July 18, 2021—For mass adoption of high dynamic range (HDR) to take place, all key stakeholders across the ecosystem — consumer electronics, content creation, production and broadcasting — will have to be aligned and in sync to deliver the rich experiences today’s consumers are demanding. Among the most critical players in this value chain are the system-on-chip (SoC) manufacturers. This community provides the underlying components upon which rich, immersive experiences can be delivered to consumer devices as the industry makes the transition from a current installed base of standard dynamic range (SDR) to a future that is dominated by HDR. 

 

“HDR has become an essential feature for TV manufacturers today that want to bring impactful innovations to consumers and households around the world. That is why the top-performing — and often the most expensive — TVs today are HDR TVs,” says Alfred Chan, vice president of TV BU, Smart Home Business Group at MediaTek. MediaTek currently sells TV SoCs to 95% of all retail TV brands — those sold at stores like Best Buy and Costco, as well as major retailers all around the world. 

 

“It has been encouraging to see how the rest of the industry is rising to the challenge of making HDR content available for these next-generation TV sets. Broadcasters — like Sinclair Broadcast Group in the United States — are bringing over-the-air content, especially live sports, to consumers in HDR. MediaTek is committed to ensuring that HDR is presented correctly on TV sets that support this immersive viewing experience,” he says.

 

HDR Momentum Is Building in the Broadcast Community

 

The past year and a half has seen a tremendous amount of progress take place as broadcasters seeking to compete more effectively with streaming providers embraced — and deployed — the ATSC 3.0 standards that support HDR. In fact, in April of 2021, the first affiliate NBC station to broadcast in HDR — a Sinclair Broadcast Group affiliate in Las Vegas — went live. Based on its success, Sinclair has already expanded HDR broadcasts to 28 stations across the U.S., with plans to double the number of HDR-capable stations by the end of 2022. 

 

“They are moving forward in response to consumer demand,” says Tony Bozzini, head of business development for Advanced HDR by Technicolor, a suite of HDR production, distribution and display solutions that is supported in the ATSC 3.0 standard. The solutions leverage machine learning (ML) technology to maximize image quality and enhance the HDR consumer viewing experience. A collaboration between Philips, InterDigital and Technicolor, Advanced HDR by Technicolor is composed of two key elements:

 

• The Intelligent Tone Management (ITM) tool, which provides a dynamic, tunable, real-time solution to up-convert SDR content to HDR with full freedom and flexibility to manage contrast, brightness and color saturation, and

• Single-layer HDR (SL-HDR), a dynamic and tunable real-time tool that implements the ETSI SL-HDR standards to generate and deliver a single, consistent, high-quality broadcast stream. SL-HDR1 transforms HDR input streams into SDR-plus-metadata streams.

“Consumers who buy new TV sets that contain the embedded technologies provided by companies like MediaTek are very much aware of the elevated viewing experience offered by HDR. They get frustrated when they don’t have the content to support this experience. Thanks to the work of broadcasters like Sinclair, the demand for HDR content is beginning to be met,” explains Bozzini. 

 

On the other hand, broadcasters must still meet the needs of the large installed base of TVs that only support SDR. The backward compatibility features of Advanced HDR by Technicolor make it possible for consumers who do not have HDR devices to enjoy the highest-quality SDR experience. 

 

“Sinclair is one of the most active and assertive players to bring Advanced HDR by Technicolor to market. By embracing Advanced HDR by Technicolor, Sinclair is implementing a strategy across the country that provides a path to an HDR future while supporting the current embedded presence of SDR-only capable TVs that are still in the market,” says Bozzini. 

 

HDR and Live Sporting Events Are a Match Made in Heaven 

 

Live outdoor sporting events — an area that still is mostly dominated by the broadcast community — represent an excellent opportunity for HDR application. 

 

“Sinclair recently announced that Bally Sports Network and the Tennis Channel will be broadcast live in Advanced HDR by Technicolor,” says Bozzini. 

 

There are practical reasons for this decision. One of the most frustrating aspects of broadcasting live outdoor events is that lighting shifts over the course of the day, casting shadows that create challenges for conventional SDR technology to clearly capture the action on the field. 

 

Adaptive solutions embedded in Advanced HDR by Technicolor optimize images in real time. It automatically adjusts and corrects large shifts in lighting over the course of outdoor broadcasts. The adaptive features also remove limitations imposed by static converters that restrict the creative options available to video engineers. 

 

Sinclair has incorporated Advanced HDR by Technicolor into production-truck equipment offered by companies like Cobalt Digital, which leverages ML to automatically sense light quality changes to then deliver a single seamless and consistent stream of SDR and HDR images. 

 

“We expect these types of consumer viewing experiences to drive sales of HDR TVs,” says Bozzini. 

