PLANO, Texas—New Parks Associates research finds that high dynamic range (HDR) is a foundational component of premium video entertainment and gives television manufacturers, streaming services and content creators a way to differentiate themselves through picture quality.
The research is presented in “High Dynamic Range and the Future of Video,” a new Parks white paper developed in partnership with chief Advanced HDR by Technicolor supporter InterDigital.
“HDR gives the entertainment industry a powerful way to make improvements in picture quality,” Parks Director of Entertainment Research Michael Goodman said. “For manufacturers, it helps demonstrate the value of advanced displays. For streaming services and content owners, it provides an opportunity to deliver a more compelling experience and preserve the creative intent of their programming.”
According to the research, several developments are shaping the next phase of HDR, including:
Smart-TV penetration is rising, as 62% of U.S. internet households now have a connected TV device.
- Live sports and gaming is making HDR, with its ability to reproduce bright highlights, detailed shadows and realistic imagery, more relevant.
- Mobile viewing is extending HDR beyond the television, as 24% of weekly video consumption is done on mobile phones and 11% on tablets.
- Tech advances are improving delivery economics, as AI assists in image processing and next-gen codecs like Versatile Video Coding (VVC) simplify workflows.
The research also identified challenges, including differences in HDR formats, device capabilities and service implementations.
“Consumers may not always know HDR by name, but they recognize the experience it enables: richer color, deeper contrast and a more lifelike picture,” Lionel Oisel, head of video labs at InterDigital, said. “As HDR expands across streaming, live sports, gaming and mobile, the opportunity is to make that premium experience consistent and efficient on every screen. Innovation in HDR, video compression and delivery will be fundamental to making that possible.”
Parks Associates and InterDigital will discuss the research at the Future of Video: Business of Streaming conference, Nov. 17-18, in Marina del Rey, Calif. Registration is available here.
