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Interesting approach launch HDR service and let the set-top-box convert it to SDR for legacy displays. Proprietary backward compatible HDR coding system vendors will say that autoconversion will be inferior. And even that their systems work better with existing MPEG HEVC compression systems, as these are optimized to handle SDR content, and the signal looks more like regualr video than an HDR signal would.
Several chipset vendors were showing set-top-box chipsets that could handle 4K 60P decomprression and processing and some form of HDR output. Sampling end of year, shipping to box makers next year.
Remaining questions:
MStar Semiconductor Inc. today demonstrated its leadership in the STB technology race by releasing its new range of 4K STB chipsets at IBC show in Amsterdam.
“The new product range includes some unique features that will enable MStar’s customers to take a strong lead in the move to 4K,” said Trevor Neal, Vice President of MStar. “Many operators want to launch their 4K service with High Dynamic Range (HDR) enabled to give even better picture quality. However until now this has been difficult to do as the majority of the installed TV in people’s home does not support HDR. The new MStar STB solutions solve this problem as if the STB detects the TV does not support HDR then the STB can convert the signal back to Standard SDR signal. This allows the operator to start rolling our HDR services knowing that as users upgrade their TV in the future they will immediately be able to take advantage of the HDR feature. ”
MStar is well known as the leader in TV solutions and has been shipping 4K decoders for over 3 years. This gives MStar a huge advantage in designing a STB chip as it means we fully understand the TV design. MStar has used this advantage to add another feature into the STB solution. If the MStar based STB detects that the TV has a programmable backlight then the MStar STB solution can control the backlight in the TV to simulate HDR even on a SDR TV.
In addition to the HDR to SRD converter, the MStar 4K solution also includes dual 4K decoding, enabling 4K picture-in-picture (PIP) features, plus uniquely the ability to use 4K User Interface. These features have been proven in previous generation of MStar TV chips and allow MStar to bring mature technology into the STB solution.
Several chipset vendors were showing set-top-box chipsets that could handle 4K 60P decomprression and processing and some form of HDR output. Sampling end of year, shipping to box makers next year.
Remaining questions:
- So how does it sense if a display is HDR capable or not?
- How does it control the display's light output?
- Can it be told to do so, without using the sensing function?
- How does it convert content to SDR? And can it convert SDR content to HDR?
- Does it support any of the known propietary HDR system, like Dolby Vision, Technicolor Prime, Philips, and BBC/NHK Hybrid Log Gamma?
MStar Semiconductor Inc. today demonstrated its leadership in the STB technology race by releasing its new range of 4K STB chipsets at IBC show in Amsterdam.
“The new product range includes some unique features that will enable MStar’s customers to take a strong lead in the move to 4K,” said Trevor Neal, Vice President of MStar. “Many operators want to launch their 4K service with High Dynamic Range (HDR) enabled to give even better picture quality. However until now this has been difficult to do as the majority of the installed TV in people’s home does not support HDR. The new MStar STB solutions solve this problem as if the STB detects the TV does not support HDR then the STB can convert the signal back to Standard SDR signal. This allows the operator to start rolling our HDR services knowing that as users upgrade their TV in the future they will immediately be able to take advantage of the HDR feature. ”
MStar is well known as the leader in TV solutions and has been shipping 4K decoders for over 3 years. This gives MStar a huge advantage in designing a STB chip as it means we fully understand the TV design. MStar has used this advantage to add another feature into the STB solution. If the MStar based STB detects that the TV has a programmable backlight then the MStar STB solution can control the backlight in the TV to simulate HDR even on a SDR TV.
In addition to the HDR to SRD converter, the MStar 4K solution also includes dual 4K decoding, enabling 4K picture-in-picture (PIP) features, plus uniquely the ability to use 4K User Interface. These features have been proven in previous generation of MStar TV chips and allow MStar to bring mature technology into the STB solution.