Ultra HD: Sooner than expected? - White Paper - The Future Trust

ULTRA HD
Sooner than expected?
WHITEPAPER

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
MARKET OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................................. 4
CONSUMER PREFERENCES DRIVE UHD 4K DEMAND ............................................................................................................ 4
ULTRA HD IN THE HOME? ............................................................................................................................................. 6
4K CONTENT ................................................................................................................................................................ 7
NOT JUST ABOUT MORE PIXELS, ABOUT BETTER PIXELS AS WELL ......................................................................... 8
RESOLUTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 8
HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE .................................................................................................................................................. 9
THE WIDE COLOR GAMUT (WCG) ................................................................................................................................. 10
THE FRAME RATE ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
d,E/KKZ͛^ULTRA HD EXPERTIZE ................................................................................................................ 11
BROADCASTING ULTRA HD ................................................................................................................................. 12
HEVC ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12
HEVC DRIVERS........................................................................................................................................................... 12
BANDWIDTH REDUCTION IN HD ..................................................................................................................................... 13
SATELLITE OPERATORS ................................................................................................................................................. 14
TELCO AND CABLE OPERATORS ...................................................................................................................................... 15
ENCODING PERFORMANCE ............................................................................................................................................ 16
ENCODERS ................................................................................................................................................................. 17
DECODER AVAILABILITY ................................................................................................................................................ 17
HDMI TODAY AND TOMORROW .................................................................................................................................... 17
HEVC STANDARDIZATION STATUS .................................................................................................................................. 18
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU MIGRATE TO ULTRA HD? ........................................................................................................... 18
ABOUT TECHNICOLOR ......................................................................................................................................... 20
© 2014 Technicolor. All rights reserved. No part of this white paper may be reproduced,
in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

INTRODUCTION
From the first digital TV services from DirecTV in 1994 and the Mpeg2-‐based UK service launch in 1998,
to the 2006 introduction of mass market HDTV in Europe based on Mpeg4 AVC, there has been a
continuous effort to optimize encoder technologies. The goal has always been the same: enhanced
picture quality using less bandwidth. Recent heightened interest in 4K/UHD services goes along with
this search for bandwidth optimization; as an encoder technology, HEVC appears as a natural
progression.
This white paper aims to provide a clear overview of where the industry stands on 4K/UHD services at
the beginning of 2014, following numerous product introductions at CES this year, all along the E2E
chain.
In the wake of predictions of slow 4K/UHD deployment, this paper examines the rapid progress
achieved over the past year and reviews ways to improve image quality through up-‐scaled HD,
which enables providers to deliver a 4K/UHD experience without native 4K/UHD content. Thanks
to embedded HEVC decoding capabilities and future proof technology for native 4K/UHD content,
the next generation of set-‐top boxes can make 4K/UHD a reality earlier than expected for NSPs
who want to accelerate their migration and stay ahead of the competition.
. © 2014 Technicolor. All rights reserved. No part of this white paper may be reproduced,
in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher

MARKET OVERVIEW
Ultra HD, also known as 4K, is a TV format
offering four times more pixels than full HD
(4K/UHD for digital cinema has 4096 pixels
rather than 3840 as shown on this chart). In
addition to higher resolution than HD,
future iterations of 4K/UHD will offer higher
frame rates and greater dynamic range. The
goal is to deliver a more immersive, true-‐to-‐
life experience to the home.
Consumer preferences drive UHD 4K demand
Because consumers are buying larger and larger screens for their homes, they are increasingly sensitive
to the value of higher picture quality. The charts below demonstrate the parallels between global
HDTV adoption rate, average screen size and willingness to pay for higher quality.
The number of households with HDTV is increasing exponentially. This trend will continue as HD
services take hold on a large scale in emerging markets.
HDTV WORLDWIDE
ADOPTION
„ 75% of US HHs have now
HDTV at home
„ HDTV is assumed to reach
350mio HHs by 2015
Sources: HDTV sales ² TV Technology (Oct12), Consumer Habits Ericsson ²
base US-‐UK-‐Germany-‐Spain-‐China-‐Taiwan (Aug12), Juniper Research (July12), Fubon Research

