The UHD Alliance – a coalition of Hollywood studios, broadcasters and manufacturers – is closing in on completing quality standards for the next-generation premium audiovisual experience, including 4K, HDR and a wider colour gamut.
This would sit alongside the work of other bodies in that UHD Alliance is format agnostic. It aims to introduce a standard of quality – including brightness and contrast levels – that could be completed and introduced into the first products (consumer electronics devices as well as content) via a logo programme as early as January, according to Alliance chair Hanno Basse, who is CTO of Twentieth Century Fox.
“We’re optimistic about UHD and HDR,” he told
The IBC Daily, adding that the spec is aimed at creating “the best experience, and communicating it to the consumer. We are pretty confident that we have come up with a good solution.”
Initially, this quality spec is expected to include parameters for consumer devices, as well as content mastering of movies and television series. Basse reported that the Alliance is considering a second stage for content that goes through a live broadcast production process.
On getting to live broadcasting, Basse believes the economics are the biggest hurdle. “There’s still some technology questions open, but the big issue is the cost,” he said. “For a Hollywood studio, making HDR is fairly straightforward. On the TV side, they don’t have that luxury, especially if it’s 4K. They’ll need new cameras, switchers… and that’s a much higher investment.”
He and additional representatives from the Alliance are at IBC talking about the group’s work and urging broadcasters and other stakeholders from around the world to get involved in the effort.
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