Standard dynamic range describes conventional video presentation using established brightness and colour arrangements rather than an HDR presentation. SDR content can still look excellent when correctly produced and displayed. The source's encoding, grading, screen settings and viewing environment all matter, so SDR is not a synonym for low resolution or poor picture quality.
A practical example
A carefully produced SDR documentary can look clean and natural on a correctly adjusted television. Another source labelled HDR can still look disappointing if its compression, transfer, display setup or original production is poor, despite the different dynamic-range label.
A common misunderstanding
Do not confuse dynamic range with resolution. An SDR programme can be high resolution, while an HDR label by itself tells you neither the actual pixel dimensions nor the quality of compression.
Related terms
Stable technical definition. Editorial approach