Linked to the spread of HD is an increase in average TV screen size, which already exceeds 37 in. In
fact, the sweet spot for HD TV sales is now closer to the 40-‐50 in. range in mature markets. Market
data also shows that more than 30% of end users are prepared to pay for excellent quality and nearly
30% for extreme quality. The proportion of end users prepared to pay for extreme quality, which
corresponds to a level beyond HD, is sufficient to justify the launch of such services.
TV SIZE IS INCREASING
„ Global average size of TV
panels is expected to
exceed 37µ for 2013
(FY13F) -‐ boosted by 50··+
TV demand
END USER IS READY TO PAY FOR
ENHANCED QUALITY
„ #2 -‐ Excellent Quality (HD)
„ #4 -‐ Extreme Quality (UHD)
Sources: HDTV sales ² TV Technology (Oct12), Consumer
Habits Ericsson ²
base US-‐UK-‐Germany-‐Spain-‐China-‐Taiwan (Aug12), Juniper
Research (July12), Fubon Research
HD cannot replicate the full cinema experience in the
home. Users seeking a truly immersive home experience
expect more than HD. What is more, 4K TVs are now
available in stores, at increasingly affordable prices. At
the same time, movie theatres are converting to full
digital projection, in some cases with 4K projectors, to
reproduce the original quality of the digital video.

ULTRA HD in the home?
Some concern over the feasibility of 4K/UHD, in
particular the ability of living rooms to accommodate
large screens, has been voiced in the media. The
argument is that viewers will require TV sets with
much larger screens than HD sets to appreciate
4K/UHD picture quality. As shown in the chart below,
with a 60 in. screen, viewers begin to benefit from
higher resolution at a distance of about 7 feet (just
over 2 meters).
However, the eventual success of 4K/UHD depends
on three critical factors:
x Because the pitch is much finer, viewers will naturally
sit closer to the screen than with an HD set to get the
most benefit from 4K/UHD resolution.
x A truly immersive experience requires filling the
entire field of view with screen images. This means a
screen which is much larger than an HD set in
proportion to the size of the room.
Source: Panasonic
x Sustainable UHD success depends not only on higher resolution (number of pixels) but overall quality
in terms of color reproduction and dynamic range. We will examine how to achieve this.
We can conclude, at least provisionally, that existing living rooms will accommodate 4K/UHD TV sets,
based on the fact that viewers can sit much closer than they did before, and that consumers who care
greatly about picture quality will find ways to incorporate TVs ODUJHU WKDQ +' VHWV DW OHDVW µ

in
their homes.
As we have seen at CES 2014, pure OTT players will launch 4K/UHD content in partnership with major
TV manufacturers. Netflix launched its 4K stream early April. Although it will reach only the limited
number of users who have purchased 4K/UHD TV sets the company will certainly use this 4K/UHD
service as a strong communication opportunity, to build its UHSXWDWLRQ LQ ´SLFWXUH H[FHOOHQFHµ DQG
attract new subscribers, at the expense of NSPs.

However, NSPs can develop new strategies based on higher quality, more natural-‐looking images,
visible from any distance. Picture quality can be greatly improved and, combined with up-‐scaling
techniques NSPs can deliver a 4K/UHD experience without native 4K/UHD content. Network
Services Operators must consider this, especially as 4K/UHD TV set prices decline this year; the
FIFA World Cup will probably prompt special offers. Homes will start being equipped. Next
generation set-‐top boxes using up-‐scaling, image improvement and future-‐proof 4K/UHD
technologies, are planned for Q4 2014. That means that now is the time to launch and promote a
4K/UHD strategy.
4K content
Significant production of native content is
underway. As of the end of 2012 there were
150 films and TV shows with a 4K/UHD master
copy ready for immediate distribution. An
additional 793 films and TV shows had been
captured in 4K/UHD but required rendering for
UHD (Source HIS 2013)
The ecosystem is already well advanced. What
is more, existing 35mm film can be re-‐
mastered to 4K/UHD with good quality results.
,Q-XO6RQ3LFWXUHVDQQRXQFHGDVHULHVRI%OX5DGLVFV´PDVWHUHGLQ.µWRWDNHDGYDQWDJHRI
this re-‐use of the back catalogue. In September 2013 Sony launched its Video Unlimited 4K/UHD
offering with more than 140 titles. At the same time, more and more 4K/UHD production equipment is
being launched, much of it with an eye toward the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Numerous new TV productions are being announced: the BBC is making its new Survival wildlife
documentary in 4K, following several trials at Wimbledon 2013; Sky did the same with English Premier
/HDJXHIRRWEDOOPDWFKHV1HWIOL[ZLOOVWUHDP´+RXVHRIDUGVµLQ.DQGDQQRXQFHG its 4K streaming
service at CES 2014 with a February launch date, being compatible for buyers of new 4K/UHD sets from
Sony, LG, Samsung, Vizio and others upon purchase as these sets include the HEVC decoding chip
necessary to support such bandwidth hungry files.
The advent of 4K/UHD is a given. The real question is how to deliver sufficient 4K/UHD programming
while waiting for additional native 4K/UHD content to be widely available. Up-‐scaling, combined with
picture enhancement, can make UHD 4K/UHD economically viable right now.

