "manual" software like AviSynth/VapourSynth/ffmpeg to do the job).

[_Al_]

You can peak in here , mostly that last input by dipje. HDR has to be "interpreted" to SDR. There is not one formula that decodes it and here we go. This is called tone mapping and there is no define equation for a pixel that fixes it to be presented in Rec 709. You can basically choose more algorithms and get different feels depending how you are going to interpret it. Vapoursynth tonemapping can use Hable, Mobius, Reinhard. This is no AC3 + core equivalent like in HD audio world. Where you can split them and save them or put them in separate tracks.