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HDR: A game changer The 10 things you need to know about HDR.
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HDR – do believe the hype Consumers like it, creatives love it and everyone is suddenly talking about it. But is HDR really the next big thing in television imaging? Peter Sykes certainly thinks so. By Peter Sykes, Strategic Technology Development Manager Sony Professional Solutions Europe
O
f all the next generation imaging
This wave of enthusiasm has certainly not
to better understand the current state of affairs
technologies being tweeted right now,
gone unnoticed. Broadcasters and Internet
when it comes to HDR. Maybe it will even inspire
High Dynamic Range (HDR) is the
streaming service providers alike are
you to start producing content with HDR.
step-change in television quality that is considered most likely to provide viewers with the ‘wow’ factor. Increased resolution and higher frame rates
embracing HDR. Netflix and Amazon Prime already create and stream content with HDR and, with
training, technology and solutions, becoming a
industry-wide standards for production
trusted partner in your HDR journey. n
are certainly important but the deeper blacks,
and delivery to the home being approved,
brighter highlights and richer colours afforded
broadcasters are continuing to conduct
by HDR adds increased realism to moving
numerous real-world trials. At the same time,
images and helps to make content significantly
HDR televisions are starting to hit a price
more immersive.
point that makes them a viable option for
Contrary to what you might read elsewhere,
the home.
however, HDR is not about making TV pictures
Combined, these factors point to
brighter. What HDR does is take advantage of
one thing: HDR is on the cusp of going
a modern television set’s ability to show pictures
mainstream.
with a greater contrast between the blackest
But this is not an entirely straightforward
blacks and the whitest whites. It uses that extra
shift. Moving from standard to high
dynamic range to present an image that is
dynamic range, especially within live
more detailed. The result is more natural
production, is a challenge.
looking pictures. Content creators certainly love the additional
Fortunately, Sony has been working with HDR for some time, providing expertise and
artistic freedom that HDR offers but are consumers
technology for non real-time production
interested? Yes, I believe they are.
and now aiding broadcaster trials for live
When you show a TV viewer an HDR image
TV. We’ve already learnt a lot and we are
side-by-side with a standard dynamic range picture,
happy to share our findings with the
more often than not, they prefer the HDR one.
wider industry.
You don’t have to take my word for it. The
Find out more on www.pro.sony.eu/hdr
What is SR Live for HDR? A key challenge has been the addition of 4K Ultra HD HDR production techniques to the existing HD live production environment while simultaneously maintaining the skill sets and workflows demanded to support the creation of content for the current HD marketplace. Sony has carried out extensive technical research and HDR trials with broadcasters and production companies, which you can read about in our free whitepaper.
We know that not all the pieces of the
Warwick Manufacturing Group (WFG), an
jigsaw are quite in place yet but they are
academic department at the University of
very, very close. It is certainly possible to
Warwick, has conducted research into HDR
start producing content with HDR right now
images. Its findings, in a paper called ‘A study
with minimal impact on costs and only
on user preference of high dynamic range over
subtle changes to existing workflows. We
low dynamic range video’, show that, based
also know that there is a genuine desire
on consultation with 60 participants, “given
among all parties to make HDR a success.
the option, end-users prefer the HDR
Whatever your starting point, Sony can help you make the move to HDR, providing expertise,
If you’re considering HDR, already
representation of the scene over its lower
working with it, or even if you are sceptical,
dynamic range counterpart.”
the following pages will hopefully help you
Download our free whitepaper at: www.pro.sony.eu/hdr
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When it comes to HDR acquisition, there are
RAW or XAVC and then working through to an HDR
which is changing the game for documentary
(DVB) group’s Steering Board approved a new
master in S-Log3.
production with its HDR latitude, and the
version of its audio-visual coding specification,
Sony HDC-4300, a 4K live system camera with
adding support for HDR. Like the ITU’s
and 4000% (4000cd/m²) dynamic range, S-Log3
HDR capabilities.
recommendation for programme making and
is Sony’s format of choice as it is designed to
exchange, it supports both the HLG and PQ
preserve the captured source light efficiently
transfer functions.
and is optimised for production, recording and
a Technical Emmy in 2016. Outside broadcast HDC-4300 for their Ultra High Definition (UHD) units.
extended its 2.0b specification to support HDR
from using Sony’s new X-OCN recording format
In 2016 Euro Media Group chose HDC-4300´s as
services. This allows set-top boxes to send HDR
which offers equivalent picture quality to RAW but
part of a deal for the supply of up to 350 cameras.
content to HDR-capable TV sets.
generates files that are up to 60% smaller.
