Video Remastering
SDR2HDR API — convert standard video to HDR at scale
Restore brightness, widen color gamut and recover lost detail from SDR content with an AI model trained on professionally graded masters. No manual color work required.
Before & after
See the difference
Drag the handle to compare the original SDR frame with the tone-mapped HDR output.
What it does
SDR2HDR analyzes every scene and rebuilds it in the high dynamic range domain: adaptive tone mapping lifts dark and clipped regions into a natural HDR range, a learned wide-gamut path expands Rec.709 footage toward wider primaries, and a dedicated detail path restores fine texture in shadows and highlights that SDR compression flattens. You send an object-storage file, we return an HDR master.
Full API referenceimport requests
url = "https://api.mlslabs.io/v1/sdr2hdr/jobs"
resp = requests.post(
url,
headers={"X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
json={
"input": "s3://bucket/input.mp4",
"output": "s3://bucket/output-hdr.mp4",
"target": "hdr10",
"preset": "cinema",
},
)
job = resp.json() # {"job_id": "...", "status": "queued"}
print(job["job_id"])Key features
Why teams pick this API
Adaptive tone mapping
Per-scene luminance analysis lifts shadows and highlights into HDR range without halos or banding.
Wide-gamut recovery
Expands Rec.709 toward wider primaries with learned color relationships, keeping skin tones and brand colors intact.
Detail & texture restoration
A dedicated detail path rebuilds fine texture in shadows and highlights that SDR compression flattens.
Built for pipelines
Async job API, per-second billing, object-storage in/out, and webhook callbacks that scale with your backlog.
Use cases
Built for real workflows
Remaster legacy libraries
Upgrade archived SD/HD catalogs to HDR masters in one pass, without re-grading by hand.
Streaming & short-drama export
Deliver eye-catching HDR versions of new productions alongside SDR copies for every platform.
OTT master preparation
Produce consistent HDR10 masters ready for streaming and disc workflows.
Pricing
Credit-based pricing
Every request draws from your credit pool. This API bills 40 credits per second of input video.
| Billing unit | Cost in credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | 40 credits | Per second of input video |
| Failed jobs | 0 credits | Credits auto-refunded |
| Batch processing | Same rate | One queue, per-file callbacks |
Learn
Guides, tutorials & comparisons
Batch Convert SDR to HDR
Batch convert SDR to HDR across a folder or a whole library: one job per asset, automatic queueing, ...
Read TutorialConvert SDR to HDR: The Complete Guide
Convert SDR to HDR the practical way: why inverse tone mapping works, what presets to use, and a Pyt...
Read TutorialConvert SDR to HDR in C#
Convert SDR video to HDR in C#: submit a job to the mlslabs SDR2HDR API, poll it, and download the H...
Read TutorialConvert SDR to HDR in Go
Convert SDR video to HDR in Go: submit a job to the mlslabs SDR2HDR API, poll it, and download the H...
Read TutorialConvert SDR to HDR in Java
Convert SDR video to HDR in Java: submit a job to the mlslabs SDR2HDR API, poll it, and download the...
Read TutorialConvert SDR to HDR in Node.js
Convert SDR video to HDR in Node.js: submit a job to the mlslabs SDR2HDR API, poll it, and download ...
ReadHDR Formats Explained: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG
Every HDR format explained in one place: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG — transfer functions, m...
Read GuideHDR10 vs Dolby Vision: What's the Difference?
HDR10 vs Dolby Vision, explained for video engineers: static vs dynamic metadata, 10-bit vs 12-bit, ...
Read GuideWhat Is Inverse Tone Mapping?
Inverse tone mapping (ITM) explained: how SDR video is expanded into HDR luminance, global vs local ...
Read GuideSDR vs HDR: What's Actually Different (and How to Convert SDR to HDR)
SDR vs HDR explained for video creators: brightness (100 vs 1,000+ nits), color space (BT.709 vs BT....
ReadSDR2HDR Conversion vs AI Upscaling
SDR to HDR conversion and AI upscaling are different axes — dynamic range vs resolution. Here's when...
Read CompareSDR2HDR Conversion vs Native HDR: An Honest Comparison
Converted SDR-to-HDR is not native HDR — we explain the honest differences in luminance, color, meta...
Read CompareSDR2HDR API vs Topaz Video AI: An Honest Comparison
Topaz Video AI and its HDR module are desktop tools; mlslabs is a batch API. We compare workflow, sc...
ReadFAQ
Common questions
Which HDR formats do you output?
HDR10 first, with HDR10+ and HLG on request. Metadata is generated per scene.
Do I need a matching HDR reference?
No. A single SDR source is enough — the model was trained on professionally graded SDR-to-HDR pairs.
Is it real-time?
It runs as an async job — typically a few minutes for a standard-length episode, scaling with your backlog.
Can I chain it with your other APIs?
Yes. SDR2HDR is designed to sit next to Super Resolution and Frame Interpolation in one enhancement chain.
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