NOT JUST ABOUT MORE PIXELS, ABOUT BETTER PIXELS AS WELL
Technicolor delivers innovative picture technologies at every stage of the video workflow in order to
create a better 4K/UHD experience for the consumer. Indeed, our Research and Innovation centers are
working on such experience-‐enhancement technologies as High Definition Range (HDR), Wide Color
Gamut (WCG), compression, metadata and more.
Video enhancement involves four areas: resolution, luminosity/range, color gamut and frame rate.
Resolution
Resolution amounts to the number of pixels displayed. More pixels improve image quality, especially
on large displays; this is the main characteristic of 4K/UHD. But consumer acceptance of 4K/UHD TV
also depends on the availability of content that demonstrates the superiority of the 4K/UHD viewing
experience. To help expand content availability, Technicolor has developed solutions that transform
legacy content into high-‐quality 4K/UHD programming 7HFKQLFRORU·V 4K/UHD up-‐scaling certification
program, which consists of a set of proven tests on motion video, is one example.
Because image processing algorithms rely on temporal information, they work effectively on video
sequences but not on still images, which require their own specific tests.
Another test category aims at ensuring the algorithm effectively handles jaggies (stairstep effect),
which may appear when up-‐scaling on text/UI edges requires edge sharpening and enhancement.
In addition, reference test patterns which isolate various complex sequences with typical techniques
enable identification of weak points for such image processing algorithms.
Source: Technicolor 2013

Impairments must be assessed by objective measurements, for example:
x Contouring: in scenes with gently changing areas of contrast, such as cloudy sky, checking for
items that look like blocNVZKHUHWKHUHVKRXOGQ·WEHDQ
x Gamut: verifying color rendering capabilities
x Grey scale: ensuring an accurate display of mid-‐tones
x Jaggies: Checking lines or borders at low horizontal or vertical angles as these can appear
disjointed, reducing image smoothness and clarity
x Noise Reduction: testing how well the video signal processor removes noise from the picture,
while also distinguishing noise from real picture data
x 6KDUSQHVVILOWHUULQJLQJHQVXULQJWKHYLGHRVLJQDOSURFHVVRU·VVKDUSQHVVILOWHUGRHVQRWDGGQRLse
near sharp image transitions
x White luminance: ensuring sufficient brightness of full screen
Although higher resolution produces a crisper image, thanks to more pixels, image color and contrast
remain the same as for HD. 7KDW·VZK7HFKQLFRORULVZRUNLQJRQVHYHUDOWHFKQLTXHVWRHQKDQFHLPDJH
quality. These techniques, applicable to HD images today and 4K/UHD images in the future, will enable
NSPs and broadcasters to deliver UHD/4K programming without native 4K content.
High Dynamic Range
In addition to frame rate, such aspects as dynamic
range and color depth are very important to our
perception. High Dynamic Range (HDR) combines
several exposure levels to render visible details in
the darkest and lightest portions of an image that
could not otherwise be seen. The difference
between a normal HD image and an HDR image is
striking. Starting from HDR content production,
Technicolor is working on several techniques to
deliver HDR video, from inverse tone mapping to
HDR streaming and standardization for STBs. Source: Technicolor 2013

