« 4K / UHD: Business realities vs. technological speculation »

Context: Even as migration from SD to HD (and 2K) is

still in progress, Ultra High Definition (UHD) and 4K are

already being rolled out in the Film, Broadcast and Online

Video markets: Film (The Hobbit…), sporting events

(London 2012 Olympics, BNP Paribas Masters de Paris-

Bercy 2013…), video games (NBA 2012 for PS4 & Xbox

One…), online video (4K clips on YouTube…), digital

cinema (20,000 4K projectors installed in cinemas

worldwide)...

Challenges: 4K / UHD resolutions will add further

complexity to workflows, from production through to

distribution. The rush towards 4K / UHD will require heavy

investment and trigger evolution across entire sectors of

the industry. What are the market opportunities? What

action is necessary now in order to prepare for migration?

What exactly are the formats and are they standardised?

Are end-to-end or even partial 4K / UHD workflows

practically possible? What are the implications in terms of

infrastructure, cost and feasibility etc.?

Solutions: This study provides factual data in order to answer the many questions surrounding, and provide a

greater understanding of the transition to 4K / UHD resolutions. Mesclado have identified all the elements

essential for future native end-to-end 4K / UHD production/post-production/distribution in Film, Broadcast and

Digital (Rich Media, Global Media…). The study examines the current state of the market and assesses new

and future technological advances.

Release date: December 2013

Available in English and French (other languages upon request)

Study delivered as a PDF (110 pages) including comparative tables

4K/UHD: the clock is ticking!

Collection: New technologies

I

« 4K / UHD: Business realities vs. technological speculation »

1 Executive Summary2 Introduction

2.1 Presenting Mesclado and the study’s

authors

2.2 Framework

2.3 Confidentiality

3 Challenges of 4K/UHD formats3.1 History

3.2 Definitions

3.3 Quality and bandwith requirements

3.4 Differentiation of needs for acquisition,

postproduction and distribution3.4.1 Acquisition codecs

3.4.2 Post-production codecs

3.4.3 Distribution codecs

3.4.4 Online publication codecs

3.5 Audio3.5.1 In Japon

3.5.2 In USA

3.5.3 In Europe

4 Film Industry Vs Broadcast Industry4.1 Assessment of market demand

4.1.1 Convergence between 4K and UHDTV

4.1.2 D-Cinema and UHD televisions, driving

forces for consumer growth

4.2 4K/UHD resolutions migration state

4.3 State of the art in capturing 4K/UHD

formats

4.4 Audio : state of the art and work in

progress4.4.1 NHK

4.4.2 Dolby

4.4.3 Fraunhofer

4.4.4 Barco

4.4.4 Autres

5 4K/UHD Editing platforms5.1 Introducing online/offline video editing

5.2 Online editing tools

5.3 Offline editing tools

6 Video codecs in the acquisition/editing/distribution chain

6.1 B2B applications B2B : codecs used6.1.1 AVC-Ultra

6.1.2 H.264

6.1.3 XAVC

6.1.4 JPEG-2000

6.1.5 Apple ProRes6.1.6 Cineform

6.1.7 MPEG-4 SStP (HDCAM SR)

6.1.8 Other codecs

6.1.9 Formats bruts (RAW)

6.2 B2C application : codecs used6.2.1 HEVC

6.2.2 VP8

6.3 Conclusion

7 Managing 4K/UHD content7.1 Capture Methods for 4K/UHD

7.1.1 Lenses

7.1.2 Camera settings

7.1.3 Image processing post sensor

7.2 Colorimetry issues7.2.1 Mastering

7.2.2 Display

7.3 High-Dynamic Range (HDR)7.3.1 Capturing HDR

7.3.2 Rendering HDR

7.4 File-based encapsulation methods

7.5 Audio

7.6 Real-time transport technologies7.6.1 “4K/UHD SDI” interfaces

7.6.2 HDMI interfaces

7.6.3 Other interfaces

8 Use-cases: workflow examples8.1 Case #1 (Broadcast TV Production )

8.2 Case #2 (Broadcast TV Production

applied to telefilms/documentaries)

8.3 Case #3 (Film production)

8.4 Case #5 (Broadcast TV distribution)

8.5 Case #6 (Film distribution)

9 Conclusion10 Acknowledgements11 Index of companies & organisations

mentioned12 Index of figures13 Index of tables

Summary

2

« 4K / UHD: Business realities vs. technological speculation »

Index of companies & organisations mentioned

A

Aaton

Academy of Motion Picture

Arts and Sciences

Adobe

AJA

Analog Devices

Angénieux

Apple

Arri

Assimilate

Ateme

Autodesk

Avid

B

Barco

BarcoSilex

BBC

Blackmagic

BSkyB

C

Canon

Christie

CineForm

D

DCI (Digital Cinema

Initiative) Dolby

DTS

E

EBU

EDCF (European Digital

Cinema Forum)