 

MediaTek’s Chan concurs. 

 

“It is an exciting time because SoC manufacturers are in a critical position to bridge the gap between broadcasters and device manufacturers in ensuring that viewers receive the experience intended by the production teams,” says Chan. 

 

“MediaTek is working to ensure that the Advanced HDR by Technicolor solution is properly incorporated into our chipsets so that images are properly displayed on TVs. This requires a huge amount of coordination. The good news is that the ecosystem is working very closely together, and these efforts are paying off. We are bringing HDR to market at an increasingly rapid pace.”  

 

Click to read the full Q&A

 

Feb. 03, 2022—During last month’s CES conference, Hisense announced it is collaborating with ATSC 3.0 and Advanced HDR by Technicolor for integration into upcoming ULED TVs. The announcement demonstrates how the broadcast and consumer device ecosystems are moving forward in a coordinated fashion to meet consumer demand for high-quality over-the-air (OTA) and over-the-top (OTT) viewing experiences, including the delivery of high-dynamic range (HDR) programming.


Hisense’s NEXTGEN TVs are in development as Sinclair Broadcasting Group continues its aggressive rollout of ATSC 3.0 stations across the U.S. over the course of 2022. Consumers that tune in to Sinclair stations on Hisense TVs will be able to enjoy broadcasts of sports, local news and other live events transmitted in HDR.


“This is an exciting step. Technologies, like those embedded in Advanced HDR by Technicolor, will greatly enhance how consumers experience OTA broadcasts, even as NEXTGEN TV enables broadcasters to compete even more effectively in the OTT market,”  says Tony Bozzini, Head of Business Development with Advanced HDR by Technicolor. “The availability of free high-quality programming – especially sports and live event broadcasts – will provide consumers who purchase the equipped ULED TVs from Hisense with immediate return on their investments,” he adds.


Demand for bigger and better TVs continues to grow. As a result, picture quality remains a top priority for consumers looking for premium content experiences. Hisense’s new U8H and U9H TVs introduce Mini LED to the 2022 lineup, delivering a stunning HDR performance with a bright picture, vivid colors, and excellent contrast.


“The collaboration with ATSC 3.0 to market compatible TVs furthers Hisense’s commitment to bring consumers more of what they want through innovation with key industry partners,” says David Gold, President of Hisense USA. “Hisense, ATSC 3.0 and Advanced HDR by Technicolor are working to deliver technologies that will allow all viewers – including sports fans and gamers – to enjoy the latest next-gen features with a tear-free, stutter-free and low latency HDR experience.”


The ATSC Standard 3.0 defines the official specifications and criteria necessary for effective implementation and interoperability of Advanced Terrestrial Broadcast Systems.


“ATSC 3.0 continues to change the way the world experiences entertainment and broadcast television. More importantly, the ATSC has focused on ensuring that no one gets left behind as innovations are introduced,” says Mark Aitken, Senior Vice President of Technology for Sinclair Broadcast Group and President of ONE Media. “Broadcast is one of the most ubiquitously available platforms in the market, meeting the needs of all segments of the market. Hisense is demonstrating how HDR — especially Advanced HDR by Technicolor — can enhance engagement and the user experience. It offers a clear path for the entire ecosystem — including broadcasters like Sinclair — to establish early differentiation in this fiercely competitive market,” he concludes.

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.

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.

Dec. 01, 2021—Broadcasters, streaming service providers, and Smart TV manufacturers alike are re-positioning themselves to address evolving customer expectations in North America for higher quality video experiences. A broader discussion surrounding viewing standards has emerged to integrate emerging technologies, improve ease of customer use, and ensure compatibility and interoperability with new and legacy services.

These were among the conclusions of a virtual media roundtable discussion hosted by Advanced HDR by Technicolor, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Cobalt Digital, Cinnafilm, Hisense, and MediaTek.

Over a dozen industry leaders, analysts, and journalists from leading media outlets covering the broadcasting, content streaming, consumer electronics, and production community gathered to explore:

• • The state of ATSC 3.0 and the role high dynamic range (HDR) technology is playing in meeting consumer expectations for viewing quality;
  • How advanced technologies are influencing the broadcast community in the United States; and
  • The importance of establishing integrated ecosystems to deploy HDR services and solutions that enhances all content — including legacy standard dynamic range (SDR) content.

Advanced Picture Quality is Rapidly Penetrating the U.S. Market

The alphabet soup of HDR formats and standards (PQ, HDR10, HLG, etc.) has created marketplace confusion over how to deliver high-quality content and functions to consumers. However, according to Mark Aitken, senior vice president, advanced technology, and president ONE media 3.0 with the Sinclair Broadcast Group, a maturing technology landscape has triggered a massive uptick in sales of next-generation smart and connected televisions (SmartTVs and CTVs).

