Technicolor and Sinclair Broadcast demonstrate first HDR UltraHD live broadcast

Thursday, April 9th, 2015
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Technicolor and Sinclair Broadcast Group Demonstrate the World’s First High Dynamic Range UltraHD Live, Over-the-Air Broadcast

  • UHD and HDR live broadcast based on proposed ATSC 3.0 technologies tests next generation video frontier for broadcasters

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Technicolor (Euronext Paris: TCH; OTCQX: TCLRY) and Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: SBGI) today announced the successful demonstration of the world’s first UltraHD (UHD) with High Dynamic Range (HDR) live broadcast based on proposed ATSC 3.0 technologies. The demonstration marks a significant step forward in the distribution of live UHD and HDR content for future broadcasting systems.

The series of broadcasts, integrated into Sinclair’s experimental OFDM transmission system and transmitted under real-world conditions outside of a laboratory, delivered high quality HDR content broadcast at HD and 4K/UHD resolutions in a single-layer with backwards compatible standard dynamic range. Both HDR and legacy devices, including fixed position TVs and mobile devices, were all able to receive and display the broadcast signal. Based on open standards from MPEG (HEVC, SHVC, 3D Audio from MPEG-H) plus HDR, with MMT and DASH transport streaming standards, and Technicolor’s Staggercast and Fast Channel Change technologies, the broadcast met the most ATSC 3.0 requirements of any previously demonstrated system. Mobile tests yielded a received signal at up to 60 miles away and, separately, the receipt of the mobile broadcast signal at up to 120 miles/hour.

“We’re building a path toward new broadcast TV services that are appropriate for UHD and HDR,” said Vince Pizzica, Technicolor SEVP of corporate development and technology. “We’re excited to reach the first milestone in our testing of real-world, challenging environments. This latest series of over-the-air tests confirms that Technicolor’s HDR video solutions support broadcast at HD and 4K resolutions, as well as for standard dynamic range and mobile devices, presenting a whole new world of opportunities for broadcasters.”

This latest demonstration follows Technicolor and Sinclair’s deployment of Technicolor’s ATSC 3.0 4K UltraHD test bed platform and receipt of an over-the-air signal, an industry first completed in October.

“With Technicolor’s tremendous resources, we’ve made great use of Sinclair’s full-powered UHF ‘Next Gen’ development system and realized a full-featured ATSC 3.0 upper layer testbed that supports a remarkable number of capabilities,” said Mark Aitken, Vice President of Advanced Technology for Sinclair Broadcast Group. “This accomplishment will allow broadcasters to envision new business opportunities and achieve fully scalable, robust audio and video capabilities for our viewing audience.”