High Dynamic Range: Compression Challenges

Experiments have shown that High Dynamic Range provides a significant appeal to viewers by adding a level of realism that cannot be achieved with currently deployed broadcast standards. Several technologies are available to implement High Dynamic Range, some of them relying on the SMPTE-2084 Opto-Electronic Transfer Function. While codecs like HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) can support signaling this transfer function, no specific tools were developed to compress this format. — Extensive research conducted using High Dynamic Range graded content shows that HEVC video encoders that were not specifically designed for this new format will produce new types of coding artifacts. This paper will explore these specific issues and show how video encoders could overcome those defects, keeping the promise of an outstanding video quality while retaining full compatibility with decoders.

Published

2015-10

Content type

Original Research

Keywords

HDR, UHD, HEVC

DOI

10.5594/M001639

ISBN

978-1-61482-956-0