3. Grading and client monitors for HDR are readily available
5. Post-production workflows for HDR are proven
6. More TVs with HDR are coming on to the market
One of the early challenges faced by content
One of the many positives about HDR is that it
The consumer electronics industry has been
creators wanting to make use of HDR was a lack
can be manipulated within a typical post-
quick to embrace the possibilities of HDR
of professional monitoring. This has now been
production workflow.
television displays. Among the announcements first 4K OLED TV. Part of the Bravia range, it offers
monitor that can be used for accurate colour
specification mentioned above, being agnostic is
unprecedented black levels, rich and lifelike
grading or quality control. A 55-Inch monitor, the
important. As such, Sony supports both the PQ
colour, dynamic contrast, blur-less image and a
Sony PVM-X550, that can display Quad-view
and HLG options, giving customers a choice
wide viewing angle. It will be available later this
Full HD images simultaneously with independent
of either.
year in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes.
Reassuringly, no one is going it alone when it comes to HDR. In July 2016 the ITU’s BT.2100 standard for HDR programme making and programme exchange was formally the wider industry.
1. HDR offers more life-like pictures than standard dynamic range
between the light and dark tones, and both lowlights and highlights visible at the same time,
2. HDR cameras are already in widespread use
It might sound like an obvious thing to say
HDR can help to provide a representation of the
Digital cameras that are capable of capturing
but High Dynamic Range (HDR) provides a
world that is closer to that which is seen by the
images with HDR have been around for many
and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG).
significantly better televisual experience than
human eye.
years and are regularly used on mainstream
The PQ specification, born out
movies and TV series, even if the final output isn’t
of research by Dolby, achieves
mastered or delivered in HDR.
a wide range of brightness
BT.2100 recommends two HDR options: Perceptual Quantization (PQ)
increased resolution, the quality of the HDR
content appear richer and more immersive while
image does not depend on screen size, the
for content creators, the increased dynamic
type of content being watched or the viewing
range provides further artistic choices and the
of 14+ stops latitude and wide colour gamut, they
that is tuned to match the
distance from the display itself. Importantly, it also
chance to produce ever more compelling TV
have been used on Tomorrowland, Marco Polo,
human visual system. While HLG,
looks increasingly ‘real.’
and films.
Mad Dogs, Mozart in the Jungle and more recently
developed by the broadcasters
Alice Through the Looking Glass and Billy Lynn’s
BBC and NHK, offers a degree
Long Half Walk to name just a few.
of backwards compatibility with
and displayed in the shadows and highlights within an image. With higher levels of contrast
at this year’s CES show in Las Vegas was Sony’s
delivery. For delivery, taking into account the DVB
agreed and announced to
This is thanks to the extra detail that is captured
One proven route is to separate production and
A production-to-post workflow can also benefit
a 30-inch Trimaster EL 4K OLED HDR reference
4. Standards for HDR production, programme exchange and distribution have been agreed
Sony´s F55 and F65 are two examples. Capable
future re-use.
completed in December 2016 when HDMI
picture settings, has also been released.
For viewers, this additional realism makes
The final piece of the technology jigsaw was
With similar characteristics to scanned film
facilities all over the world are adopting the
overcome with the launch of the Sony BVM-X300,
The move to High Dynamic Range (HDR) has the potential to be the biggest change to television since the introduction of colour more than 50 years ago. In preparation, here are ten things that you really ought to know about HDR.
For post-production, Sony suggests shooting in
November 2016, the Digital Video Broadcasting
three-sensor system, the HDC-4300 was awarded
The Sony briefing – 10 Things You Need To Know About HDR
HDR content delivery is covered too. In
also two other important cameras: the Sony FS7,
Featuring the world’s first 2/3-inch 4K
Standard Dynamic Range (SDR). And unlike
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levels using a transfer function
legacy displays by matching the previously established television transfer curves.
