BBright has recently included the SDR to HDR up-conversion technology developed by b<>com Institute of Research and Technology (IRT) into its flagship product, UHD-Play, a quad 3G-SDI baseband video player made for broadcasters and network operators. The two partners will present their products at the upcoming NAB Show, a major conference of industry professionals, in Las Vegas from April 18 to 21.
BBright, a French start-up that specializes in 4K/Ultra HD and HEVC video technologies for broadcasters and network operators, has joined forces with b<>com, which specializes in hypermedia technologies and smarter networks, to integrate an innovative solution intended for converting SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) video files into HDR (High Dynamic Range) files, then providing live playback.
This technological solution has become necessary due to the emergence of “all-HDR” video, which is recognized as increasing the contrast, color saturation, and feeling of depth in HD and Ultra HD images. Although Ultra HD TV is being rolled out gradually, little content is or will be produced in HDR and therefore available for distribution. At the same time, the first HDR-compatible screens for consumers have been entering homes since 2015.
How will content distributors be able to make use of existing content and SDR equipment while offering the immersive experience promised by HDR? To address this issue, b<>com and BBright offer an effective, powerful answer to content distributors who want to use the HDR format right away.
According to Ludovic Noblet, Hypermedia Director at b<>com: “To be present at NAB Show with this fully integrated technology in a BBright product is a great opportunity to show that we have the capacity to anticipate and deliver innovative solutions that are totally in step with market needs. Producing and distributing HDR content is essential for content distributors in order to get the best possible TV experience today, not just for Ultra HD TV content but also from their HDTV catalog. It will take years before native HDR content is widely available. The technology that we have developed and that BBright is incorporating aims to fill that gap.”
According to Guillaume Arthuis, CEO of BBright: “High Dynamic Range offers a significant visual advantage in perceived user experience, and incorporating this b<>com technology into our products allows us to offer a simple, effective solution for broadcasting existing Ultra HD content on new HDR broadcast channels. BBright has also confirmed its commitment to offer flexible Ultra HD solutions to video operators: our deployed base of Ultra HD players since 2014 in Europe, North America, and Asia needs only an optional software update to support these new HDR conversion features.”