High Dynamic Range offers better detail rendering,
greater contrast and better overall realism through
reproduction of real-‐world color, intensities and
lighting. HDR can be seen as a complement to 4K/UHD
for the future 4K/Ultra HD format. As leader of the
NEVEx project, a pioneer in HDR video technology,
Technicolor is developing distinctive HDR expertise.
Technicolor was first worldwide to demonstrate HDR
on a set-‐top box.
HDR will not be applied to the first generation of 4K/UHD. TV sets and standards are not ready. But
HDR offers great promise as a way to deliver an even-‐more compelling user experience in the future.
The wide Color Gamut (WCG)
Source: Technicolor 2013
WCG is a technique to enable more accurate display in the home of the exact colors intended by a
content creator. WLWK 7HFKQLFRORU·V 'QDPLF RORU *DPXW ([SDQVLRQ IRUWCG displays, viewers will
enjoy colors that are more vivid and vibrant while remaining true to the original image.
1RZ 2(0·V FDQ WDNH IXOO DGYDQWDJH RI WKH H[WHQGHG FRORU UDQJH FDSDELOLWLHV RI 2/(' $02LED and
Quantum Dots displays thanks to this unique Technicolor breakthrough which enables WCG screens to
match the viewer experience offered by display technologies for TVs, PCs, smartphones and tablets.
By adapting the content frame-‐by-‐frame, Technicolor Color Gamut Expansion algorithms applies a
dynamic, real-‐WLPHDSSURDFKWRH[SDQGUHJXODUYLGHRFRQWHQW5HF

WRWKHHQWLUHGLVSOD·VFRORU
gamut. Skin colors remain natural; cinematographic color grading decisions are preserved.
Delivering on the WCG potential will require a new generation of TV sets, capable of reproducing a
wider range of colors. WCG will be associated with greater bit depth for encoding content, starting
with 10 bits as applied to the current HEVC standard, but going further in future.
Technicolor actively contributes to industry standardization efforts in such areas as HEVC extensions
for High Dynamic Range and Wide Color Gamut in MPEG, ITU-‐T, IEC and applications standardization
committees such as DVB.

The Frame Rate
Fast movements during live sports broadcasts can be blurred if the frame rate is too low. Major
broadcasters and operators agree that sports content will be a main driver for 4K/UHD programming
and that at least 60 frames per second will be needed for 4K/UHD and possibly more in the future.
The requirements are different for movies, where defects in scenes can often be corrected during
editing. In addition, viewers are accustomed to seeing some flickering due to the 24 fps rate of film,
which has been retainHGHYHQIRUGLJLWDOFLQHPD6RPHPRYLHVVXFKDV´7KH+REELWµKDYHEHJXQWR
use higher frame rates (such as 48 fps).
Ultimately, viewers can expect an experience on screen increasingly close to reality.
7(+1,2/25·V ULTRA HD EXPERTIZE
From supporting OEMs and service providers to our own set-‐top boxes, Technicolor has been at the
forefront of 4K/UHD technology and solutions. For example, our certification program is gaining
increasing traction with consumer product manufacturers. We are leveraging our expertise in
+ROOZRRG FRORU DQG LPDJLQJ VFLHQFH WR FHUWLI WKDW 7RVKLED·V %OX-‐UD 'LVFŒ 3ODHU LPSURYHs the
viewing experience at home and that 7RVKLED·V4K/UHD image processing technology inserts no image-‐
damaging artifacts when upscaling less-‐than-‐4K/UHD content to near 4K/UHD quality.
At CES 2014, Technicolor announced that 6HLNL·V U-‐Vision 4K/UHD up-‐converting HDMI cable and
adapter were the first accessory products to receive Technicolor 4K Image Certification. Chinese TV
manufacturer TCL also announced adoption of the Technicolor 4K Image Certified Port for its future
4K/UHD TV products.
Regarding content, US streaming service M-‐GO, a joint venture between Technicolor and DreamWorks
Animation, announced a comprehensive 4K/UHD service to launch on Samsung UHD TVs in the spring of
2014. M-‐GO will kick off with a wide selection of full-‐length 4K/UHD theatrical hits and popular TV
VKRZVIURP+ROOZRRG·VOHDGLQJVWXGLRVDQGQHWZRUNVZKLFKZLOOEHPade available to consumers as
soon as they are released digitally. For content not authored or post-‐produced in 4K/UHD, Technicolor
and M-‐*2·V.8+'2SWLPL]HGTM solution leverages the source files from its licensed content partners
and reprocesses them to enhance visual crispness, color acuity and image depth for 4K/UHD television
owners. M-‐*2·VVROXWLRQJHQHUDWHVILOHVWKDWDUHFXVWRPL]HGIRUVSHFLILFXS-‐scaling chips embedded in
TVs.

