Subjective testing confirms importance of frame rate for UHDTV

The EBUs BTF group is conducting subjective testing of the impact of higher frame rates at the IRT in Munich this week. Early results suggest frame rate is more significant than resolution.

The impact of higher frame rates on the viewing experience is under investigation in Munich this week. The EBUs Broadcast Technology Futures (BTF) group, which is made up of the heads of the research labs of the BBC, IRT, RAI and NHK, is conducting a series of subjective tests at the IRTs facilities. The BTF group is coordinated by the EBU Technology & Innovation department.

Last February, a set of subjective UHDTV resolution tests conducted at the EBU during the Production Technology Seminar revealed that higher resolutions would not be enough to create a clearly perceptible difference compared to HDTV. In the meantime the industry, with the EBU taking a leading role, has shifted towards supporting this notion. Significant work is now under way to investigate other parameters required to generate a more immersive experience with UHDTV.

In addition to resolution, technical parameters that are likely to be crucial include higher dynamic range, extended colour space and, of course, the frame rate.

FRAME RATE QUESTIONS This weeks tests are designed to address a several questions: will observers appreciate higher frame rates? What should the upper limit be for frame rates? And, given that the current UHDTV standard specified by the ITU includes only 120 Hz as a higher frame rate, is there a need for rates that are multiples of 50 Hz, i.e. 100, 150 Hz, etc?

The tests at the IRT will address some of the above questions, and represent a starting point for further necessary scientific investigations. Various frame rates up to 240 Hz with different content genres are being rated by observers. The sequences are in both uncompressed form and compressed with HEVC according to the ITU-R BT.500 DSCQS (double-stimulus continuous quality scale) test methodology.

FIRST RESULTS Early results give a clear indication that higher frame rates are appreciated by the observers, to a significantly greater extent than increased resolution. This supports the position that future UHDTV systems should include higher frame rates. The detailed results will be examined in the BTF group and in the EBUs Beyond HD strategic programme.

Photo: The EBUs Hans Hoffmann providing instructions to some of the test observers at the IRT in Munich.

UHDTV: VOICES & CHOICES 25-26 November EBU, Geneva

A workshop aiming to agree on the timescale and parameters for the rollout of UHDTV in Europe.

Information & Registration: tech.ebu.ch/uhdtv13

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