4K – Advanced HDR By Technicolor

Experts Say HDR Plays a Bigger Role Than 4K in TV Picture Quality — NAB 2026

admin — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:11:00 +0000

Experts Say HDR Plays a Bigger Role Than 4K in TV Picture Quality

HDR Is the Path to a Better Viewing Experience, According to BitRouter & ZapperBox President Gopal Miglani

For years, consumers have been told that 4K resolution is the key to better TV picture quality. That premise is now being challenged, as industry experts point to high dynamic range (HDR) as a more meaningful upgrade of what viewers actually see on screen.

Gopal Miglani, founder and president of BitRouter and ZapperBox, shared these observations in a recent video interview conducted for journalists, stating that the most noticeable improvements in picture quality come not from increasing the number of pixels, but from improving how those pixels are displayed.

For consumers, this means picture quality gains may depend less on resolution alone and more on whether a TV supports HDR, because HDR makes better use of the powerful lighting in today’s televisions to render brilliant colors at any resolution, even as low as 720p.

Gopal Miglani, BitRouter and ZapperBox

The most effective path to a better viewing experience, he said, comes from HDR, which also enhances brightness, contrast, as well as color depth to create a more realistic image.

Industry experts and colorists say HDR combined with standard high-definition resolution can deliver roughly 85% of the total perceived improvement in picture quality. This shifts the definition of picture quality away from pixel count and toward how images are rendered. A higher range of brightness, made possible by HDR, therefore also provides a perceived higher resolution.

According to Miglani, before increasing the number of pixels, it is important to ensure that the available pixels can each contribute to a sharper picture by adding a higher brightness range, which means adding HDR.

“TV manufacturers have amplified the benefits of 4K resolution for years, supporting the idea that more pixels equals a better viewing experience,” explained Miglani. “It is a narrative that’s easier to tell consumers, because it looks like simple math. Explaining the benefits of HDR is more difficult. However, when you provide consumers with a side-by-side comparison of TVs with and without HDR, the difference is clear. HDR displays win.”

That contrast reflects how modern TVs actually perform, where built-in upscaling reduces the impact of higher resolution while HDR improves brightness, contrast, and color in ways viewers can more easily perceive.

“The TVs available today are highly likely to be 4K capable, and the latest TVs and conversion boxes are able to upscale 1080p content up to 4K,” said Miglani. “This delivers about a 10% to 15% improvement in the viewing experience, which is modest compared to the visual improvements offered by HDR.”

Consumer Misconceptions

After years of marketing focused on resolution, many consumers assume that upgrading to 4K will always deliver a better picture. In practice, the benefits of 4K often depend on viewing distance, screen size, and content quality. In addition, HDR has often been marketed in relation to 4K, to the point that consumers are unaware that HDR is available for any resolution, like the widely available 1080p (2k) and even 720p (1k) resolutions.

“One of the most common misconceptions is that upgrading to 4K is always better,” Miglani said. “To truly see the difference, viewers need to sit close enough to the screen, have a high-quality TV, and know what details to look for.”

Another common assumption is that more pixels automatically result in a better image. In reality, HDR enhances the elements the human eye is most sensitive to, including contrast and color variation.

“Resolution defines the number of pixels available on a TV screen. HDR, on the other hand, delivers brighter highlights, deeper shadows, and richer colors,” he said. “With HDR, more information is dedicated to color and differences in brightness, which makes those improvements stand out.”

Those improvements are already being delivered to viewers as broadcasters deploy HDR over the air.

“For consumers waiting for more 4K content, it is important to note that HDR content is already available today from over-the-air broadcasts, including stations owned by Gray Media and Sinclair,” said Miglani.

Why This Shift Matters

The transition to next-generation broadcast standards is accelerating the move toward HDR.

Broadcasters across the United States are shifting from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0 (also called NextGenTV), a newer format that supports HDR, higher frame rates, improved audio, and 4K resolution. However, bandwidth constraints are influencing how these capabilities are deployed.

