Malateshgouda Karegoudar, Tektronix
ALEXANDRIA, VA. Significant change is on the way for the entire broadcast ecosystem. In order to accommodate 4K/UHD transmissions, the way in which video is compressed for transport must improve dramatically. The migration from MPEG-2 and AVC/H.264 to HEVC/H.265 will open up new opportunities, but will also come with risks and potential hidden costs that could neutralize the savings in transmission costs.
For many broadcasters, cable operators and other video service providers, the 4K/UHD transition offers a way to differentiate their offerings from the competitors and generate new revenue streams. However, getting to that point will require a dedicated focus to find the right compression encoding schemes, and potentially significant upgrades to Quality of Service and Quality of Experience monitoring, as well as many other infrastructure improvements.
High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC or H.265) is designed to deliver the same visual quality as Advanced Video Coding (AVC or H.264), while using about half the bandwidth. It supports all current resolutions including 4K and 8K, and will allow content distributors to deliver HD video to mobile devices over mobile data networks at reduced bandwidth costs, as well as enabling delivery of 4K and beyond video to the home. HEVC addresses essentially all existing applications adopting H.264/AVC, while offering higher video resolution and increased use of parallel processing architectures.
Cutting the cost of transport by squeezing the same data into fewer bits can offer savings, but that doesn't change the fact that 4K streams will raise costs in other areas. For instance, it costs more to ingest, encode, store, protect and transcode more densely compressed HEVC data flows. Although bandwidth is important, it is just a portion of the overall cost of any video workflow.
The big question then is whether making the move to 4K will make sense, not just from a technical perspective, but from a business perspective as well. Some question if 4K will capture the attention of consumers, while the move to HEVC will require that Apple and Android include HEVC support in their devices. Encoders and adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) software providers, to name a few, need to be onboard as well.
However, there is also a good case to be made for 4K, most notably for its stunning video quality, which always seems to win consumers' hearts and minds. One organization that sees a first-mover opportunity is DirecTV, which became the first multichannel video provider to offer commercial 4K when it launched a new 4K video-on-demand service in December 2014. DirecTV plans to offer more than 30 UHD titles to its 32 million subscribers in the U.S. and Latin America. Netflix is also offering 4K streaming of some programming, notably its House of Cards series.
Other signs around 4K are positive as well. ABI Research, for instance, predicts that five percent of televisions in North American will be 4K capable by 2017. That percentage is expected to double by the end of the following year. The ultimate conclusion is that the industry must begin planning for an HEVC and 4K world.
Tektronix Sentry test system
When considering the move to HEVC and 4K, it's critical to invest in quality monitoring tools. Pretty good 4K misses the point: it's either awesome or not good enough. Consumers who pay a premium for 4K expect a premium product. If a subscriber is paying for 4K and what they receive is the same as HD in the past, there will customer satisfaction issues. As such, the QoE on 4K will be even more critical than it is today.
But the situation isn't as bad as it might seem. Upgrading systems to deliver UHD images can have benefits in other areas. A system that has been upgraded to monitor 4K quality is better equipped to monitor standard-definition and HD streams. Such system-wide improvements are likely to lead to happier subscribers overall, making the investment more easily justified.
GETTING A HANDLE ON HEVC
Video compression standards, such as HEVC, are complex and involve many elements vitally important to the efficiency and interoperability of compressed video in different applications. Therefore, it is critical to use an analyzer that provides verification of the compliance of the stream against the compression standard, detailed analysis and statistics of the video and audio streams, tools for editing and debugging the stream, fidelity comparison against the original uncompressed stream, and the ability to check for any video and audio delay. This allows video designers and engineers to test compliance, interoperability and performance of various compression products.
Efficient encoders are critical for achieving the projected bitrate reductions for HEVC while maintaining quality. When comparing video encoders, it's helpful to have statistics from different encoders for the same quality of video, for instance, to see if each of them is producing a compliant bit-stream or if there are buffer violations while decoding that can affect the decoder, among other factors.
HEVC is a block-based codec, consisting of bigger blocks of coding tree units (analogous to macroblock) that has their size selected by the encoder. The encoder decides to use larger coding units where there is little or no encoding needed (more compression) and picks smaller coding units where more encoding is needed. The size of coding units can vary from 16, 32 or 64 samples, with large size enabling better compression.
A video frame in HEVC consists of many coding tree units, which in turn is built up from coding units. Any coding tree unit or coding units will have different encoding parameters chosen by the encoder. Analysis tools can provide insight to how the encoder is operating.
For example, a CU-size distribution gr
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
Malateshgouda Karegoudar, Tektronix 
