Before we delve into the ai-powered hdr video software, let's first figure out what HDR video is and a few concepts often associated with HDR, such as SDR, UHD, and so on. Then, we will discuss several well-known software options that support HDR upgrading, along with their pros, cons, and performance, to help you pick the best HDR Upconverter.

What is HDR Video?

When a picture or video is captured using a camera, the camera sees the colors and difference between light and shadows in a different way than our naked eye. To make the photos and videos more realistic, High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology was introduced. It can recreate what an ordinary human eye can see in colors and in contrast between the brightest whites and darkest blacks during the post-production.

HDR technology can support a wide color palette, greater bit depth, latest transfer functions, and static/dynamic metadata. As for functions, its primary work is to increase the dynamic range between bright and dark levels. However, it can also perform some other functions. It can create well-defined contrasts and rich colors and improve image fidelity.

UHD vs SDR vs HDR vs 4K

UHD stands for Ultra High Definition. It is the higher resolution just after 1080p HD. The resolution of UHD videos is 3840 x 2160 pixels, giving it four times more pixels than its predecessor.

The ‘K’ in 4K stands for 1000 units. Thus, 4K refers to a horizontal resolution of 4096 pixels. In television, the vertical resolution is 2160p or 2K. Even though theoretically it has a greater number of pixels horizontally, sometimes 4K and UHD are used interchangeably. That is why several 4k TVs have a resolution of 3840x21609p and are sometimes referred to as UHD 4K. To avoid any upscaling in 4K videos, you need UHD-compatible devices to play 4K videos. It delivers a sharper and more defined video.

SDR or Standard Dynamic Range is the present standard in video and cinema displays. However, its range of colors and the ability to differentiate between the brightest whites and darkest blacks are limited. On any typical SDR display, the images have a dynamic range of 6 stops.

HDR is the solution to the limitations of SDR videos. It has an almost thrice dynamic range than SHD with 17.6 stops. It has a wider color palette and can better differentiate between darkest blacks and brightest whites. You can make bright tones while making sure that your image does not get overexposed. The same goes for darker tones. You can make them darker without any underexposing. HDR can give more accurate colors, detailed frames, and smoother light than SDR videos.

HDR does not care about the resolution of the video or image. However, most HDR TVs are also 4K TVs. But HDR has a greater visual impact than 4K as it can reproduce the dynamic range of the human eye while 4K just makes the image sharper.

Top 4 tools to Make HDR videos 2024

Despite the magic of HDR, which allows you to experience more realistic and vivid visual experiences, the content available in HDR is currently quite limited. This is why you need an AI HDR video software. And our top pick UniFab HDR Upconverter AI can be your savior.

UniFab HDR Upconverter AI

This is a professional AI upscaling tool designed to upscale video from SDR to HDR or from HDR to Doibly vision.

Features:

• Upscale videos to Dobly vision to maximize the video quality
• Upscale SDR to HDR 10 after optimal compatibility with your HDR device
• Support video editing to meet your personalized demand
• Get 50x faster speed with GPU acceleration

[Guide] How to Add Hdr to Video by UniFab?

We have tried some of the AI-powered editing software out there. And among them, UniFab HDR Upconverter AI has produced the best result and is our top recommendation.

Firstly, you can convert any SDR videos to HDR. After you upload the video, you will get a drop-down menu where you can choose the quality of the video. You can also adjusts the color, contrast, and brightness to convert any normal video to HDR video.

Hardware Requirements

You will need Windows 64bit OS to run this software. A minimum of 8GB RAM is required. However, it is recommended that you have 16GB of RAM for better performance and 32GB for optimal performance.

To process your videos in GPU mode, you will need a minimum of Nvidia 750Ti with at least 2GB of VRAM or their AMD equivalent GCN 1.0 graphics cards like HD7750. For the best performance, use Nvidia RTX series GPUs with 6GB or more VRAM or AMD RX 500 series like 560 or 570. You need to make sure that your graphics card drivers are up to date.

As for us, we used AMD Ryzen 5 3500H with 16GB RAM and Nvidia GTX 1650 with 4GB of VRAM to check the average performance standing between the minimum and recommended specifications.

Three Alternatives to Get HDR Videos

Adobe Premiere

After Adobe announced the addition of AI in its software, Adobe premier has become one of the best AI video editing tools. Be it a seasoned professional or a newbie learning the ropes; anyone can perform complex video edits with ease. All you need are raw video clips and some clicks here and there, and you get a stunning video as end result.

The Sensei AI platform allows editors to add hdr to video, automatically match colors and differentiate between the brightest whites and darkest blacks. You can adjust colors with the help of its face detection option.

Its automatic audio ducking feature can efficiently decrease the volume of music and sound effects near the dialogues so that the voices don’t get suppressed. Its enhanced puppet engine allows you to create amazingly realistic effects. The user interface is designed to maximize efficiency and productivity, and it can make your work smooth and glitch-free. The latest updates allow complex Virtual Reality editing functions and support multiple formats.

Compatibility and Price

Adobe Premiere is available on Windows and macOS. You get a trial version for seven days, after which you need to buy the license. You can check it out on their website.

Magisto

If you want a video editor to create amazing social videos and well-crafted movies with ease, then Magisto is the best product for you. You can create automated entertaining videos thanks to its AI.

The AI engine of Magisto can capture the best part of your clicks and adjust their color, contrast, and brightness to create amazing videos with HDR effects. You can publish videos anytime, anywhere you want without any effort. Magisto also supports cross-channel distribution and hosting.

Compatibility and Prices

Magisto is available in Windows but not in macOS. You also get mobile apps of Magisto in Google Play Store and App Store. You can get free access to all of its features for seven days. After that, you need to choose plans starting from $9.99 monthly and $59.88 yearly.

Lumen 5

Thanks to the robust AI and simple drag and drop interface, Lumen 5 can be considered one of the best AI-powered video editing software out there. If you want to create professional-quality content, the only ingredients you need are texts, video clips, and images. The AI can enhance the frames to give HDR effects.

It uses Natural Language Processing or NLP and machine learning (ML) to create the perfect video for you. If you add texts, the software can automatically detect the keywords and place the texts where they belong. You can do all of this by simply adding the script and videos.

Compatibility

Lumen 5 is Cloud, SaaS, and Web-based. The community edition is free for casual video editors. If you want access to more features and privileges, you can buy their licenses starting from $11 per month if billed yearly.