Ericsson

Euro Media France

Eutelsat

Evatronix

EVS

F

France Télévisions

Fraunhofer

G

Google

GoPro

Grass Valley

H

Harmonic

Harrison

HPA (Hollywood Post

Alliance)

I

Industrial Light and Magic

(ILM)

IntoPix

Iridas

ISO/IEC

ITU (International

Telecommunication Union)

J

Joint Collaborative Team on

Video Coding (JCT-VC)

M

McGill University CIRMMT

Microsoft

Motion Picture Experts

Group (MPEG)

N

NAB (National Association of

Broadcasters)

NBC Olympics

NHK

O

On2 Technologies

P

Panasonic

PBS

Q

Quantel

R

RED

Rohde & Schwarz DVS

S

Samsung Electronics

SES

SGO

SMPTE

Sony

STMicroelectronics

T

Telegenic

Texas Instruments

V

Video Coding Experts Group

(VCEG)

Video Electronics Standards

Association (VESA)

Vision Research

Y

YouTube

Index of figures

Figure 1 - Cinema Resolutions Vs Broadcast Resolutions

Figure 2 - Main technical constraints of the 4K/UHD

ecosystem

Figure 3 - Main defining parameters of 4K and UHD

formats

Figure 4 - RED camera

Figure 5 - Canon 1D-C

Figure 6 - Sony PWM-F55 Camera

Figure 7 - 24 channel audio distribution

Figure 8 - Fraunhofer IIS 22.2 Audio Lab

Figure 9 - Global sales projections for televisions (in

thousands of units)

Figure 10 - Sales projections for Ultra High Definition LCD

TVs (in millions of units)

Figure 11 - Feasibility of Cinema / Broadcast channels in

4K/ UHD – December 2013

Figure 12 - Example of a projection room equipped with

Dolby Atmos technology

Figure 13 - Barco Auro 11.1 immersive audio technology

Figure 14 - Scratch interface

Figure 15 - Autodesk Smoke interface

Figure 16 - Resolve interface

Figure 17 - Pablo Rio interface

Figure 18 - Clipster interface

Figure 19 - Mistika System

Figure 20 - Premiere interface

Figure 21 - Final Cut Pro interface

Figure 22 - Media Composer interface

Figure 23 - Ranking of codec families by transform type

supporting 4K/UHD

Figure 24 - Codecs supporting 4K/UHD resolutions

Figure 25 - Key parameters of 4K/UHD resolutions

Figure 26 - Example of lens resolution using a millimetre

grid

Figure 27 - Factors contributing to 4K/UHD capture

performance

Figure 28 - Configurations of sampling tables for 4K/UHD

camera sensors

Figure 29 - Bayer matrix

Figure 30 - Example of a grading suite

Figure 31 - ACES workflow diagram

Figure 32 - Diagram of Rec.709 and Rec.2020 colour

spaces

Figure 33 - TV Broadcast Production at the BNP Paribas

Paris-Bercy 2013 tennis tournament

Figure 34 - Adobe Premiere in multicam mode

Figure 35 - TV Broadcast Production for a

drama/documentary

Figure 36 - 4K Cinema Production

3

« 4K / UHD: Business realities vs. technological speculation »

Cédric LejeuneWorkflow specialist for high-end VFX and

digital cinema, Cédric Lejeune sets

production pipelines and trains people all

around the world.

Peter WilsonHD and D-Cinema pioneer, he is consistently

at the forefront of technical developments in

television and film, and is deeply involved in

the global 4K/UHD ecosystem.

Francois AbbeAn Audio/Video Solution Architect, François

Abbe has been working since the ‘90s in the

compression and image formats fields,

offering a wide viewpoint on content

creation, management and distribution.

Cherif Ben ZidAn active member of influential SMPTE

workgroups (TC-10E, TC-24TB, TC-

31FS, TC-35PM), Cherif Ben Zid follows

4K/UHD developments at an international

level.

Pascal FlamentWith a rich 20-year experience of linear and

non-linear content distribution, Pascal

Flament shares his vision of the 4K/UHD

distribution ecosystem.

Study authors

Table 1 - Definition of 4K and UHD

Table 2 - Main video compression families

Table 3 - Production types and associated constrains

Table 4 - Panasonic AVC-Ultra Main features – June

2013

Table 5 - H.264 Hi10P profile

Table 6 - Sony XAVC Main features – September

2013

Table 7 - JPEG-2000 Main features

Table 8 - Apple ProRes Main features

Table 9 - MPEG-4 SStP Main features (as used by

Sony HDCAM SR)

Table 10 - Features of common RAW formats

Table11 - Key differences between HEVC and H.264

standards

Table 12 - VP8 main features

Table 13 - 4K/UHD Camera sensors and corresponding

optics resolutions

Table 14 - 4K/UHD compatible wrapper formats

Table 15 - Features of standardised 4K/UHD real-time

interfaces (greater than 3 Gbps)

Table 16 - Future 4K/UHD technological roadmap

(2013-2018)

Index of tables