Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

4K and HDR: Are They the Future of Broadcast, or Just Another Set of Challenges?

23/06/2025

There's a lot of talk about 4K and HDR, and for good reason. They offer incredible improvements in picture quality, and audiences are starting to notice. But the reality for broadcasters is more complicated. New technologies don't just slot into existing systems. They force us to rethink how we produce, process, and deliver content.

While camera and production technology are moving fast, distribution infrastructure is still catching up. Many broadcasters are producing in 4K and HDR but publishing in 1080P HDR because it's more practical right now, technically, operationally, and financially. And in most cases, audiences still perceive that as a major quality jump compared to HD SDR.

That doesn't mean 4K isn't worth pursuing, it just means we need to be strategic. There's no point in pushing 4K through a pipeline that wasn't built for it. HD HDR offers a solid middle ground while infrastructure continues to evolve.

One of the biggest sticking points is the lack of universal standards. With multiple HDR formats and variations in 4K delivery, it's not always clear what the right choice is. Add in the mix of compressed and uncompressed workflows, especially in remote and cloud-based environments, and it can start to feel like every production is a custom job.

But rather than seeing this as a problem, many broadcasters are treating it as an opportunity. The focus has shifted from finding the perfect standard to choosing the approach that makes the most sense for a given workflow or business model.

At Grass Valley, we've been prioritizing flexibility because we know there's no one path forward. Some teams are all-in on IP and remote workflows. Others are working in hybrid environments. Some are focused on scaling live events, others on fast-turnaround content. The common thread is the need for tools that can adapt.

That's why our approach includes things like HDR-native cameras, switchers that support both IP and SDI, and platforms like AMPP OS that can handle mixed media formats in real time. Not because they tick a feature box, but because they help teams make smart trade-offs based on what they're trying to achieve.

There's no doubt 4K and HDR are shaping the future of media. But this isn't just about picture quality, it's about making the right calls in a complex environment. Sometimes that means going all-in on 4K. Sometimes it means sticking with HD HDR for now. The key is staying flexible and keeping creative and operational needs at the center of the conversation.

We're working through the same questions, and we're happy to share what we've learned along the way.
LINK: https://www.grassvalley.com/4k-and-hdr-are-they-the-future-of-broadcas...
See more stories from grassvalley

More from Grass Valley

26/06/2025

TV SKYLINE Expands Live Production Capabilities with Latest Generation of Grass Valley Cameras

Investment in 32 LDX 135 camera systems enhances TV SKYLINE's fleet with nat...

23/06/2025

4K and HDR: Are They the Future of Broadcast, or Just Another Set of Challenges?

There's a lot of talk about 4K and HDR, and for good reason. They offer incredible improvements in picture quality, and audiences are starting to notice. Bu...

12/06/2025

View Master Events Powers Greece's First Fully Operational 4K UHD OB Truck with Grass Valley Technology

MONTREAL, CANADA - June 16, 2025 - Grass Valley, the media and entertainment ind...

12/06/2025

Leading the Media Revolution with Software-Defined Production

I've lost count of how many times I've heard software-defined production reduced to just run your broadcast software on commodity servers. The reality...

11/06/2025

5 Key Camera Tech Insights for Broadcast and Cinematography

Whether you're working behind the scenes of a live broadcast or crafting cinematic visuals, understanding the technology behind professional camera systems ...

10/06/2025

LA Clippers Move to Grass Valley to Power Production Facility at New Home

The agreement sees Grass Valley 2110 IP 4K switcher systems deployed at the heart of the production facility at the Clippers' new state-of-the-art home, Int...

28/05/2025

Texas A&M Elevates Athletics Production with Grass Valley IP-Enabled Solutions

MONTREAL, CANADA - May 29, 2025 - Grass Valley, the media and entertainment industry's leading technology innovator, today announced Texas A&M University ha...

27/05/2025

Racing WA Delivers Scalable, Low-latency Race Coverage with GV AMPP and AWS

In partnership with LiveU, Corrivium, Lightning Visuals and Grass Valley, Racing WA delivers scalable, low-latency race coverage across Western Australia using ...

21/05/2025

Broadcast Management Group and Grass Valley Expand Partnership for First Cloud Network Operations Center

BMG adopts Grass Valley AMPP, Kayenne K-Frame Switcher, and LDX 135 cameras to s...

