Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Motion & Video => Topic started by: peterv on May 26, 2014, 10:23:16 am

Title: SMPTE: No more '4K'
Post by: peterv on May 26, 2014, 10:23:16 am
SMPTE would like everyone to stop using the terms 4K (which specifically describes images of 4096×2160 pixels) and 8K (7680×4320) to refer to Ultra HD. Rather, SMPTE has specified UHDTV1 (or UHD-1) at 3840×2160 and UHDTV2 (or UHD-2) at 7680×4320. Both formats are described in SMPTE document ST 2036-1, and color-encoding parameters for both formats are derived from the ITU's Rec. 2020. Usage of the term Quad-HD is similarly discouraged.

 - See more at: http://www.studiodaily.com/2014/05/state-of-the-standard-uhdtv/#sthash.ZbCuP9fL.dpuf
Title: Re: SMPTE: No more '4K'
Post by: bill t. on May 26, 2014, 09:10:44 pm
Darn, I though "Quad-HD" was very informative, and commendable for being both a name and a marvelously clear two-word explanation for an otherwise confusing issue.  OTOH "UHD-1" has quite an unattractive sound and invites rhymes with thud, udder, and so on.

Another interesting quote from the same article (http://www.studiodaily.com/2014/05/state-of-the-standard-uhdtv/#sthash.ZbCuP9fL.dpuf).  There's trouble in video color management city:

Colorimetry and color space. UHDTV implementations are allowed to use Rec. 709 colorimetry for backward compatibility with existing SDI interfaces, and that's commonly how UHDTV production is happening today. However, UHDTV has its own color space, with a much wider color gamut, and the group anticipates a "long transition period" as the wider color gamut is adopted, during which color-space conversion options will be needed. And it's not a straightforward process. "Gamut mapping is not trivial," the group warns. "Every known automated method works poorly for some images, usually for high-key and low-key scenes." The report indicates that color-correction will be required twice in a UHDTV workflow — once in UHDTV's native Rec. 2020 color space, and then again when the image is converted from Rec. 2020 to Rec. 709 for legacy HDTV display. - See more at: http://www.studiodaily.com/2014/05/state-of-the-standard-uhdtv/#sthash.ZbCuP9fL.tALAxzeO.dpuf
Title: Re: SMPTE: No more '4K'
Post by: peterv on May 27, 2014, 05:21:00 am
Indeed, it's going to be quite difficult now to bring everyone to using a different nomenclature. Especially when this is 'forced' from 'above' and rather late in the game.

As for color, it looks like it's going to be rather messy, again. Too bad they can't agree upon one standard which would help to get consistenty and compatibility. Too much money involved, I guess.
Title: Re: SMPTE: No more '4K'
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on May 27, 2014, 11:27:55 am
Cast your mind back only a few years to the beginnings of a colour-managed workflow in stills & print.

Video is just beginning to start that change to larger colour spaces and finer resolutions and and so begins its upward climb. In this, video faces an arguably far more difficult task than motionless images - if one takes into account all the various standards that are legacy and the necessarily (hopefully just for the moment?) smaller bandwidth to get an image to a pair of eyeballs.

SMPTE moves at a slow pace as does any standards-seeking organization facing competing technologies and points-of-view (ISO anyone?).

I suspect that a vast majority of content producers will simply ignore standards that constrict and publish to the web in what ever manner looks good to their eyes -  leaving networks and others with a vast legacy infrastructure arguing in the background. Could be messy for quite a while...
Title: Re: SMPTE: No more '4K'
Post by: Bernard ODonovan on May 28, 2014, 02:30:53 pm
"People of Earth, your attention, please. This is Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz of the Galactic Hyperspace Planning Council. As you will no doubt be aware, the plans for development of the outlying regions of the Galaxy require the building of a hyperspatial express route through your star system. And regrettably, your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition. The process will take slightly less than two of your Earth minutes. Thank you.

There’s no point in acting surprised about it. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at your local planning department in Alpha Centauri for 50 of your Earth years, so you’ve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it’s far too late to start making a fuss about it now. …

What do you mean you’ve never been to Alpha Centauri? Oh, for heaven’s sake, mankind, it’s only four light years away, you know. I’m sorry, but if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in local affairs, that’s your own lookout. Energize the demolition beams.

I don't know, apathetic bloody planet, I've no sympathy at all." 

Puts it all into context ;D