Today we are going to talk about HFR (High Frame Rate) technology which we can translate as high frame rate in English. This technology makes use of a higher number of frames per second to provide greater smoothness and improve the sharpness of fast images. This technology is already implemented in many televisions and it seems that the film and television industry will begin to implement it on a massive scale. But the sector where you can most enjoy this technology is undoubtedly the gaming industry.
The launch of the latest generation of PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles that allows gaming at 120 Hz in 4K resolution has encouraged the industry to launch several titles that allow playing at this number of frames.
Next, we are going to explain to you in detail what HFR is and what this technology consists of.
What is HFR and how does it work?
HFR, refers to a high frame rate per second, higher than the cinema standard which is usually 24 frames per second.. This rate of 24 frames per second was chosen in the film industry as the standard many years ago. As far as television is concerned, it is normal to broadcast at a rate of 25 fps or 50 fps in interlaced mode.
What is HFR (High Frame Rate) and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
In the film industry some projects have been made at higher frame rates such as 48fps or higher. The first movie that was recorded at 48fps per second was the movie Hobbit in the year 2012. Also well known is the movie Gemini Man starring Will Smith which recorded at 120 Hz.
The most recent is the new Avatar: The Sense of Water movie by James Cameron. This new film uses a frame rate of 48 frames per second. James Cameron, wanted to use in this second Avatar movie the HFR technology to give a greater dynamism and a better sharpness in the action scenes.
The plan is to gradually adapt a rate of 48 frames per second as the next standard to replace the usual 24. This was not adopted before because of the technical limitations that existed until now, however with the new technologies and improvements that are currently available if it is feasible to raise the frame rate. HFR is not limited to 48 fps but the rate can be higher and in fact there are already monitors with refresh rates of up to 360 Hz.
Advantages of using HFR
The advantage of using a higher frame rate per second is that you get sharper motion and less blur. As the eye has more information, it will perceive the moving images more smoothly and without jerky. Therefore, it is a clear advantage when watching sports or playing games.
Disadvantages of using HFR
Some people complain about the effect it produces, which is commonly known as the soap opera effect. It gets this name because you lose the feeling of cinema and it looks more like watching a soap opera or a home video.
However, this is because of the habit we have of viewing images at these rates of 24 and 25 frames per second. When you view a movie at a higher frame rate, you lose that cinematic feel and it has a hyper-realistic look that breaks that movie magic a little bit.
But it can be a good resource to use in certain scenes, as the image gains detail as movement occurs and blur is reduced.
How to reproduce in HFR
In order to enjoy this technology, obviously the content must first be originally recorded at a high frame rate and have equipment that can play it back. There are already televisions capable of reproducing up to a rate of 120 frames per second, as well as gaming monitors with up to 360 Hz and soon even more.
What is HFR. LG OLED TV with HFR
Best TVs with HFR
Quantum HDR, Dolby Atmos, Object Tracking Sound, Laser Slim Design
Mini LED Quantum HDR 32x, Dolby Atmos, Object Tracking Sound+, Anti-Glare Screen
Best monitors with HFR
175Hz, 3440 x 1440p Resolution, 1800R Curvature, True 1ms GTG