15/05/2025

Why COTS, Cloud, and Micro Services Are Revolutionizing Media Workflows

A Reflection on 20 years of NAB booth builds and the Evolution of Grass Valley AMPPAt NAB, I had a moment to reflect on just how dramatically our approach to pr...

06/05/2025

Grass Valley To Power Saudi Broadcasting Authority's Makkah Broadcast Facility with Next-Generation Technology

Saudi Broadcasting Authority selects Grass Valley to upgrade its Makkah site wit...

30/04/2025

Seamless Signal Mastery: Grass Valley Switchers at the NFL's Championship Game

How a Backbone of Thirty Switchers Delivered Unmatched Flexibility, HDR Brillian...

24/04/2025

When Every Second Counts: How We Helped Save a Live Sports Broadcast

Let me take you behind the scenes of a live sports production that came this close to not making it on air. It was a quiet Monday-until I got a call from one ...

24/04/2025

When Every Second Counts: How Grass Valley Helped Save a Live Sports Broadcast

Let me take you behind the scenes of a live sports production that came this close to not making it on air. It was a quiet Monday-until I got a call from one ...

17/04/2025

MXL and the Future of Broadcast: Ushering in a New Era of Open Collaboration and Innovation

The broadcast industry is on the brink of a transformative revolution, and at th...

04/04/2025

Grass Valley Sets the Standard for Live Event Production at NAB Show 2025

From single-person event production to full-scale live broadcasts, Grass Valley delivers the most powerful, efficient and comprehensive production solutions in ...

04/04/2025

Grass Valley Unveils Cutting-Edge Orchestration, Processing, and Hybrid Media Solutions at NAB Show 2025

With the new ACE-3901 SDI/IP gateway as a centerpiece introduction, Grass Valley...

04/04/2025

Grass Valley Introduces the LDX 180 Camera: Leading the Media Revolution in Live Production Storytelling

Making its global debut at NAB Show 2025, the new LDX 180 from Grass Valley is t...

04/04/2025

Grass Valley Promotes Jon Wilson to CEO

In a seamless leadership transition, Jon Wilson takes the helm to advance Grass Valley's growth and technological leadership, with Louis Hernandez Jr. remai...

04/04/2025

Grass Valley Strengthens Leadership Team with Key Hires Ahead of NAB Show 2025

Appointments Reinforce Commitment to Customer-Centric Growth and Innovation MONTREAL, CANADA - April 4, 2025 - Grass Valley, the media and entertainment indust...

28/03/2025

Cloudbass Selects Grass Valley Solutions for New IP Remote Production Fleet

The UK-based outside broadcast provider is investing in state-of-the-art camera and switcher solutions from Grass Valley for its new fleet of IP remote producti...

25/03/2025

F&F Productions Partners with Grass Valley to Equip New Fully 2110 IP 4K OB Vehicle

The new GTX-21 IP 4K remote production truck will include a suite of Grass Valle...

18/03/2025

Lessons from the March 2025 AWS Interoperability Workshop: Why Collaboration Matters More Than Ever

When we talk about cloud-based production, we often focus on technology, scalabi...

17/03/2025

Leading the Media Revolution: Grass Valley Unveils new Solutions for End-to-End Media Production at NAB Show 2025

Grass Valley Redefines Media Production with Cutting-Edge Innovations and the Po...

04/03/2025

Update on US Tariffs and Grass Valley's Response - March 3rd, 2025

We want to provide an update regarding the recently enacted US tariffs, including the delayed implementation of those affecting imports from Canada and Mexico. ...

03/03/2025

Grass Valley Announces the GVx GV Forum 2025: Leading the Media Revolution

Exclusive Industry Leadership Event to Take Place Ahead of NAB Show 2025 MONTREAL, CANADA - March 3, 2025 - Grass Valley, the media and entertainment industry&...

17/02/2025

Grass Valley to Showcase Market-Driven Media Production Solutions at FOMEX 2025 in Riyadh

MONTREAL, CANADA - February 17, 2025 - Grass Valley, the market leader in innova...