HDR with 1080p (full HD) or 720p (HD) requires significantly less bandwidth than full 4K video, making it a more practical way for broadcasters to improve picture quality and deliver more channels over the same available bandwidth. Streaming services also receive a significant bandwidth savings when HDR is paired with lower resolutions than 4K. For consumers enjoying these streaming services, the lower bandwidth means a more stable delivery of wireless indoor (Wi-Fi) and outdoor (cellular) service, with less interruptions.

As a result, many broadcasters are prioritizing HDR with 1080p resolution rather than delivering full 4K streams. This approach allows them to provide a more noticeable improvement in picture quality without exceeding bandwidth limits.

What Consumers Should Look For

For consumers shopping for a new TV, HDR support should be a primary consideration.

In addition to HDR capability, buyers should evaluate audio quality and whether the TV is optimized for broadcast or streaming environments, with resolution becoming a secondary factor in overall picture quality.

“There are several HDR formats available today,” Miglani said. “HDR10 and HLG are more basic standards, while Dolby Vision and Advanced HDR by Technicolor offer more sophisticated capabilities.”

He added that for consumers watching over-the-air television, antenna quality remains critical.

“If a consumer wants to watch TV over the air, the most important factor is the antenna,” he said. “Professional installation can make a significant difference in performance.”

A Shift in Focus

Whether 4K and even 8K content becomes available, the industry will continue to evolve. However, TV and hardware manufacturers, broadcasters and streaming service providers are increasingly focused on improving how each pixel is displayed rather than simply increasing the number of pixels on the screen. Rising concerns about sustainability, such as the Ecodesign Directive in the EU, means power-hungry 4K and 8K resolutions are less attractive when seen through the perspective of reducing energy use and carbon emissions.

For consumers, that shift suggests that better picture quality may come not from more resolution, but from better use of the resolution they already have.

Watch the Full Vidcast Interview Here.

Next Generation HDR Solutions with ATSC 3.0 Signal the Future of Broadcast

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 10:00:56 +0000

Next Generation HDR Solutions with ATSC 3.0 Signal the Future of Broadcast

Dec. 16, 2021— 2022 is shaping up to be a very big year for NextGen TV as the adoption of Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) version 3.0 and rapidly maturing video technologies like high dynamic range (HDR) gather momentum. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) recently increased their estimate of televisions sold with ATSC 3.0 capability in 2021 from 800,000 to more than 2 million units. That is a huge increase. It indicates that there is now a ready market for consumers to receive the advanced services included in the standard.

The ATSC 3.0 Standard defines the official specifications and criteria necessary for effective implementation and interoperability of Advanced Terrestrial Broadcast Systems. Since its announcement at the 2018 CES, it has taken the broadcast and consumer electronics sectors by storm despite a global pandemic. It continues to change the way the world experiences entertainment and broadcast.

“ATSC 3.0 can deliver more pixels at higher quality for ultra high definition (UHD), 4K, and HDR screens. This is a significant upgrade for customers with large screens,” says Alan Stein, vice president of technology at InterDigital, in a podcast interview for journalists.

In addition, ATSC 3.0 offers personalization, interactivity, and broadcaster applications, while also supporting mobile delivery. The latter is a hot topic among ATSC members working to address the possibility of cell phones receiving ATSC 3.0 signals. It is an ATSC application being actively explored in countries like India—where infrastructure limitations have triggered interest in creative ways of delivering high-quality video to consumers in a scalable, cost-effective manner. It also illustrates the international appeal of the standard. The most significant developments, however, are currently taking place in the United States.

ATSC 3.0 and HDR Have Captured the Market’s Attention

“About 40% of the US public today is served by a minimum of one ATSC 3.0 signal and related services. By the end of 2021, we expect that number to top 50%,” says Mark Aitken, senior vice president of technology for Sinclair Broadcast Group and president of ONE media.

“HDR is one of the features that most visibly improves the consumption of over-the-air (OTA) and over-the-top (OTT) content. It greatly enhances the viewing experience, especially for things like live sports,” says Stein.