BROADCASTING ULTRA HD
HEVC
HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) is the new generation Codec that,
because it can handle more data over a given bandwidth, will facilitate the
introduction of 4K/UHD services. Considered as the successor to Mpeg4
AVC (H.264), HEVC targets up to 50% bandwidth gain. That means it
enables longer reach for HDTV services and bandwidth reduction over
broadcast networks at constant quality.
Compared to Mpeg4 AVC, HEVC uses larger coding tree blocks of 64x64
pixels which are more efficient when encoding larger frame sizes and
adding more intra-‐prediction directions ² over 35 which adds more potential
reference pixel blocks.
This means more computing power and more memory which requires a new
generation of hardware decoder chips for products in the home. These chips
will be available with hardware decoding solutions for product introductions
from late 2014 onwards, although some software decode solutions may be
available earlier for limited applications.
HEVC drivers
As noted above, the move to 4K/UHD will require a more efficient CODEC, to avoid devouring so much
network space that broadcasting becomes no longer
economically viable. Recent comments from the
CEO of SES Astra, Romain Bausch, reported in
Advanced Television.com reflect this: ´:H VHH RXU
customers taking up Ultra-‐HD and this being done
at much the same time as our customers phase out
their Standard Digital services. We do not see this
as a zero-‐sum gain, even though our customers will
use some of their own freed-‐up capacity for Ultra-‐
HD. Our model is a net-‐plus model. Ultra-‐HD
requires more bandwidth which is a problem for
DQWHUUHVWULDOLQIUDVWUXFWXUH«µ

AVERAGE BROADBAND SPEED
IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR HD
VIDEO EVERYWHERE
„ Average debit rate to be
eligible to HD video services =
6-‐8 Mbits/s
We expect the move to broadcast 4K/UHD in HEVC to
happen first on satellite and OTT. But regardless of 4K/UHD,
HEVC will extend the reach and quality of IPTV and OTT
services and reduce bandwidth requirements for video
services. Today, video is using too much bandwidth; it is
forecast that 90% of Internet traffic will be used for video
by 2015 and that mobile video will increase 16-‐fold
between 2012 2017, accounting for 2/3 of total mobile
data traffic.
Bandwidth reduction in HD
HEVC will become the next standard in video encoding, in
the same way that Mpeg4 AVC has taken over from Mpeg2
to enable bandwidth reduction and implementation of
services that were not possible using older technologies. Here
is how we believe HEVC will impact various types of operators:
PURE OTT: Higher quality content with greater reliability to more subscribers.
IPTV ² TELCOS: Enabling ´+'IRUDOOµWREHWWHUFRPSHWHDJDLQVWVDWHOOLWHDQGFDEOHRSHUDWRUVZLWKQR
need to invest in satellite transponders to cover zones that cannot be reached by ADSL broadband.
SATELLITE OPERATORS: Higher quality services for tablets and catch-‐up via OTT.

Satellite operators
Studies by Spanish satellite operator Hispasat have shown that combining technologies enables
broadcast of a sufficient number of UHD channels using existing satellites without increasing the
number of transponders.
Hispasat examined combining new extensions of DVB-‐S2 specifications with HEVC encoding for their
Amazonas 3 satellite (8 transponders). The study concluded that future DTH platforms would enable
transmission of 19 UHDTV channels and 37 HDTV channels1 (YHQ ZLWKRXW +(9 WKH RSHUDWRU·V
current configuration using DVB-‐S2+MPEG-‐4 would enable 34 HDTV channels and 8 UHDTV channels,
which would be sufficient for a few UHD launches.
Source: DVB-‐EBU UHDTV Fact Findings -‐ May 24 , 2013 -
Hispasat
1 Study based on the Amazonas 3 satellite, using 33 Ku-band and 19 C-band to provide services covering Brazil,
Latin America and the United States. Nine Ka-band spot beams are also included, providing the first Ka-band
coverage over Latin America.

