SCTE 247 2018 (R2024)

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Video: System Requirements for Cable Phase 1 – Initial Deployment

The consensus of the drafting group members is that HDR10 is appropriate for use in the cable industry for a “first pass” HDR video distribution option against the time constraints larger operators desire to meet. Other existing HDR formats used for content or advertising production have appropriately defined conversion methods that allow other options to be used but translated for cable distribution. HDR10 is used by both Blu-ray and Internet streaming providers, which ensures the availability of high-quality content in the format and the availability of technical systems products that will meet the needs of the cable industry. HDR10 processing and display is supported across the widest variety of currently available and next-generation television, computer, tablet, and phone devices. Its performance many be improved in the future with the optional inclusion of dynamic metadata, as the ability to create and deliver it becomes a practical possibility in the content production and distribution ecosystem. SCTE should proceed expeditiously to document HDR10 for cable systems to address initial industry launch demands while continuing work to consider other HDR options for use in cable where appropriate. The HLG HDR system, which operates simply without HDR metadata of any kind to complicate the various cable system workflow and processing systems, is also a potentially valid solution to some of the issues identified in this document, and should be evaluated along with other HDR systems and metadata based enhancements to HDR10 in future phases of HDR standardization.