Sony recently revealed that all their television products for the second half of 2021 would be ATSC 3.0 enabled, supporting next-generation features, including HDR, UVoice, and a variety of other capabilities that enhance the viewing experience for the American public.

“Companies like Sony—and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon—are utilizing HDR to enhance viewer experience for as much of the market as possible. The broadcast industry is responding rapidly. For those that embrace HDR early, it is a clear way to establish differentiation, which is critical with fierce competition,” explains Aitken.

Broadcast, he added, remains one of the most ubiquitously available technologies in the market, which is why it has been so essential to develop standards that can evolve to deliver experiences that consumers across the nation expect and increase demand. It ensures that the needs of all segments of the market are met—even as we move forward as quickly as possible to keep up with improvements in technology.

Blurring the Lines Between OTT and OTA

ATSC 3.0 is providing an opportunity for over-the-air broadcasters to play in the digital space and become online content providers. HDR is thriving in the OTT arena, and broadcasters are quickly gaining ground with ATSC 3.0 and Advanced HDR by Technicolor.

“One area in which broadcasters consistently enjoy a competitive advantage over OTT providers is in the delivery of live sports programming. It is also a category of content that takes full advantage of HDR technology. HDR was on full display this year during the exceptional U.S. Open tennis championship broadcast over Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Tennis Channel,” says AItken.

“The Tennis Channel, which is brought to consumers through the Bally Sports Regional Networks in 23 markets, will be using Advanced HDR by Technicolor for both our streaming and over-the-air broadcast services in 2022,” he adds.

The U.S. Open showcased how ATSC 3.0 and Advanced HDR, by Technicolor are dramatically narrowing the competitive gap between over-the-air and streaming service providers. Moreover, the integration of emerging technologies enabled by the new internet protocol (IP) friendly standard provides an important bridge for broadcasters to move into the rapidly evolving streaming market.

“It is an important milestone. We’re now seeing broadcast apps that embrace and extend the best ideas from OTT services while still having the scale and channel change speed that consumers like about traditional television. This allows broadcasters to play to their strengths, highlighting the absence of latency and unreliability that you sometimes get with some streaming applications and devices,” says Stein.

Advanced HDR by Technicolor’s Impact on Broadcast

According to Stein, Advanced HDR by Technicolor is the only industry solution that enables a standard dynamic range (SDR)—a non-HDR signal—and an HDR signal to be simultaneously delivered in one bitstream. It is an economically efficient and technically effective solution because it sidesteps the need for broadcasters to use two channels to bring both HDR and SDR services to consumers. This backward compatibility is critical because of the widespread presence of legacy SDR televisions and set-top boxes that remain in the market today.

From a production perspective, Advanced HDR by Technicolor also supports the ability for broadcasters to use HDR cameras—which bring higher quality into live production—and integrate those inputs with SDR cameras into a single distribution workflow in a way that automatically adjusts to the capabilities of the receiving device, regardless of whether they are HDR or SDR capable.

“If you’ve got a television set that was manufactured in the last three years, and it’s 4K HDR-capable, you can connect your gateway or set-top box, and you’ve got glorious eye-popping HDR television. It also maximizes the experience of SDR-only devices. Either way, we want people to see the difference,” concludes Aitken.

Broadcast and TV Channel Executives Explore Strategies for Managing HDR Complexity and Future Proofing TV Experiences

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 10:00:24 +0000

Broadcast and TV Channel Executives Explore Strategies for Managing HDR Complexity and Future Proofing TV Experiences

Dec. 16, 2021—Broadcasters and TV Channel executives worldwide have been exploring ways to manage the complex issues associated with delivering high-dynamic-range (HDR) experiences across the wide variety of content they present to their viewers. While the rapid evolution of HDR has created opportunities to significantly improve the quality of experience provided to consumers, the industry must determine an effective way to absorb these new technologies and innovations as they become available without completely disrupting operations.

“Over the past few years, we have seen the emergence of new delivery formats—like ultra-high-definition (4K/UHD) and HDR—which provide better audio and video to viewers,” explains Guillaume Arthuis, founder and chief executive officer at BBright.