17/02/2025

Going Beyond: Keeping the Show on the Road

By: Patrick Wielders, Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing Operations In the world of live global sports broadcasting, the stakes are always high. Milli...

07/02/2025

Live to tape video workflows on the cloud with Grass Valley AMPP and AWS

Traditional multi-camera production is performed with on-premises recorders and editing systems, requiring fixed cost equipment investment, and lacking the flex...

03/02/2025

Grass Valley Sirius: Flexibility and Scalability for the future of broadcasting

View the original article from Digital Production TV A range of multistandard, scalable routers that ensure a high level of reliability thanks to various inte...

28/01/2025

Grass Valley Showcases Sensible, Innovative Solutions for Live Events, Corporate and Education at ISE 2025

Grass Valley is exhibiting at ISE for the first time and will showcase a range o...

16/01/2025

Grass Valley Bolsters Sales Leadership with Key Hires to Strengthen Sports and Live Production Expertise

MONTREAL, CANADA - January 16, 2025 - Grass Valley, the media and entertainment ...

15/01/2025

Grass Valley to Showcase Cutting-Edge Solutions for Concert and Staging Markets at ISE 2025

Photo credit: Christian Heinzel, Fifty Frames MONTREAL, CANADA - January 15, 20...

08/01/2025

Grass Valley Brings the Future of Media Production and Distribution to Pro AV Market

MONTREAL, CANADA - January 08, 2025 - Grass Valley, a leader in innovative live ...

18/12/2024

Saudi Broadcasting Authority Upgrades Iconic Studio A with Grass Valley's Advanced Live Production Technology

MONTREAL, CANADA - December 11, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in live production...

05/11/2024

Grass Valley Introduces T3 Series 4K/HD All-in-One Recorder for Live Events and Corporate Productions at Inter BEE 2024

Compact Multi-Channel Solution Tailored for Versatile Production Needs Montrea...

30/09/2024

IBC 24 Selects Grass Valley for Comprehensive End-to-End News Production Solutions

Agreement significantly strengthens Grass Valley's presence in the regional ...

13/09/2024

Grass Valley Unveils New Game-Changing Switcher Products for Enhanced Production Efficiency

Targeted at low-to-mid tier productions, the new products set new standards for ...

13/09/2024

Grass Valley Sets the New Standard in High-Density IP and SDI Modular Processing with the launch of ACE-3901 and XIP-3911-GRID

The next generation products will enhance the Densit Modular Platform with unma...

12/09/2024

Grass Valley to Launch LDX 110 and LDX C110 Entry Level Cameras at IBC 2024

The new LDX 110 and LDX C110 bring the cutting-edge technology of the LDX 100 series to the entry-level market. Montreal, Canada, September 12, 2024 -. Grass V...

10/09/2024

Grass Valley and ES Broadcast Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement to Drive Global Expansion and Innovation

Montreal, Canada - September 11, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in live productio...

05/09/2024

Mediaset Chooses Grass Valley s LDX 135 to Modernize Camera Fleet

Grass Valley announces its first framework agreement for the LDX 135 camera with a major Italian broadcaster MONTREAL, CANADA -September 5, 2024 - Grass Valley...

03/09/2024

Grass Valley Continues Record Growth and Extends Leadership in Media Technology Industry

Driven by strong financial performance, new long-term strategic partnerships, an...

28/08/2024

Grass Valley Announces the Appointment of Alex Keighley as Senior Vice President of Sales for North America

MONTREAL, CANADA -August 28, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in Production solutio...

06/08/2024

Grass Valley Enables Pacific Broadcast to Catch the Biggest Waves at 2024 International Surfing Events with LDX 150 UHD/RF cameras

Montreal, Canada - August 6, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in live production so...

31/07/2024

Bahrain TV Partners with Grass Valley to Launch Region s First IP Playout System for Enhanced Live News Studio

Montreal, Canada - July 30, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in live production sol...

23/07/2024

DMC Revolutionizes Sports Production with Grass Valley AMPP

Montreal, Canada - July 23, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in live production solutions, announced today that DMC Production has successfully implemented an inno...

11/07/2024

Grass Valley and Diversified sign multimillion-dollar strategic partnership agreement

MONTREAL, CANADA - July 11, 2024 - Grass Valley, a leader in Live Production Sol...