Axon Releases New HDR Technical Guide

Axon has released a new technical guide looking at HDR and wide color gamut.

The paper, written by Axon's CTO and VP of R&D Peter Schut, is titled 'The Road to Enhanced Pictures: A Technical Guide to HDR and WCG' and discusses the challenges faced by both broadcasters and manufacturers as they strive for better pixels, improved colour reproduction and HDR.

Ultra HD remains in the early stages of rollout for production and transmission, however entertainment services – such as Amazon Prime and Netflix – have made UHD a primary specification for programming and are looking at techniques to further enhance the viewing experience. To compete and survive, broadcasters must now provide viewers with stunning pictures, regardless of the platform they are watching on. However, with broadcast image technology currently in a state of flux, with several formats and systems (both old and new) likely to co-exist for some time, the industry is still learning what all this means and what needs to be done.

This new guide from Axon, developed from its webinar series on the subject, allows Schut to provide a comprehensive explanation of the colour and imaging issues involved and how the broadcast sector might address these changes in the coming years.

He explained: "Unlike other emerging technologies, HDR is a real game-changer. It will provide a transformative viewing experience to the mass market and one that requires minimum effort from the viewer. As an industry, we need to provide better pixels and do it right first time. We have one chance and if we get it wrong audiences will switch off."

He added that signs are that broadcasters are already planning to launch HDR services, however, while full services are unlikely to begin in the next 12 months, we will see the first trials on the production side.

"It is in live sports broadcast where attention will be focused and initial success achieved – with OB providers preparing to drive the next TV revolution forward," he continued. "HDR and WCG come into their own in sport, delivering vivid life-like pictures with wider contrast and greater depth – banishing shadows that often plague viewers' enjoyment of the action."

To download Axon's Technical Guide to HDR and UHD, visit the company's website here.

www.axon.tv

(JP)