This has also been confirmed in an HIS2
analysis comparing current technologies
with a DVB-‐S2 and HEVC combination for
HD and UHD channel transmission. One
transponder using current technology
could deliver one or possibly two UHD
channels; it could deliver up to three
UHD channels using DVB-‐S2x and HEVC.
Only some channels will switch to UHD,
and only a few will be used to launch
premium video programming, so the
results show that operators can consider
launching UHD services using existing
satellites without increasing the number
of transponders. Several successful tests
were launched in 2013 and
recommendations are underway to define the best
adapted broadcast profile for UHD TV. Hispasat, for
example, recommends a maximum of 20-‐to-‐25 Mbps per channel, a minimum of 50 fps and 8-‐to-‐10
bit depth, pending future analysis.
During IFA and IBC 2013, Technicolor was the first company to demonstrate a set-‐top box (DST 839)
decoding a 4K HEVC signal in real time from an SES Astra satellite. Updated with 60 fps and an HDMI
2.0 port, a new DST 839 version will be available by Q4 2014.
Source: Ultra High Definition : The next generation of high
resolution content-‐ IHS August 2013
Telco and Cable operators
In 2013, several demos proved that existing networks can efficiently stream 4K content to the home.
In early 2013 at Mobile World Congress, Telefonica demonstrated UHD video over FTTH in real time
streaming, with content served from its own CDN. At the end of 2013 during the Copenhagen Future
of TV Conference, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings declared that the bandwidth needs for such videos
compressed with the HEVC codec would be around 15 Mbps (Netflix announced at CES 2014 that it
was about to launch 4K content).
2 Ultra High Definition : The next generation of high resolution content-‐ IHS August 2013

With the growing availability of high speed Internet around the world, and several NSPs now
providing fiber, cable and xDSL plans up to 100 Mbps to the home, there is no doubt that these IP
networks can deliver UHD video today using existing infrastructure. Of course, service will be even
better with HEVC.
Once it has reached the home, UHD content can be distributed to different devices via Ethernet or
even with existing Wi-‐Fi technologies. Wireless 802.11n features 80 Mbps throughput while 802.11ac
has 130 Mbps throughput on the 5 GHz frequency ² sufficient to deliver UHD to, for instance, a tablet.
Technicolor has expertise in high bandwidth video streaming over 5GHz Wi-‐Fi and can provide
dedicated solutions for this, both for streaming to client boxes attached to TV sets and to tablets
and other mobile devices.
It is important to note however that, at 15.6 Mbps, an average movie can consume more than 8 GB of
data. In some countries, this will probably imply a change in business models; users will need higher
or unlimited caps on their broadband usage. There will also be big differences in transmission costs
between live broadcast and VOD; delivering live UHD via IP to millions of homes can be more
expensive than satellite. We will update this white paper with a dedicated business case section in
the coming month.
Encoding performance
Technicolor research and tests show that UHD/quad HD file throughput is closer to three rather than
four times HD (1080p) file throughput. This is because, although there are more pixels, the
additional pixels do not deliver much more information; HD already captures reality very precisely.
The additional pixels provide mainly more precision but there are redundancies compared to the
pixels in an HD image. Consequently, coding is more efficient as we focus on compressing the
additional information.
Both subjective and objective tests show that the higher the resolution, the more differences can
be perceived between AVC and HEVC encoding. Also, encoding in 10 bits enables a 5-‐to-‐7 percent
increase in objective performance compared to 8-‐bit.
Subjectively, HEVC compression is 50-‐to-‐60 percent more efficient than AVC and a compressed UHD
file is finally 1.5 times larger. The expected throughput for UHD-‐1 phase 1 is around 12-‐to-‐16 Mbps
for a 4Kp50-‐60/10-‐bit video. We expect this performance to improve in the coming months as the
first generation of hardware encoders arrives on the market.

