H.264 vs H.265 vs H.266

 H.264 vs H.265 vs H.266

The most popular video codec right now is the H.264 standard since almost all media devices support it. Even video platforms on the web can’t help but add support for this codec, and for good reasons. YouTube, despite having its own, is beholden to H.264, and this won’t change for years to come.

Now, we do not expect it to be the top dog forever as more competitors come on the scene in hopes to replace it. The most notable would likely be the upgraded version, H.265, also known as HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding).

There is also the H.266 codec, but it differs a great deal when compared to the others we’ve just mentioned. Worry not, however, because we are going to explain each for your deeper understanding.

1] What is H.264 codec

This codec has been around since 2009, and for quite some time, it has been the standard. The codec is also known as AVC, MPEG-4 Part 10, and VC-1.

It’s a video compression standard that is designed to playback high-quality video at a small size than RAW and previous standards. We understand the compression ratio is twice that of MPEG-2, which is quite astonishing. It promises to provide high-quality content with no quality loss when compared to other standards. H.264 is used by most modern mobiles and 2K cameras.

Basically, if your file size is 88GB, H.264 compression can bring it down to a little over 800MB. Additionally, when compared to other compression technologies, low-bit rate plays an important role. In the end, users will save time when having to download or stream video content at any time.

2] What is H.265/HEVC codec

As you might be able to tell from the name, H.265/HEVC is the upgraded version of the previous, and it is designed to replace it at some time in the future. The new standard was released back in 2013, but only now has been getting huge support due to the rise of 4K. HEVC is promising a massive 50% bandwidth reduction compared to H.264 for the same video quality.

This will no doubt continue in the years to come as 4K televisions and monitors become more affordable. However, the big question right now, is, what makes H.265 the future?

Well, if you watch 4K content on YouTube, you should realize that it doesn’t hold a candle to the same video on a Bu-Ray disc. That is due to H.264 compression for the most part, and that is something the newer codec wants to solve.

From what we’ve come to understand, HEVC uses more efficient compression methods, therefore, the end content will showcase more detail and fewer artifacts. We all want this, which is why we cannot wait for more hardware manufacturers to support the future standard. H.265 is used by most modern mobiles and 4K cameras, and almost all new hardware now provides HEVC GPU acceleration.

Now, there is one big problem with H.265/HEVC right now. You see, it is quite slow if Hardware Acceleration is not in play. If you want to decode in HEVC, then a powerful computer is required. Intel 6th generation or newer, and AMD 6th generation or newer, are the CPUs you should consider when purchasing a computer for HEVC.

3] What is H.266 codec

In 2020, Fraunhofer HHI (together with partners like Apple, Ericsson, Intel, Huawei, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Sony) developed. The world has yet to fully accept H.265 as the new standard where video codecs are concerned, but already H.266 is being touted Fraunhofer HHI, the company behind all three codecs.

At the moment, we understand that this new codec, also known as Versatile Video Coding (VVC), won’t improve video quality over its predecessor, but is expected to reduce the size. So in a sense, it is the same as H.265, but with a smaller footprint. H.266 is promising a massive 50% bandwidth reduction compared to H.265 for the same video quality.

When the H.266 codec is adopted in the future, people from around the world may have little problems with streaming 8K content on their favourite platforms. H.266 is used by most modern mobiles and 8K cameras

H.266/VVC is supposed to support: 

• Picture resolutions from 4K to 16K as well as 360° videos
• YCbCr color spaces with 4:2:0 sampling, 10-bit
• YCbCr/RGB 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2
• Auxiliary channels (transparency, depth, etc.) 
• High dynamic range (HDR) and wide color gamut
• Bit depths up to 16 bits per component 
• Fixed and variable frame rates
• Progressive scanning 

H.266 codec to reduce video sizes by 50%

H.266 codec to reduce video sizes by 50% 

A new video encoding standard that reduces video file sizes by 50% is set to become usable by the end of the year, allowing high-resolution footage to be saved with smaller file sizes and to be transmitted in less time. Versatile Video Coding (h.266/VVC) is the newest block-based hybrid codec from the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), a group comprised of MPEG and ISO/ITU members such as Bitmovin and Fraunhofer HHI, and promises to vastly improve the compression capabilities of workflows for any organization within the streaming industry, including but not limited to, OTT, VR, AR, and many other providers. As fellow members of MPEG, the Bitmovin encoding team was eager to test the capabilities of the newest codec and the potential improvements it offered over its predecessor h.265/HEVC. The ultimate goal of the project was to determine the performance parameters of the VVC codec and the subjective visual quality enhancements that ensue. While Fraunhofer HHI claimed that the VVC codec promises to improve visual quality and reduce bitrate expenditure by around 50% over HEVC, we wanted to prove the validity of the statement.

