Katarzyna Petru
Month after the official announcement, Dolby shared answers to questions collected by the editorial team and the FlatpanelsHD community. Dolby Vision 2 is meant to be more than just another version of HDR – it’s a completely new image engine with “Content Intelligence,” new metadata, and a dedicated mode for gaming and sports.
But what does that actually mean in practice? Below you will find all the answers from Dolby – divided into specific questions, along with our comments and context.
What is the difference between Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby Vision 2 Max?
Dolby Vision 2 Max is the "premium" version and... more demanding. For a television to meet the Max requirements, it must have:
Ambient light sensor,
Panel with at least 120 Hz refresh rate,
Dolby-approved motion support (known as Authentic Motion).
If it doesn't have these – it will be standard Dolby Vision 2.
Does Dolby Vision 2 Max require a specific display technology?
No. Dolby emphasises that it does not favour any type of panel – OLED, QD-OLED, MiniLED, LCD with RGB LED – each of them can support Dolby Vision 2 if they meet the requirements for motion processing and light sensor.
Will content be labelled as Dolby Vision 2?
No. Movies and series will continue to be marked simply as Dolby Vision, but platforms and devices will indicate support for the new version (e.g. “supports Dolby Vision 2”). Canal+ has already announced support for DV2 in films, series, and sports broadcasts.
When can we expect the first content in Dolby Vision 2?
Dolby is currently focusing on announcements from platforms and hardware partners. Specific content launches will be announced by the partners (i.e. for example, Canal+, Netflix, Disney+?).
Does Dolby Vision 2 require support on both the player and the TV?
Not entirely. Any device with DV will work fine with DV2 TV – and vice versa. However, the full capabilities of Dolby Vision 2 (e.g. new metadata) will depend on compatibility on both sides. For now, there are no details regarding consoles or UHD players.
What about Blu-ray 4K?
Dolby doesn't rule out support, but there's nothing indicating it either. Technically, there are no limitations, so it's theoretically possible – but probably not in the first wave.
What is "Gaming Optimization"?
It’s a new set of metadata that allows game creators (or platforms like Xbox/PlayStation) to "tell" the TV what picture settings will be optimal for a given game – e.g. white balance, contrast, tone-mapping. Support will be available for every TV with DV2, not just Max.
What is "Authentic Motion" and how does it work?
This is not classical motion interpolation. No new frames are created. Instead, the creator adds metadata that tells the TV, how smooth motion should look in a given scene. And the TV – knowing its own capabilities – applies the appropriate processing to achieve this.
What about Light Sense 2?
This is an enhanced adaptation to room lighting – it requires a dedicated light sensor and a new image engine. Dolby states clearly: only TVs with the Light Sense 2 certification can utilise this feature.
Is "Sports Optimization" also motion smoothing?
Yes, but not only that. In addition to motion smoothing, you can also adjust white balance, brightness, and other image parameters to suit specific sports broadcasts.
How does tone-mapping in Dolby Vision 2 work?
The new system supports "bidirectional" mapping. In reference mode (e.g., DV Filmmaker Mode), the image is not mapped – if it doesn't have to be. However, the creator can also add metadata that allows the TV to increase brightness and adjust the image to external conditions (e.g., a bright living room).
Will Dolby Vision 2 replace Dolby Vision Dark?
The new reference system will still be available – but not as "Dark Mode", only as Dolby Reference Mode. TV manufacturers will be able to offer additional presets, e.g. for sports, bright rooms, or gaming – based on this reference version.
What’s next?
Dolby hasn’t revealed everything yet – full details are expected at CES 2026. We can anticipate specific TV model launches featuring Dolby Vision 2 Max (LG OLEDs? TCL MiniLEDs? perhaps a new Samsung?), as well as new features in consoles and VOD services.
Dolby Vision 2 may not change the "physics" of HDR, but it does something that has been missing – it incorporates context (light, genre, motion, type of content) into the metadata. It's a more "intelligent HDR" that finally does more than just map brightness. There's high expectation for support in gaming and sports broadcasts – but it all depends on who goes all-in first.
Source: flatpanelshd