It bodes well for HDR adoption because the prevailing market trends are not only enhancing viewing experiences of live productions but also upgrading legacy content libraries.

“HDR rollouts are moving at a breakneck pace, on track to cover 50% of the U.S. public by the end of 2021. The exceptional video quality enabled by HDR is elevating experiences more than any resolution enhancements. The industry is rapidly concluding that HDR will have to be on the table to effectively grab consumers’ attention and engage them in a meaningful way,” he said.

This shift, he added, is reflected by the fact that the North American Broadcaster Association (NABA) recently proclaimed HDR10 as the unified emission format of choice for its members and explicitly mentioned SL-HDR1 (the technical term for Advanced HDR by Technicolor) as a conveyance vehicle for implementation.

“It resolves the debate of Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) frame rate versus PQ in terms of over-the-air signal formats,” Aitken adds. “Advanced HDR by Technicolor provides the opportunity to address the new generation of TV sets. This opens the door to the industry exceeding initial target penetration rates by 150% or more for ATSC 3.0 next-generation TV set deployment in the US.”

Similar expectations are set for 2022, approaching 70% coverage in the U.S. by the second half of the year.

Upgrading Legacy Content Key to Driving Adoption

As the distribution ecosystem supporting ATSC 3.0 and HDR matures, it will be critical to ensure that content captured and stored in SDR can be experienced in an enhanced state.

“When consumers see TVs that are on display in brick-and-mortars with images shot in HDR, they expect to have the same experience when they view content coming through their set-top box,” said Ernie Sanchez, co-founder of Cinnafilm, a global leader in innovative video optimization solutions for television, film, and multi-media delivery.

“The problem is that the vast majority of content in libraries today was filmed in SDR. This can be jarring to viewers who are left to wrestle with inconsistent experiences. It can leave many customers disappointed,” he said.

This, however, is changing.

The rollout of ATSC 3.0 opens the door for cable companies, broadcasters, and other content library owners to leverage solutions like Advanced HDR by Technicolor to upconvert movies and episodic programming so that they can be re-experienced in an enhanced format that is consistent with consumer expectations.

“There are millions of SDR content hours in English caches alone. This is content that can be rapid — and cost-effectively — repurposed for the HDR ecosystem,” said Sanchez.

“Many technology solutions for conversion are manual. With Advanced HDR by Technicolor’s Intelligent Tone Management (ITM), automated upconversion often delivers better results than having professional colorists manually go scene by scene. It makes it possible to upconvert large libraries of video content quickly and in a high-quality manner, which will be very important to content owners that want to keep up with market demand,” he added.

An abundant supply of HDR content—or SDR content that can be rapidly upconverted to HDR—will play an important role in driving demand for next-generation TVs offered by companies like Hisense.

“Ensuring that consumers understand that there is a lot of content that can be experienced in HDR will be key. Current communications about HDR — which tend to focus on technical specifications and formats — can be very confusing to users. It is important to have a message that resonates with consumers who want to improve their viewing experiences at home with their next television purchase. I think that we’re heading in the right direction, which is why we are working with Advanced HDR by Technicolor,” said Niko Savovic, senior manager in research and development of laboratory operations Hisense.

Automation and AI/ML

Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) are playing a critical role in providing seamless backward and forward compatibility to deliver seamless consumption for customers without manual intervention.

The artists and scientists behind the development of Advanced HDR by Technicolor leaned into AI capabilities to create automated conversion tools, according to Alan Stein, vice president of technology at InterDigital, a technology research and development company that provides wireless and video technologies for mobile devices, networks, and services worldwide.

“Scientists at Technicolor spent years developing effective machine learning algorithms. The presets offered within Advanced HDR by Technicolor was developed with significant input from Technicolor colorists so that HDR content that is up to Hollywood standards is delivered to consumers,” he says.

Automatic upconversion will also be important for categories of content that surround live broadcasts, feature films, or episodic programming. Certain categories of commercials, for instance, are rarely filmed in HDR.

“Any consumer viewing experience that is interrupted by a down-converted ad will inevitably question the abilities of their device or service provider,” said Tony Bozzini, head of business development with Advanced HDR by Technicolor.

The good news is that a robust end-to-end AI/ML ecosystem is rapidly evolving to support the capture, production, distribution, and consumption of HDR content.

“That is why we are integrating Advanced HDR by Technicolor into our technologies to support the broadcast of live sports,” said Dr. Ciro Noronha, executive vice president of engineering at Cobalt Digital, a leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning edge devices that help live video production and master control client’s transition to IP, 4K, HDR, the cloud, and beyond.

“These are extremely dynamic environments in which lighting conditions change as the day goes on. Moreover, the action is captured by a range of cameras — including HDR and SDR equipment. Advanced automation technologies play a significant role in managing the complexity of available formats, including different forms of capturing content. It all has to be rationalized and optimized in real-time,” said Noronha.

