Technicolor and Elemental Technologies demonstrate live HDR delivery at IBC 2015

Backward compatible system upscales high frame rate 4K Standard Dynamic Range events, including live sports, to HDR

Technicolor, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector, and Elemental Technologies, the leading supplier of software-defined video solutions for multiscreen content delivery, announced they have demonstrated the world’s first broadcast delivery system of 4K UltraHD high dynamic range (HDR) video at IBC 2015.

The live demonstration, which is optimized for broadcasters and pay-tv networks, shows how distributors can upscale high frame rate, standard dynamic range (SDR) events, such as sports, into impactful HDR. In addition, Technicolor and Elemental will highlight compatibility between Technicolor’s single layer backward compatible HDR delivery system and the 4K/HEVC-ready Elemental Live video encoder to illustrate a cost-effective solution for encoding and delivery.

Intelligent Tone Management Software allows for uncompressed video conversion
Technicolor’s demonstration includes a new server-based version of its Intelligent Tone Management software that scales SDR source material into the vivid colors, rich contrast and heightened realism of HDR video.  This software, based on years of research by leading Hollywood colorists, allows a sports or live events operator to continue using their current SDR cameras, workflow, and infrastructure at a venue, but now enables them to upscale the entire broadcast to HDR.  To prove the power and flexibility of the Intelligent Tone Management solution, Technicolor is using uncompressed 4K video at 60 frames per second, to showcase how this new technology makes converting content to HDR seamless for operators.

“The combination of HDR up conversion, 4K Ultra HD and high frame rate, and distribution of that signal through an entire compressed delivery chain is a world’s first and now Technicolor is showing that it can be done in real-time,” said Mark Turner, Vice President Partnership Relations and Business Development, Technicolor. “Traditionally, sports has always been the highest value
content for pay-tv companies and broadcasters, and the one that has presented most challenges for next-generation video from a cost -benefit perspective – until now.”

Elemental and Technicolor partner for live encoding

Technicolor’s HDR delivery system allows for a single stream combining both HDR and SDR video, enabling distributors to simultaneously support SDR and the rapidly emerging audience of HDR screens. This backward compatible feature is essential to meet the bandwidth requirements for pay-tv operators and OTT distributors looking to migrate with confidence to an HDR world.  Technicolor is using its new 4K HDR set top box to decode and play live HDR video while simultaneously playing the same signal on a current generation 4K SDR decoder to demonstrate the directly backward compatible stream.

Technicolor’s backward compatibility feature, while built for MPEG-HEVC initially, is independent of video codec and EOTF and shows the company’s commitment to provide consumers with the amazing benefits of HDR — with more content, on more devices on an accelerated timeframe.

“HDR is important and the industry wants it sooner rather than later given its obvious visual appeal and potential to stimulate UHD device and service uptake,” said Mike Callahan, Senior Director of Solutions Marketing at Elemental Technologies. “Software-defined video solutions from Elemental give content programmers a key advantage: flexible, scalable HDR infrastructures that support live and VOD services and easily keep pace with rapid change. It’s a powerful complement to the Technicolor HDR workflow which provides features, such as backward compatibility, for simplifying workflows and reducing storage and delivery costs.”

About Technicolor

Technicolor, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector, is at the forefront of digital innovation. Our world class research and innovation laboratories enable us to lead the market in delivering advanced video services to content creators and distributors. We also benefit from an extensive intellectual property portfolio focused on imaging and sound technologies, based on a thriving licensing business. Our commitment: supporting the delivery of exciting new experiences for consumers in theaters, homes and on-the-go. www.technicolor.com

About Elemental

Elemental Technologies is the leading supplier of software-defined video solutions for multiscreen content delivery. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the company pioneered the use of software-based video processing to distribute video over IP networks. Solutions from Elemental provide the flexibility, scalability and performance required to deliver high quality video via turnkey, cloud-based and virtualized deployment models. Powering video experiences for more than 700 leading media franchises worldwide, Elemental helps pay TV operators, content programmers, broadcasters and enterprise customers bring video to any screen, anytime – all at once. The company has offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China, Russia, India and Brazil. www.elementaltechnologies.com