On PS5, configure the three features separately: open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output for HDR and VRR, then open Settings > Sound for 3D audio. For the most predictable setup, choose HDR: On When Supported, run Adjust HDR, enable VRR while leaving Apply to Unsupported Games off initially, and create a 3D-audio profile for your TV speakers or headphones. Saros adds its own HDR/SDR and audio controls, so finish the console setup before adjusting the game.
What you need before changing the PS5 settings
HDR, variable refresh rate (VRR), and Tempest 3D AudioTech are independent features. Turning on one does not enable the others, and each depends on different hardware or calibration steps.
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- A compatible display: Your television or monitor must support the HDR, VRR, resolution, refresh rate, and colour modes you intend to use. The PS5 can show what the connected HDMI device reports.
- A suitable HDMI path: Use an input and cable rated for the display mode you want, particularly when combining 4K, 120 Hz, HDR, and VRR. A certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is the relevant class for demanding 4K/120 Hz connections; Sony does not specify a particular retail model in its support guidance.
- A normal playing position: TV-speaker 3D audio measures the room through the DualSense microphone, so sit where you usually play during the measurement.
- Updated game and display settings: Put the TV or monitor on its gaming input and enable any manufacturer setting required for HDR, VRR, or high-refresh operation. Menu names differ by display maker.
Saros launched for PS5 on April 30, 2026. Its support information lists HDR Brightness/SDR Settings, audio adjustments, speaker tuning, volume sliders, and other accessibility controls. Those options refine the game’s presentation; they cannot make an incompatible TV, monitor, headset, or HDMI chain support a feature.
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Enable HDR on PS5
Use the correct menu path
- From the PS5 home screen, open Settings.
- Select Screen and Video.
- Choose Video Output.
- Set HDR to On When Supported or Always On.
- Select Adjust HDR and complete all calibration screens while looking at the display.
On When Supported is the sensible starting point: HDR games and apps output HDR, while non-HDR content remains SDR. Always On converts non-HDR games and apps to HDR output as well. Conversion can be useful if you prefer one consistent output mode, but it is not the same as native HDR and may not preserve the creator’s intended SDR appearance.
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| HDR mode | What the PS5 does | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| On When Supported | Uses HDR for content that supports it; leaves non-HDR games and apps in SDR. | Most players, especially when accurate SDR presentation matters. |
| Always On | Outputs HDR even for non-HDR games and apps by converting their signal. | Players who deliberately want the console to convert every output to HDR and are happy to check each display’s result. |
HDR availability and quality depend on the connected home-entertainment setup. The PS5 may report HDR capability even when a particular HDMI input, cable, soundbar pass-through, or display mode limits the combination of resolution and refresh rate. Check the complete HDMI chain rather than assuming the television’s panel specification is enough.
Run Adjust HDR correctly
The Adjust HDR wizard presents calibration images. Follow the on-screen instruction for each image and change the value until the requested detail is barely visible as directed. Perform this with the display in the picture mode you use for gaming, not in a separate cinema or demonstration mode. If you later change the TV’s HDR picture mode, tone mapping, or brightness controls, repeat the PS5 adjustment so the console and display are working from the same assumptions.
Do not use a bright shop-floor preset as a reference. Room lighting also affects how easy it is to see shadow and highlight detail. A dark room and a brightly lit room can make the same calibration appear different, so calibrate under the lighting conditions in which you normally play.
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Check the PS5’s reported video capabilities
In Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, review the connected HDMI-device information. Sony’s video-output guide documents the reported resolution, VRR and HDR capabilities, along with controls for 120 Hz Output, Deep Color Output, and Video Transfer Rate. Leave Resolution on Automatic unless you have a specific reason to select another value; forcing a mode can hide the actual limitation elsewhere in the chain.
Fix HDR flicker or an unstable picture
If the screen flickers after enabling HDR, 4K, or a high refresh rate, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Video Transfer Rate. Sony identifies -1 or -2 as possible troubleshooting values. They reduce the signal demand and can improve picture stability, but they also reduce support for some 4K/120 Hz and RGB/YUV colour combinations.
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Use this as a diagnostic step, not an automatic quality upgrade. After identifying the cause, return Video Transfer Rate to Automatic if the display and HDMI path remain stable. If flicker persists, test another HDMI input, remove an intermediate receiver or soundbar temporarily, verify the cable rating, and compare with 120 Hz disabled. Change one item at a time so you know which alteration fixed the problem.
Enable VRR and decide whether to use it in unsupported games
Turn on native VRR support first
- Open Settings on the PS5.
