❝ Unlike previous MPEG standards , the need to implement compression tools in software was a key objective during the development of HEVC . This very much addresses the demands of those currently
deploying compression systems .❞
July 2017
X-PLATFORM 29 over throne
Imagine Communications ’ Selenio One offering is an example of how HEVC can be implemented in not only hardware appliances , but also virtualised systems and the cloud .
10-bit colour depth in the HEVC Main 10 or HDR 10 delivery profile . Sanders explains : “ Also referred to as wide colour gamut ( WCG ), this enhancement means brights are brighter , dark areas are darker and there is a better overall contrast .
“ AVC uses eight bits to represent colour and simply cannot measure up to HEVC in terms of video quality .”
For traditional broadcasters , it is time to seize upon the opportunities offered by HEVC , urges Tony Huang , global director , PLM Compression , Imagine Communications . HEVC , he points out , can deliver HD in small bit budgets , or allow new services such as 4K / UHD and 8K to be offered at the same , or only incrementally larger , bandwidths .
The current challenge for broadcasters , says Huang , is that they are generally delivering to set-top boxes or integrated TVs with decoding architecture in-built into hardware , which supports MPEG-2 or AVC for current SD and HD services . This , however , is unlikely to last , as Huang observes : “ As newer generations of devices become more widely available , the ability to use software codecs , including HEVC , will become widespread .
“ Broadcasters are also using HEVC to improve the delivery of OTT services that are complementary to their broadcast services . For these reasons , HEVC is rapidly growing in importance .”
Because HEVC is a “ powerful and scalable ” codec , it will soon be used in other areas of broadcasting , including contribution ( backhaul ) circuits and distribution between centres , Huang predicts .
HEVC can help to deliver improved video quality within the same bandwidth parameter as AVC , and its adoption , can be expected to accelerate , says Todd Schneider , CTO of Dejero . “ Some broadcasters have been slow to adopt HEVC because of concerns around HEVC licensing royalties and the switching costs of moving from AVC to HEVC . However , these concerns are gradually being overcome .”
He continues : “ A likely nearterm development is the deployment of HEVC into low-latency , live broadcast environment , as well as a rise in the adoption of HEVC into 4K / UHD environments for non-portable applications .”
Dejero , Schneider emphasises , has been working on HEVC for some time , in a bid to seek ways to improve video quality and overall customer experience in low-latency , live broadcast applications that may need to operate in challenging network conditions .
And Dejero ’ s focus on HEVC is hardly a lone endeavour . Imagine Communications , for instance , has worked for several years to enable the notion that consumers expect and want access to content at any time , any place and on any device .
This , says Imagine Communications ’ Huang , has necessitated a shift from the traditional broadcast model of point products with specific outputs to the norm of a multi-platform delivery system for
both live streaming and processing of on-demand content .
HEVC , as a highly efficient way of delivering content online and to mobiles , is central to this strategy , he adds . For instance , HEVC is implemented into Imagine Communications ’ Zenium software framework , which can be used to create the precise workflows needed by each media enterprise .
“ The great advantage of a software architecture is that tools such as HEVC encoding can still be implemented in hardware appliances ,” says Huang . “ But it can also be implemented in virtualised systems in an in-house data centre , or in the cloud . Perhaps more importantly , it can exist in all three variants in the same architecture , such as what is possible with
Dejero has been working on HEVC for some time , in a bid to seek ways to improve video quality and overall customer experience in low latency , live broadcast applications that may need to operate in challenging network conditions .
❝ Unlike previous MPEG standards , the need to implement compression tools in software was a key objective during the development of HEVC . This very much addresses the demands of those currently
deploying compression systems .❞
— Ian Trow , Senior Director , Emerging Technology and Strategy ,
Harmonic
Imagine ’ s Selenio One offering , allowing architects to develop systems that can flex to meet the demands of the enterprise and its consumers .”
Imagine Communications believes HEVC can , and will continue to , evolve . While the parameters of the encoding are set in the standard , the mathematical approaches to achieving them efficiently will “ undoubtedly ” develop further over time , Huang says , before concluding : “ Because the Imagine strategy is to implement functionality in software , all users can take advantage of these continuing improvements , simply through updates in the microservices which provide them whether they are in the data centre or in a dedicated appliance .”
While HEVC is not the only compression format Harmonic is developing for applications requiring functionality as part of a service-based offering , it is nevertheless a key aspect , says Harmonic ’ s Trow . This is particularly relevant for 4K / UHD and multi-screen distribution applications that form a central part of Harmonic ’ s VOS cloud solutions strategy .
“ One of the key attributes of HEVC is simplified porting onto standard server and processing platforms ,” Trow maintains . “ Unlike previous MPEG standards , the need to implement compression tools in software was a key objective during the development of HEVC .
“ This very much addresses the demands of those currently deploying compression systems , who are looking to draw on the benefits of software-as-a-service to meet fast-changing user requirements .”
Expect new technology developments around HEVC implementations , support in popular devices and by critical new standards such as ATSC 3.0 , according to Verizon Digital Media Services ’ Sanders . However , he cautions , it is equally important to pay attention to the commercial model and how various patent holders choose to align themselves with patent pools .
“ It ’ s still not entirely clear who pays the fees — service operators , encoder or decoder implementers , device manufacturers ? That lack of clarity is causing some hesitation about investing too heavily in the technology before the dust has settled .”
Sanders is also keen to highlight that Verizon Digital Media Services is not a codec developer and , thus , is not creating its own implementation of HEVC . Neither is the company actively promoting HEVC over any competing technology , such as VP9 and AV1 .
Instead , it is a collective effort to be ready to offer what the industry wants and needs , as Sanders elaborates : “ We are keeping on top of developments in VP9 and AV1 , as we are with HEVC . We are staying on the cutting edge by making sure we ’ ll be ready to roll out an HEVC offering that guarantees ease-of-use while delivering the high quality promised by this codec .”
Come this autumn , the rollout of iOS11 may well be the push required to turn this promise into reality .