Telairity Dives Deep into 4K Technology – Part 1

The world of resolutions is multifaceted, and confusing, to say the least! Just when we thought
that so-called “Full HD” resolution (or “2K”) was the absolute cutting edge, “Ultra-High
Definition” (UHD or “4K”) made an appearance and changed the equation. Actually UHD/4K
technology has been in the news since 2010, but 2015 saw a steep drop in the prices of
devices supporting UHD and, judging by the latest adoption figures, the market has warmed
considerably to the new resolution standard.

What is 4K Technology?

In the old analog world of CRT display screens, screens were measured by the number of scan
linesthey supported. A standard SD screen had either 480 or 540 visible scan lines(depending
on which standard, NTSC or PAL, was used in your region). The shift to HD, with its much
higher resolutions, precipitated a shift in the underlying technology, from analog to digital.

In the new digital world of TV technology, display screens are no longer measured by the
number of scan lines they support, but rather by the number of pixels they display. Digitally
speaking, the highest resolution SD screens are now pixel arrays 720 wide x 480 or 540 high.
Full HD screens are pixel arrays 1920 wide x 1080 high. Rounded off, HD resolution is about
2000 x 1000, which gets shortened to “2K” in digital-speak. UHD or 4K simply doubles each of
these HD (2K) dimensions, to about 4000 x 2000 (or, more precisely, to exactly 3840 x 2160).
In round numbers, then, HD is about 2 million pixels/screen, while UHD is about 8 million
pixels/screen, or 4X the resolution of HD.

Pixels Not the Only Issue

It is easy to get confused here, because pixel number is only one aspect of the technology
used to manufacture displays. Another critical aspect is the technology used to render pixels
(whatever their number). This is where you encounter terms like LCD (Liquid Crystal Display),
LED (Light Emitting Diode), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), etc. Rendering technology
controls the maximum darkness and lightness of a screen (its contrast ratio), as well as how
bright and vivid colors appear. Yet another issue has to do with screen shape (curved or flat),
and the effect this has on the viewing experience.

Obviously, if you change multiple aspects of a display at once, the impact of a new display can
be far greater than the impact that would be produced by any one change in isolation. No
doubt, shifting from a flat LCD HD display to a curved OLED UHD display will dramatically
transform one’s viewing experience. But what part of this transformation is specifically
contributed by the change in pixel count, i.e., the shift from HD to UHD? And what by the
other new technologies for displays now coming into commercial use? We will continue this
discussion in the next part of this series.

Telairity has made a name for itself as one of the industry’s leading providers of video encoding solutions. Please write in to us at sales@telairity.com to learn more about our products and to collaborate with our team.

Telairity is Celebrating 15 years Serving the Broadcast Industry

In 2016, Telairity is celebrating its 15^th anniversary as a market leader in the broadcast industry.  Since 2001, we have been designing, manufacturing and marketing video processing solutions for broadcast and professional video applications.  We produce next generation encoding solutions made in Silicon Valley, USA, and used around the world.  Our experience and history of providing solutions for video processing over these last 15 years is a big part of the advantage that we bring to each new project.

The broadcast industry has undergone massive changes over the last 15 years, moving from analog to all-digital technology, from SD to HD and UHD, from 2D to 3D, from CRT displays to flat panel displays, from time-bound to on-demand viewing, from large fixed screens in living rooms and bedrooms to small on-the-go mobile screens—to name just some of the more notable shifts. Telairity has continually produced innovative products and solutions to meet broadcaster’s demands within rapidly changing technologies.  The advanced video compression systems we provide uniquely fast start-up times and combine low latency with low bitrates during operation.  This makes them an ideal choice for both remote and field broadcast applications, which require top-of-the-line real-time performance, and for IPTV and other applications, that require the lowest achievable bitrates.

Today, Telairity systems are deployed in over 50 countries around the world for tasks that include electronic news gathering, in-stadium replay, remote learning, outreach programs, event streaming, and more—wherever video must be moved reliably, economically, and efficiently in real time.  As one of the few companies that controls all its key technologies, from video processor development through system enclosure design, Telairity is also uniquely able to customize systems to meet specific needs.  Whether it’s simply a new combination of existing capabilities, or a requirement for capabilities not yet offered on any standard product, we will work with you to find the right solution to your encoding needs.

Over our 15 years, Telairity has designed and manufactured numerous products that have met the new technology needs of the broadcasting industry.  Due to our investment in technology, we offer encoding platforms that are powerful, fast and reliable and are always working to meet the latest demands of the industry.  It has been a pleasure to serve our customers over the last 15 years, and we look forward to providing next-generation encoding solutions for our customers for years to come.