- Select Screen and Video.
- Open Video Output.
- Set VRR to On.
- Keep Apply to Unsupported Games off for the first test.
VRR lets the display refresh rate adjust in real time while a compatible game changes its frame rate. That can reduce visible tearing and make uneven frame delivery look smoother, but it cannot create extra frames or guarantee a fixed frame rate. The result depends on the game, the display’s VRR range, and the selected resolution and refresh mode.
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Understand Apply to Unsupported Games
| Setting | Scope | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| VRR: On; Apply to Unsupported Games: Off | Uses VRR where the game and display report native support. | Most predictable behaviour and the recommended baseline. |
| VRR: On; Apply to Unsupported Games: On | Attempts to apply frame-rate stabilisation to games that do not declare native VRR support. | Can help a particular title, but Sony warns that some games may behave unexpectedly. |
Test the broader option only for a specific game. If you see brightness pulsing, judder, black screens, control problems, or another new issue, turn Apply to Unsupported Games off and retest. An unsupported game can still run normally with ordinary VRR disabled for that title; the console setting does not make every implementation compatible.
Verify the display and HDMI path
- Confirm that the television or monitor supports VRR, not merely a high refresh rate.
- Check the PS5’s connected HDMI-device information to see whether VRR is detected.
- Use the display input that supports the desired resolution and refresh rate. Some displays provide full VRR capability on only selected HDMI inputs.
- For 4K/120 Hz, use an HDMI path rated for that mode and remove non-compliant switches, capture devices, or receivers while diagnosing.
- Leave 120 Hz Output on when both the display and game support 120 Hz. If the monitor produces an unstable image, disable 120 Hz temporarily to isolate the fault.
VRR and HDR can each work alone while failing together if the HDMI bandwidth or display mode is marginal. Check the combined mode the PS5 reports rather than testing each feature only in isolation.
Set up 3D audio for TV speakers
Measure the room with the DualSense microphone
- Open Settings.
- Choose Sound.
- Select 3D Audio (TV).
- Start the room-acoustics measurement.
- Hold the DualSense controller in your normal playing position and complete the prompts while seated where you usually play.
The measurement adapts the TV-speaker 3D-audio processing to the acoustic conditions around your seat. Re-measure after moving the television, changing the seating position, or substantially changing the room. A profile made from the sofa may not translate accurately to a chair several metres away.
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When troubleshooting, disable extra sound processing in the TV, including artificial surround or sound-quality modes. Those effects can alter the signal after the PS5 has created its 3D image, making it difficult to tell whether a problem comes from the console or the television. Once the PS5 profile works, you can test the TV’s processing one option at a time if you prefer its character.
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Create a personalised profile
- Connect your headphones to the PS5.
- Open Settings > Sound.
- Select 3D Audio (Headphones).
- Choose Create Personalised 3D Audio Profile.
- Complete the listening test, which plays tones from different positions and angles.
- Enable Apply Personalised 3D Audio Profile when you want that profile active.
The profile is based on how you hear the test tones, so do it with the headphones positioned as you normally wear them. If the fit changes substantially, repeat the test. Sony also provides five preset profiles; use one if you prefer a quick setup or if the personalised result sounds less natural to you.
For a simple comparison, listen to the same Saros scene with 3D audio off, with a preset, and with your personalised profile. Choose the setting that places environmental sounds and voices most clearly without making the centre image hollow or overly wide. This is a listening preference, not a performance benchmark.
Check headset compatibility
3D audio processing is a PS5 feature, but the game must supply 3D-audio content for the effect to be meaningful. Sony’s PULSE 3D manual, for example, states that the headset supports 3D audio on PS5 when the game supports 3D audio. The same principle applies to other compatible wired and wireless headsets: verify the connection method and PS5 support, and do not assume that a headset’s marketing label alone proves compatibility with every title.
Saros is designed around PS5 Tempest 3D AudioTech. Its official feature announcement describes the intended effect: “You can hear the lost Carcosa, hostiles and even our music all around you when playing with 3D Audio enabled headphones or a 3D audio sound setup.” The wording describes the game’s design goal, not a guaranteed result on every room, TV, headset, or listening position.
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Finish the setup inside Saros
After configuring the console, launch Saros and open its options menu. The support page lists the following relevant controls:
- HDR Brightness: Adjusts the game’s HDR presentation after the PS5 HDR mode and calibration are set.
- SDR Settings: Provides a separate path for players running SDR output or using On When Supported with non-HDR content.
