High dynamic range (HDR) video could offerconsumers a much improved viewing experience comparedto current broadcast video. The dynamic range of currenttelevision images, referred to as standard dynamic range(SDR), is governed by cathode ray tube physics firstdocumented about eighty years ago. The standards includethe Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) and theOpto-Electrical Transfer Function (OETF), as defined inRecommendations ITU-R BT.1886 and ITU-R BT.709,respectively. Alternate transfer functions have been definedto support the transmission and rendering of high dynamicrange video signals. These new transfer functions exhibitmuch higher non-linearity compared to the transferfunctions used in today’s SDR systems. This could lead toseveral implications on the existing broadcast chain, such asan increase in bitrates required to transmit HDR servicesand the compatibility of HDR services with existing SDRdisplays. This paper studies the impact of such transferfunctions on the efficiency of the video compression used fortransmission of the content to the final user. Results, interms of compression efficiency and subjective picturequality, using a single layer High Efficiency Video Coding(HEVC, also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2) videocompression algorithm are presented. This offers someinsight into the question of what bitrates will be required toprovide HDR services using existing video compressiontechnology.
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