Momentum of HDR Technology Continues to Rise
2024's Major Sports Events and Industry Adoption Increased Consumers' Ability to Experience Benefits of HDR
Free Advertising Supported Streaming (FAST) channels and Ad-supported Video on Demand (AVOD), implementation by TV and device manufacturers and the expansion of availability of HDR content as a result of NEXTGEN TV's continued rollout in the US market drove industry adoption of High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, during 2024 and is creating new levels of enthusiasm for the latest innovations being brought to market in 2025, including those introduced by Advanced HDR by Technicolor. Advanced HDR by Technicolor operates under a brand license from Technicolor as a collaboration between InterDigital and Philips.
So said Valérie Allie, Senior Director of the Media Services Group at InterDigital, in a vidcast interview for journalists. She pointed out that these industry advances are accelerating consumers' ability to experience the enhancements in HDR content for themselves.
"HDR is a 'seeing is believing' technology—once viewers see the improved contrast, brightness, and color range, they want it across all their video experiences. This growing demand is driving adoption across the production and distribution elements of the entertainment technology ecosystem," said Allie.
Rising Broadcast Adoption
The summer of 2024 presented an exceptional opportunity for global HDR content distribution with the Paris Games and the UEFA European Football Championship. In the United States, the adoption of HDR has been further strengthened by the continued expansion of NEXTGEN TV's delivery of HDR content 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
As a result, HDR is now rapidly becoming a priority for broadcasting and distribution service providers worldwide.
"HDR content is becoming more widely available on traditional broadcast and streaming platforms," Allie stated. "This is especially true in America, with the launch of Broadcast-enabled Streaming TV (BEST) channels over ATSC 3.0 and the popularity of AVOD/FAST channels. They are expanding HDR's reach, ensuring a growing base of HDR-ready content for consumers."
For Advanced HDR by Technicolor, these trends have translated into new broadcasting partners, including PBS, Capitol Broadcasting, and Gray Media. These additions have increased the range of channels capable of delivering live sports and entertainment in HDR.
OEM and Peripheral Engagement
Interest from TV and device manufacturers is on the rise as well.
"During CES 2025, we announced the launch of RCA's NEXTGEN TV models integrated with Advanced HDR by Technicolor and an expanded lineup of Hisense TV models featuring our solution," said Allie.
Hardware and accessory devices are also actively exploring HDR technologies, adding more critical pieces to the ecosystem.
"Encoding manufacturers, such as Ateme, have made strides in further embracing Advanced HDR by Technicolor to enhance their offerings for HDR workflows. Also at CES this year, we announced Tolka and Geniatech's integration of Advanced HDR by Technicolor in their set-top box devices," said Allie. "Beyond this, system-on-chip manufacturers have included the solution in their hardware, creating a well-rounded environment for HDR to thrive and be much more accessible to consumers."
Looking ahead, the Advanced HDR by Technicolor team is optimistic about accelerating adoption across the industry -- including streaming.
"The demand for HDR is expected to continue growing in 2025, especially as more live and on-demand content in HDR is created. Our recent partnership with Plex, a major provider of content distribution services, further demonstrates the significance of HDR across all platforms, whether broadcast or streaming. Additionally, live sports events will continue to be an opportunity for broadcasters and streaming service providers to engage with HDR workflows," Allie concluded.
[EDITORIAL NOTE: To view the full interview with InterDigital’s Valérie Allie, click here]