Encoders
Some major players launched first generation software encoders in 2013 to position themselves as
pioneers. Two strategies have emerged: some providers have chosen to release software encoders
while others have adopted a longer term strategy by concentrating on developing hardware solutions.
Software encoders work fine but they need massive computing power, which makes them much more
expensive than current AVC hardware encoders, especially if real time encoding is needed. This can
be a wise choice for those seeking to quickly propose replay TV or VOD services with an acceptable
delay between the first broadcast and the replay. It will help some companies position themselves as
market leaders. We expect to see the first 4Kp60 software encoders by mid of 2014.
Hardware encoders will enable live encoding of broadcast programming. Much less expensive than
software encoders, we expect them to be available by early 2015. This is the right time frame as the
entire ecosystem will be well in place by then, with more content available, and cheaper TV sets
probably equipped with appropriate HDMI inputs.
Decoder availability
HEVC hardware decoding solutions for pay-‐TV reception are currently at sample stage and expected to
be deployable as products starting in late 2014 depending on operator software requirements and
feature sets. Some mobile devices have already introduced HEVC decoding capability but without the
content protection constraints usually applied for pay-‐TV.
HDMI today and tomorrow
Launching HEVC HD services or, potentially, 4K/UHD VoD services for movies, would have no impact on
HDMI requirements. Up to 4k/p30 can fit into the bandwidth available within legacy versions of HDMI
1.4. However, true 4K/UHD services require frame rates of 50 or 60Hz, which necessitates HDMI 2.0.
Both the TV set and the STB will need to be compatible. It should be noted that not all 4K/UHD TV sets
already sold are compatible with HDMI 2.0; some major manufacturers are already selling HDMI 2.0 ²
compatible sets or have announced upgrades for existing sets.
Beyond the basic requirement of 4k/p60 readiness for the HDMI interface, new content protection
requirements are expected on the HDMI link. The current HDCP 1.4 version is unlikely to be considered

sufficiently secure for protecting premium movie content. A new generation of protection, HDCP 2.2,
can be associated with HDMI 2.0. It ZLOOEHDYDLODEOHIURPODXQFKLQ7HFKQLFRORU·VQHZJHQHUDWLRQRI
4K/UHD decoder products. Associated TV sets will also need to be compliant with this requirement. As
a founder of HDMI and contributor to many standards bodies, Technicolor is working with major TV
manufacturers to help ensure interoperability.
HEVC standardization status
HEVC itself has been standardized since January 2013. Work is underway to further improve and
extend the standard with SHVC (HEVC extensions for Scalable Coding) by June 2014. Technicolor, co-‐
Chair of the Ad Hoc Group on Color Gamut Scalability, has proposed several ways to improve SHVC
coding. In addition, HEVC Rext (Range extensions) remain under active development and will enable
high bit depth (12 to 16 bits) for chroma formats 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 (YUV and RGB). Technicolor is also
working on improvements to range extension coding.
Within DVB, the commercial requirements for UHD-‐1 Phase 1 were approved in December 2013 and
associated technical specifications are now being finalized.
How we can help you migrate to ULTRA HD?
From production to distribution, Technicolor brings Enhanced Image Quality to the Hollywood
experience everywhere, on all screens, for every level of resolution.
Technicolor Pure Image is a portfolio of solutions combining the artistry rooted in our heritage in color
and picture with the technology solutions needed to deliver the highest quality image in Standard, HD
or 4K/UHD resolution.
Technicolor is uniquely positioned to apply the technologies that will fasten the delivery of high-‐
quality UHD experiences to the consumer. From HD to 4K up-‐scaling, from Rec709 to Wide Color Gamut
expansion, from LDR to HDR Inverse Tone Mapping and Frame Rate Conversion, no one can match
7HFKQLFRORU·VDELOLWWRDSSOWRPRUURZ·V innovative technologies today.
Technicolor solutions are optimized for variable bit-‐depth (12/10/8) and variable bit-‐rate (3-‐25Mbps)
with scaling of perceptual quality. Our process helps reduce content creation costs as well as the
expense of delivering the high quality digital images intended by artists and studios to consumers using
any platform.

Ultra HD: Sooner than expected? - White Paper - The Future Trust

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Ultra HD: Sooner than expected? - White Paper - The Future Trust