The same dynamic is at play on the receiving side of the equation.

“As a leading system on a chip (SoC) provider for 95 percent of all TV brands, MediaTek has been diligently working to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to provide enhanced picture quality. Mediatek is currently deploying AI-based solutions such as Picture Quality enhancement and Super Resolution technologies which intelligently upscale high definition content to UHD/4K while improving contrast and sharpness. Next-generation TVs will be equipped with multiple high-performance AI processors to enhance the visual and audio experience of viewers,” said Alfred Chan, vice president of the TV business unit for MediaTek, a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor company that provides chips for high-definition television and other devices, including handheld mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers.

“AI and machine learning will be critical to enabling TVs to detect the content format and automate viewing settings that can learn and adjust to the preferences and desires of viewers to optimize their experience,” he concludes.

July 15, 2021—Halted production of new content, along with a dramatic increase of consumer demand for video entertainment throughout the COVID-19 crisis, has placed unprecedented demands on the content libraries of broadcasters and streaming providers. As content owners mine their inventory of episodic series and movies produced decades ago, they are exploring how to up-convert content to meet the elevated viewing standards of today’s consumers. So say Ernie Sanchez, co-founder of Cinnafilm, and Tony Bozzini, head of business development for Advanced HDR by Technicolor, in a recent joint interview for journalists.

The problem with legacy content, however, is that it was produced to address the aesthetic demands of the 1990s and 2000s based on the technological limitations—2K high definition (HD) and standard dynamic range (SDR)—of the era. These production values not only fall far short of the visual experiences that audiences expect today, but also are susceptible to unanticipated distortions as they are played on modern TVs and devices if they are not properly converted and managed.

Consequently demand for solutions that enhance video and image processing is creating new opportunities for Advanced HDR by Technicolor and Cinnafilm—a solution provider for post production houses and broadcasters that offers file-based image processing technology services that optimizes television and classic films for modern delivery requirements.

Advanced HDR by Technicolor is a suite of HDR production, distribution and display solutions that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to maximize the image quality of any SDR or HDR format. Advanced HDR by Technicolor was designed to protect—and enhance— investments in legacy infrastructure and devices made by industry and consumers.

“The major disruption of content production during the pandemic has created an opportunity to re-introduce—and monetize— decades-old TV shows and movies to a new generation of viewers,” says Ernie Sanchez, co-founder of Cinnafilm.

As 2021 continues to unfold, there are strong indications that the market will see increased re-deployment of legacy content. The reason is simple: it is available and ready to go.

“That is why Advanced HDR by Technicolor and Cinnafilm are collaborating to address the need for simple and scalable solutions that enable content owners to upgrade content libraries from SDR to HDR in a cost effective manner,” says Tony Bozzini, head of business development for Advanced HDR by Technicolor.

Challenges to Upgrading Content to HDR

Upgrading and reformatting legacy content to HDR does present some challenges within the industry. It also has rekindled an ongoing industry debate around what it means to update content for a new generation of viewers.

“There are two very strong camps in this content community today,” explains Sanchez. “One side feels strongly against altering assets and firmly believes content should be broadcast the same way it was filmed. This is a purist approach that advocates for the original intent and is interested in avoiding any alterations to images as they were conceived when originally produced.”

From a practical perspective, however, this method places content providers at the mercy of the broadcast pipeline. For instance, if assets remain SDR and high definition (HD) in a world that has embraced HDR and UHD viewing environments, there’s no way to predict how the consumer will set up their home televisions. It raises critical questions.

“Is the content going to fit to screen? Will a consumer’s TV settings crop out some of the image? It’s an important reminder for purist situations, consumer devices may go ahead and alter the look and feel of the show in a myriad of ways,” says Sanchez

Beyond creative concerns, the size and scope of legacy content libraries introduces concerns surrounding the labor and costs associated with HDR conversion and distribution.

Cinnafilm and Advanced HDR by Technicolor have collaborated to integrate their capabilities into the PixelStrings Software-as-a-Service platform. This enables content owners to convert massive legacy content libraries to HDR in a rapid and cost-effective manner.

“After creatives develop and convert content, they have to address the fact that there are many distribution channels available in different markets throughout the world. These distribution channels vary in capability for content delivery,” says Bozzini.

As a result, creatives need the ability to offer content in multiple flavors—whether it is HD or UHD and SDR or HDR—to match the capabilities of a particular distribution channel and generate revenue.

“Advanced HDR by Technicolor enables engineers to distribute content in both SDR and HDR within a single stream. It leverages the metadata to determine whether a consumer device is capable of supporting SDR or HDR. That is a point of differentiation in a highly competitive marketplace.”