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9. Live HDR workflows are a real-world, viable option
10. HDR is not just about technology
One of the key considerations when it comes
good as the people that use it, which is where
to live production with HDR, ironically, is how
the Digital Motion Picture Centre Europe (DMPCE)
to handle the standard dynamic range (SDR)
comes in.
Sony recognises that an HDR workflow is only as
feeds. To avoid increasing costs and re-training
A leading destination for filmmakers and
technicians, broadcasters are keen to generate
television producers, visitors to the DMPCE can
both HDR and SDR images from the same
develop their craft, work with cutting edge
production set-up.
technology and expand their network, aided by a
Sony’s solution to this problem is called SR Live for HDR. It is built around a new convertor unit
team of experts. Sony training courses do provide guidance on
called the HDRC-4000 that will launch this Spring.
using Sony systems but they also focus on HDR in
In this proposed workflow, live feeds arrive into a 4K
general, giving course attendees a full and honest
HDR S-Log3 domain inside an OB truck where they
insight into how to successfully put in place and
are switched. Then, for the output, the HDRC-4000
manage HDR-based workflows.
converts the signal to either PQ or HLG, or to HD.
From cameras and monitors to end-to-end
The HDRC-4000 can also be used to up-convert
workflows and training, if you are considering
any incoming HD feeds to 4K HDR before they
adopting HDR for epidodic TV, feature or short film,
reach the switcher.
live broadcast trial or a full television service,
As you would expect, Sony provides many of
Sony can help. n
the components required for a live HDR workflow including the HDC-4800 ultra high frame rate
On 20 November 2016, Sony, along with other technology partners, supported Vatican Television Centre (CTV) during its live coverage in 4K HDR of the Ceremony of the Closing of the Holy Door by his Holiness Pope Francis. CTV used 12 HDC-4300 cameras and a Sony HDR S-Log3 system as well as MVS-7000X production switcher and the PWS-4400 replay server system.
camera system for slow motion replays, the XVS-8000 production switcher and the PWS-4500 4K/IP production server.
The HLG profile was used for delivery with distribution taking place via Eutelsat’s HOTBIRD satellites. Globecast provided the satellite uplink using the HEVC compression format while Ericsson, NTT Electronics and Vislink supplied the encoding and decoding equipment. The broadcast was made available on Channel 200 of the Tivùsat free satellite platform. Dario Edoardo Viganò, Prefect of the Secretariat for Communications for the Holy See, says, “This is a state of the art set up that reflects Pope Francis’ aim to keep up to speed with the rapid developments in global technology, to support the Catholic Church’s communication mission.”
7. Numerous live broadcast trials have been completed
the live broadcast of the Ceremony of the Closing
was shot on the Sony F55. Since then Amazon has
Even before industry standards were ratified,
of the Holy Door at the Vatican City.
also released HDR versions of Bosch, Mad Dogs
Another notable event captured in 4K HDR was
broadcasters had started taking a real interest in
with HDR was Mozart in the Jungle, a series that
and Man in the High Castle plus various movies.
HDR. But while post-produced content with HDR is
8. The first HDR services are going live
relatively straightforward, live production with HDR is
The first commercial HDR television service in
season one of its original series Marco Polo, again
still a challenge. As such numerous trials have taken
the world was launched in October 2016 when
shot with the Sony F55. Luke Cage and Narcos
place and some broadcasters have started to
Japan’s Sky PerfecTV added HDR content to its
followed. The movie streaming service Vudu
openly talk about their experiences.
Ultra HD channels.
also offers titles in HDR and YouTube announced
Sky Germany, for one, have completed live HDR
A number of web streaming services also show
Netflix followed suit in April 2016, kicking off with
support in November 2016.
trials at football and beach volleyball events. In the
HDR content. Amazon led the way, making HDR
UK, BT Sport have openly acknowledged that they
content available on its Prime Instant Video
via its iPlayer streaming platform. It successfully
The BBC has also made content available
have tested HDR for live sports.
platform in June 2015. The first title to be released
showed 4K HDR clips from the Planet Earth II wildlife series during December 2016.
AMP VISUAL TV
Get in touch on www.pro.sony.eu/hdr
Find out more about our free training on https://training.sony-europe.com