Integrating these new technologies, however, has not been without challenges. Specifically, the industry wants to ensure that a market is in place for the new enhanced formats while making sure that new services do not lead to an explosion of operational complexity that elevates costs and threatens profitability.

“New innovations are constantly introduced, so offering options and flexibility in how the industry can accept and manage content at both input and delivery is essential. Broadcasters and TV channels want to make sure that they are addressing today’s opportunities and looking ahead to ensure that they can cover the next ten years of requirements in terms of formats,” says Guy Ducos at Advanced HDR by Technicolor.

Harmonizing different types of input content and then converting it into the selected output format —which may be HDR today, but tomorrow may be another format—will be a key differentiator. In addition, all of this must be done in a high-quality manner in real-time.

Broadcast Community’s Understanding and Ability to Manage Complexity

The complexity associated with managing multiple generations of technology is not a new concept for the broadcast community.

“Ten years ago, we saw the migration from standard to high definition. What is important to keep in mind is that, for many years, broadcasters had to produce, manage, maintain and deliver two versions of their delivery signals—SD and HD. This was both complicated and expensive,” says Arthuis.

The migration to HDR threatens to create a similar level of complexity. For HDR deployment, a broadcaster needs to ensure that they have two versions of the content—SDR and HDR, or UHD alternative for high-quality delivery. In addition, they also need to be able to provide HD in SDR. This can lead to the need to maintain different variations of their signal that are supported by independent workflows.

Advanced HDR by Technicolor Streamlines Support of SDR and HDR Delivery

Advanced HDR by Technicolor, known as SL-HDR 1 in the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standards community, enables broadcasters and TV channels to distribute video over a single stream in both SDR BT.709 content and HDR-BT.2020 content. This streamlines the process.

A broadcaster using Advanced HDR by Technicolor can distribute the SL-HDR 1 standard with an SDR BT.709 base signal and allow everyone with a legacy TV or screen to enjoy high-quality SDR BT.709 images.

“Metadata in the same stream makes it possible to deliver HDR-BT.2020. If the receiving device is certified with Advanced HDR by Technicolor, the content is automatically upconverted and optimized for the device’s capabilities so that viewers receive the highest quality experience possible. This means that broadcasters do not need to allocate additional frequencies and resources to support the delivery of both SDR and HDR formats,” says Ducos.

In addition, artificial intelligence and machine learning have a prominent role in managing the complexity of supporting legacy content and the diversity of devices.

Unlike SD-to-HD conversions, SDR-to-HDR is not just about managing different numbers of pixels but also a matter of aesthetic choices. AI is necessary for dynamically analyzing each individual frame of the SDR (or HDR) input content to generate (or derive) the best possible HDR (or SDR) quality that can be achieved by optimizing the video—on a frame-by-frame basis. This function is performed while respecting the content producer’s aesthetic intent.

“Advanced HDR by Technicolor also allows video engineers and colorists to tune the solution upfront, at the production level, to match their aesthetic preferences precisely. Once that engineer or colorist has decided their aesthetic preferences, AI can then follow those aesthetic choices and deliver native HDR—and the best possible derived SDR—and broadcast it to viewers in a single stream,” points out Ducos.

BBright Solutions Utilize Backwards Compatibility to Enhance Broadcasting and TV Channel Management

Meanwhile, BBright brings to market a new generation of playout solutions that provide the highest level of integration to simplify the management of complex workflows.

“Our broadcast automation systems and programming applications enable broadcasters and TV channels to unify content output and harmonize the HDR and SDR content. There eliminates the need to manage the various formats that are being ingested manually,” says Arthuis.

As a result, broadcasters can integrate advertisements that use legacy 1080i SDR into their process and deliver native HDR content in an automated manner and generate two versions of their content—UHD HDR plus the HD SDR in a simultaneous fashion. The ability to tune content is also crucial in cases where it is not appropriate to convert certain content dynamically to HDR. These fine-tuning capabilities that BBright and Advanced HDR by Technicolor bring to market ensure all current, and future workflows are supported.