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**donaldk** · 09-03-2015, 04:23 PM

Hi Peter, the dates are incorrect. Thursday is the 10th. That is the start of the conference, Friday is the start of the show that runs through Tuesday.

4K, Eutelsat informed me that it has commissioned GfK to research the penetration of 4K displays, it will present the results during a press conference at the opening of the show Friday morning.

I am sure SES will also say something about its efforts into 4K distribution during its press event Thursday night. It demonstrated an HDR channel at its investorday in Luxembourg this spring.This was a demo by Samsung using the metadata free = fixed curve BBC HDR system. The first HDR broadcast over existing, legacy, SDR DVB infrastructure. The BBC Research HDR programme is receiving a prize at this year's conference for its efforts in developing an HDR system compatible with legacy broadcasts.

Satellite is the leading platform for 4K TV broadcasts, mostly trials for the past few years, but the last year has seen the first actual c4K channels, beyond the demochannels by Samsung, Panasonic and others. So, they always take the effort to assert their pioneering status at shows like IBC.

Of course this will be the first year of HDR compatible set-top boxes. Probably still prototypes/pre-production units, like the past year or even two with regular 4K set-tops. Now the first full bandwidth HDMI chips are actually coming on-line. After Broadcom first announced it was chipping them in sample quantities at IBC two years ago. There has been considerable consolidation in this segment. Arris has aquired both Motorola's box business and Pace that includes the old Philips box business, and Cisco sold the old Scientific Atlanta Box division to Technicolor. I have received a few announcements for 4K channels on show this year, so actual 4K broadcasting is starting to happen in Europe, at least. HDR is to be the next target.

Thomson Video Networks announced a live contribution compression system for HDR broadcast, that should hit the market early next year. So, I will investigate that. To see what it does, if it is simply an MPEG HEVC encoder with a packet ID for the metadata, or automatically creates an HDR grade with metadata from the regular production chain. I contacted the PR contact following the release but haven't received an answer to my questions, so I will have to re-ask at the show.

Technicolor, will show its set-tops, I hope they will also show the HDR system. It usually is quite secretive though especially controlling press access, the past years having a room in the conference center, instead of having an open booth at the showfloor.

Dolby also shows the latest goodies at a closed-off section of its booth, that is always booked solid.

Philips has several partnerdemo's, of its HDR encoding (not compresssion) system that it seeks to license to content creators and distributors. A first demo Peter reported on from Display Forum.

Christie always supports a Big Screen Experience, showing a blockbuster to demonstrate the latest technology, last year it was full brightness 6P LASER 3D. That was heavily promoted ahead of the show, but this year no word about Dolby Vision/Cineam Big Screen HDR, so will there be a Big Screen HDR showing at IBC this year?

Camera's are generally offering HDR compatible F-Stop ranges, so we may see some interesting demo's at ARRI, Grass Valley (The old Thomson/Philips camera's now owned by Belden), Panasonic, Sony, Ikegami. Panasonic and Sony also having a serious broadcast display business.

**donaldk** · 09-05-2015, 04:55 PM

IBC2015 Looks at High Dynamic Range and More
There are few destinations in the world as effective as IBC for assessing what the future of
broadcasting may bring. Some of the changes the industry witnesses are obvious and well-known,
driven by major manufacturers and a firm fixture on the roadmap for years, while others suddenly
seem to jump out of the conference discussions and take people by surprise.
From something that few people have ever heard of to a technology on the lips of IBC’s 55,000
attendees and all those that follow the news from the show online and across the world. IBC is the
place where it can happen.
As a result, this year many eyes will be focused on the ‘Reinventing Broadcasting’ theme that
occupies the second day of the conference. The rules are changing so what are the innovative
technologies helping to break the mould and what are the new tools and techniques that may be
lurking unknown at the fringes?
One of the highlights will be the conference’s examination of High Dynamic Range imaging; a
technology that was almost considered an aside to the main event of Ultra HD for many years, until
suddenly the likes of the EBU started talking about it as essential to the future of television, at least
as far as the consumer is concerned. That same consumer has also started seeing HDR sets and,
while there is little content for them as yet, the reaction has been very favourable to say the least.
Essentially, HDR allows moving imagery to match more closely the characteristics of human vision,
producing a startlingly life-like rendition that features much more colour with plenty of details in the
whites and the blacks as well as a dramatically brighter screen.
‘High Dynamic Range Video: Status and strategies’ on Friday 11 September at 14:00 will look at
the domestic experience. It starts from the point that HDR will have far-reaching implications for
production practice, delivery chains and domestic viewing. HDR could be a powerful tool for
broadcasters, enhancing both flexibility in news gathering and creativity in post production, so this
session will hear strategic views on HDR from three of the world's most well-known broadcasters.
‘HDR: From zero to infinity - part 1’ on Friday 11 September at 16:00 - 17:30 is part of the IBC Big
Screen Experience and looks at HDR’s developing role in cinema. Indeed, this will be the first of
several sessions that will look at the state of the technology, the issues, and the challenges of this
exciting new theatrical format. This session will try to define Cinema HDR, report on the status of
standards work and highlight the technical and logistical challenges relating to the creation and
delivery of HDR content for the cinema.
Part 2 of this session on Saturday 12 September at 11:30 will look at the requirements and issues
in the capture and post production of HDR images, while the topic will conclude with part 3 on
Saturday 12 September at 13:30.
All in all, if you want the full picture on HDR in HDR, IBC is the place with the technology and the
people to provide it.
‘Inside Out’ Courtesy of Christie, Dolby Labs, Harkness Screens, QSC and Disney Pixar will be
one of the feature films for this year’s IBC Big Screen Experience. The screening will take place on
Monday 14 September at 18:30. Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to experience this film in
an extended color gamut version.
For more information on the IBC Big Screen Experience visit www.ibc.org/bigscreen

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