UHDTV Standardization

DVB jointly with EBU organized a fact finding workshop end of May 2013 to gather a significant number of experts, including Technicolor, to plot a course towards a broadcast profile for Ultra-High Definition TV (UHDTV).

Establishing a successful UHDTV value chain is a quite complex task as a whole range of elements influence what is needed, such as broadcasters’ timescales, CE device timetables, availability of program production equipment and content, availability and capacity of delivery channels, availability of specifications from organizations such as SMPTE, ITU, MPEG, HDMI and others. DVB covers just the delivery part of the value chain and the workshop was intended to shed light on parameters for the broadcast profile, to identify potential obstacles and to set a target timeframe.

Technicolor’s R&I organization contributed presentations on HEVC compression performance and Color Metadata, participated in an audio panel promoting Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA), and acted as session chair.

The workshop fulfilled the expectations of many participants as the demonstrations, presentations, panel discussions and working sessions have helped to get a much better understanding of what needs to be done and at which time. It can be considered to be the starting point for UHDTV standardization in DVB. A follow-up workshop has been provisionally scheduled for end of November 2013.