IEC TR 62935:2016

IEC TR 62935 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-07
TECHNICAL
REPORT
Measurement methods – High dynamic range video
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IEC TR 62935 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-07
TECHNICAL
REPORT
Measurement methods – High dynamic range video

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.160.40 ISBN 978-2-8322-3517-1

– 2 – IEC TR 62935:2016 © IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references. 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Overview . 7
4.1 Historical background . 7
4.2 Scene versus display ranges . 7
4.3 HDR ranges . 8
5 HDR standards and related activities . 9
5.1 SMPTE . 9
5.1.1 10E study group on HDR ecosystem . 9
5.1.2 ST 2084:2014 . 9
5.1.3 ST 2086:2014 . 9
5.1.4 ST 2036-1 . 9
5.2 CEA-861.3 . 9
5.3 HDMI 2.0a . 10
5.4 ITU-R . 10
5.4.1 BT.2020-1 . 10
5.4.2 HDR . 10
5.5 ICDM . 10
6 HDR content . 10
6.1 General . 10
6.2 Cinema . 10
6.3 Ultra HD Blu-ray™ . 11
6.4 Streaming media . 11
6.4.1 Amazon . 11
6.4.2 Netflix . 11
6.4.3 Other . 11
6.5 Broadcast . 11
6.6 Redistribution platforms . 11
7 Measurement of HDR . 12
7.1 General . 12
7.2 Peak white . 12
7.3 Full-screen black . 12
7.4 Contrast ratio . 13
7.5 Colour Gamut . 13
7.6 White point. 13
7.7 Other . 13
Bibliography . 14

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MEASUREMENT METHODS –
HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE VIDEO
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
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The main task of IEC technical committees is to prepare International Standards. However, a
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example "state of the art".
IEC TR 62935, which is a technical report, has been prepared by IEC technical committee 100:
Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment.
The text of this technical report is based on the following documents:
Enquiry draft Report on voting
100/2642/DTR 100/2703/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this technical report can be found in the
report on voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

– 4 – IEC TR 62935:2016 © IEC 2016
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
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related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
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A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.

INTRODUCTION
The market for the production and delivery of moving images has transitioned from film
through analogue standard-definition video through digital HD video and now to 4K Ultra HD
video. As the increase in resolution continues to 8K, the opportunity exists to increase the
dynamic range of the video, including brighter peak luminance levels. This, in conjunction with
wide colour gamut, increases the volume of possible levels and colours, resulting in more
realistic and hyper-realistic presentations.
IEC TC 100 AGS SS9 (HDR) has identified a standardization opportunity related to
measurement methods and test signals for HDR video. This Technical Report sets the
groundwork for such an activity.

– 6 – IEC TR 62935:2016 © IEC 2016
MEASUREMENT METHODS –
HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE VIDEO
1 Scope
This document introduces the concept of High Dynamic Range (HDR) video, lists some of the
related standards and activities, provides information about HDR in the marketplace, and
proposes areas of HDR measurement that could be standardized.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their
content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition
cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including
any amendments) applies.
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
high dynamic range
HDR
span of image luminances that is larger than normally possible for standard, high definition,
and ultra HD video
3.2
standard dynamic range
SDR
span of image luminances that is normally possible for standard and high definition video
Note 1 to entry: Standard definition, high definition, and ultra HD video systems are normally capable of
producing luminances of 10 times that of an average mid-tone at the top (white) end of the range, and of 0,01 times
that of an average mid-tone at the bottom (black) end of the range.
3.3
wide colour gamut
WCG
range of colours in a colour space that covers a large percentage of visible colours
EXAMPLE ITU-R BT.2020 [2] is considered to provide WCG while BT.709 [3] does not.
___________
Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.

4 Overview
4.1 Historical background
Still and moving pictures were initially captured and displayed with chemical processes,
typically on film. The dynamic range varied by process and was limited by the maximum
density achievable on the reproduction medium for representation of dark areas and by the
minimum density achievable on the reproduction medium in representation of bright areas.
Though there are hard limits with this technology, the processes involved resulted in the limits
being approached gradually, with dynamic range expansion in the mid-tones, and dynamic
range compression at the extremes.
Electronic images were initially captured and displayed using analogue means. Electronic
noise limits the representation of dark areas and defined limits can clip the bright areas.
Though a wire can carry much more than a 1 V signal (which represents 100 % white in some
systems), various equipment in the processing chain might apply a hard clip. There is no
natural compression as the signal approaches the white limit. Dynamic range compression is
generally performed in the camera or in post-production with specialized equipment.
Today, most image capture, storage, and processing is based on digital technology. Dark
details are limited by the noise and quantization error. White levels have a hard limit at the
defined maximum white code value. Similar to analogue electronic techniques, dynamic range
expansion in the mid-tones and compression at the extremes is performed by in-camera
processing or in post-production.
Picture levels were standardized during the analogue time frame. Peak white for displays was
2 2
for the cinema and 100 cd/m for video presentation in mastering suites
defined as 48 cd/m
under controlled, low-level lighting conditions. These standardized levels were retained during
and after the transition from analogue to digital equipment and techniques.
NOTE Consumer televisions have higher peak luminance, typically around 350 cd/m , in order to allow for bright
viewing conditions.
In order to optimize the use of signal levels, a gamma curve is applied between signal and
display. This was done naturally by cathode ray tube displays and is done electronically in
typical flat panel displays. The gamma equation is as follows:
γ
V = AV
out in
ITU-R Recommendation BT.1886 [1] defines gamma (γ) as 2.4 and screen luminance for
white as 100 cd/m for standard dynamic range high definition video.
4.2 Scene versus display ranges
Images are captured in a variety of conditions – from the dark reaches of Pluto to the intense
light levels of the sun. The captured ranges of these images are normalized by controlling
exposure levels. The high dynamic range system covered by this document is not intended to
capture Pluto and the Sun at a single exposure image; however, an HDR system allows the
captured range of those two separate images to include deeper black levels above the noise
level and brighter white levels without clipping. An HDR system preserves those larger ranges
through display to the viewer. This requires higher bit-depths, displays capable of higher
luminance peaks, and carefully designed transfer functions to optimi
...