A new video compression standard uses half the bandwidth requirements of current UHD content: you may not need to upgrade your 10Mbps connection for ultra hi-def video after all
We’re well aware with the barrage of advertisements flaunting 4K--from curved TVs to behemoths larger than 55-inches, it’s what seems to be defining the rarified high end of the television space these days.
Of course, at present it’s all but useless. With virtually no 4K content available for general consumption (if you discount the random few-minute demo videos bundled with these TVs or nature clips on YouTube,) we are still a while away from mass consumption of 4K content. However ultra hi-def video may just have got a shot in the arm, thanks to a breakthrough from Google.
4K video streams, with four times the pixel information of 1080p content, are significantly more bandwidth-hungry compared to its predecessor. A typical 1080p video on YouTube or any comparable video streaming service requires anywhere from 5 to 10Mbps of downstream bandwidth for a stutter-free viewing experience. Compare this with a 4K stream that needs something in the realm of 20 to 25Mbps of bandwidth--a reality that is alien for the vast majority of Internet users, and perhaps even 4K TV owners.
Which is why any stride in compression technology is relevant. Currently the 4K videos available on YouTube use what is called the VP9 standard, a technology that chip makers Samsung, MediaTek, Nvidia and Broadcom already have support for.
The new standards is (not surprisingly) called VP10, which is said to require half the bandwidth demands of the earlier VP9 standard. It is also being built to include enhancements like a wider color gamut (a greater range of colors for added realism,) faster framerates and higher dynamic range between dark and bright image areas (better contrast.)
Don’t hold your breath just yet though--this new standard is still two years away. Also it will require about 40 percent more processing horsepower to decode these streams (although by the time the standard sees light of day, we expect the hardware prowess to have caught up.)
Keen to see 4K in action? If you happen to have a matching screen and a particularly speedy Internet connection (and feel like bringing it to its knees,) have a go at this sample VP9-based 4K video. Remember to hit the ‘gear’ icon at the lower right and select 4K from the quality setting.
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