- Audio adjustments: Lets you balance the game’s sound for your output device.
- Speaker tuning: Helps tailor the mix when using TV speakers or another speaker setup.
- Volume sliders: Give separate control over available sound categories in the game.
- Accessibility controls: Provide additional presentation and audio adjustments listed by the support page.
Make the console-level changes first, then adjust Saros. If you alter the TV’s HDR picture mode or move your seat, redo the relevant PS5 calibration before judging the in-game slider. If you switch from TV speakers to headphones, change the PS5 audio output and use the headphone profile rather than carrying over the room-measurement result.
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| Use case | PS5 video settings | PS5 audio settings | When to change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDR TV, supported Saros setup | HDR: On When Supported; run Adjust HDR; VRR: On; Apply to Unsupported Games: Off; Resolution: Automatic. | 3D Audio (TV) measured from the normal seat. | Try unsupported-game VRR only if a specific title benefits without instability. |
| HDR gaming monitor with 120 Hz | HDR: On When Supported; VRR: On; 120 Hz Output: On; verify the HDMI input and cable support the combined mode. | Headphone personalised profile if speakers are not used. | Disable 120 Hz temporarily if the monitor loses signal or flickers. |
| SDR display or SDR preference | HDR: On When Supported, so SDR remains SDR; do not force Always On. | TV-speaker measurement or a headphone profile, depending on output. | Use Saros SDR Settings for the game’s brightness and contrast adjustments. |
These are starting points, not universal picture calibrations. Display manufacturers use different tone-mapping and VRR ranges, so judge the result on your own equipment after confirming what the PS5 reports.
Diagnose common failures in the right order
HDR option is missing or Saros looks like SDR
- Check the HDMI-device information in Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
- Confirm the TV or monitor’s HDR-capable input and gaming picture mode.
- Temporarily connect the PS5 directly to the display, bypassing a receiver, switch, or soundbar.
- Try another certified cable and confirm that the display’s firmware and input mode support the desired resolution.
- Run Adjust HDR again, then review Saros’s HDR Brightness control.
If the display does not report HDR, changing the Saros slider cannot create HDR output. Restore the original HDMI chain only after direct connection works.
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- Turn Apply to Unsupported Games off.
- Test with 120 Hz Output off, then re-enable it if the display is stable.
- Set Video Transfer Rate to -1 or -2 as a temporary diagnostic for signal instability, understanding the reduced colour and 4K/120 Hz support.
- Try the display’s certified VRR input and a direct HDMI connection.
- Return Video Transfer Rate to Automatic once the cause is identified.
3D audio sounds distant, hollow, or inconsistent
For TV speakers, repeat the room measurement from the actual seat and disable the television’s extra surround processing. For headphones, reseat the headset, recreate the personalised profile, and compare it with one of Sony’s five presets. Check that the game’s own speaker tuning and volume sliders are not applying an extreme balance. If the effect changes when you move around the room, that is expected from a profile measured for one listening position.
What each feature contributes in Saros
- HDR controls the range between dark and bright image detail when the display and HDMI path support it. It is most visible in scenes with strong highlights and deep shadows, but the final appearance also depends on the TV’s tone mapping and Saros’s HDR Brightness setting.
- VRR synchronises display refresh with changing frame delivery on a compatible display. It addresses timing irregularities; it does not raise the game’s frame-rate target.
- 3D audio places sounds around the listener using either measured TV-speaker acoustics or a headphone profile. Saros’s atmosphere and directional cues are intended to take advantage of that system.
Because these features solve different problems, a strong setup can use all three simultaneously, but each must be verified separately. HDR needs display calibration, VRR needs a compatible display and stable HDMI mode, and 3D audio needs the correct output profile.
Quick verification checklist
- HDR is set to On When Supported or deliberately to Always On, and Adjust HDR has been completed.
- The PS5’s HDMI-device information reports the resolution, HDR, and VRR capabilities you expect.
- VRR is on, while Apply to Unsupported Games remains off unless you are testing a particular game.
- 120 Hz Output matches the display’s capability and is disabled temporarily if it causes output problems.
- TV-speaker 3D audio was measured from the normal seat, or headphones have a personalised profile or selected preset.
- Saros’s HDR/SDR, speaker-tuning, and volume controls have been adjusted after the console settings, not before.
- Any flicker diagnosis used Video Transfer Rate -1 or -2 only as a temporary test, with Automatic restored when possible.
With those checks complete, Saros is using the PS5 features it was designed to support without forcing an unstable HDR, VRR, or audio configuration.
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