Today, compressed video data make up 80% of global Internet traffic. H.266/VVC represents the pinnacle of (at least) four generations of international standards for video coding. The previous standards H.264/Advanced Video Coding (AVC) and H.265/HEVC, which were produced with substantial contributions from Fraunhofer HHI, remain active in more than 10 billion end devices, processing over 90% of the total global volume of video bits. Both previous standards were also recognized by collectively three Emmy Engineering Awards for contributing substantially to the progress of television technology.

Through a reduction of data requirements, H.266/VVC makes video transmission in mobile networks (where data capacity is limited) more efficient. For instance, the previous standard H.265/HEVC requires ca. 10 gigabytes of data to transmit a 90-min UHD video. With this new technology, only 5 gigabytes of data are required to achieve the same quality. Because H.266/VVC was developed with ultra-high-resolution video content in mind, the new standard is particularly beneficial when streaming 4K or 8K videos on a flat screen TV. Furthermore, H.266/VVC is ideal for all types of moving images: from high-resolution 360° video panoramas to screen sharing contents.

The new H.266 standard will also allow systems or locations with poor data rates to receive larger files more quickly, so movies, for example, will buffer less and play more smoothly. Mobile devices will also be able to send higher resolution files, or longer clips, without using so much data.

Fraunhofer says that ‘H.266/VVC offers faster video transmission for equal perceptual quality,’ so we shouldn’t see the difference between files compressed by H.266 and those compressed using H.265. H.265 also halved file sizes when it was introduced, as did the H.264 standard that came before that — and which is still in use today.

The new standard requires new chips to make the most of it, and the press release states that they are already in production and that Fraunhofer will release the software to allow the standard to be used in the autumn of this year.

Another factor hindering the evolution of an 8K ecosystem is the question of cable and broadcast support. At the moment, the broadcast industry is beginning to deploy ATSC 3.0 (Advanced Television Systems Committee/ also known by the moniker Next Gen TV, establishes an IP-based broadcast transmission system), a major revision to the Advanced Television Systems Committee. ATSC 3.0 supports features like 4K broadcasting, wide color gamuts, and HDR. The standard, however, is not targeting 8K and the rollout is optional. Unlike the mandatory transition from NTSC to ATSC, ATSC 3.0 deployment is up to individual companies. There’s no mandate to include an ATSC 3.0 tuner inside a TV, for example.

Also, ATSC 3.0 contains some features that “improve” targeted advertising. So hurrah for that.

At any rate, the rollout of ATSC 3.0 is going to be the major focus for broadcasters. It’s not clear which codecs will be used — there are a number of articles diving into why H.265 adoption has been so slow compared with H.264. It’s possible that the bandwidth improvements from H.264 to H.266 might be big enough to be enticing — a video that requires 10GB of storage when encoded in H.264 would theoretically only require 2.5GB when encoded in H.266 with no (again, theoretical) loss of quality.

Ericsson CTO Erik Ekudden’s view on recent developments in video compression technology

Continuous innovation in 5G networks is creating new opportunities for video-enabled services for both consumers and industries, particularly in areas such as the Internet of Things and the automotive sector. These new services are expected to rely on continued video evolution toward 8K resolutions and beyond, and on new strict requirements such as low end-to-end latency for video delivery.

This Ericsson Technology Review article explores recent developments in video compression technology and introduces Versatile Video Coding (VVC) – a significant improvement on existing video codecs that we think deserves to be widely deployed in the market. VVC has the potential both to enhance the user experience for existing video services and offer an appropriate performance level for new media services over 5G networks.

 

Choose ONVIF Prescribe ONVIF

Choose ONVIF Prescribe ONVIF

As an eSecurity Professional I always prefer to use ONVIF. ONVIF allows me to be truly independent of brands and recommend a way forward for customers that is not going to tie them in to a single, specific manufacturer. As I work as a System integrator in last 12yr found purchasers have probably all heard of ONVIF, but in my experience, the high level of competition in the CCTV market drives many manufacturers to attempt to differentiate themselves to understandably stay ahead of the pack. Unfortunately, I have seen many cases where the manufacturer tells the customer they make ONVIF-conformant products, but they then upsell additional features for their product and in many cases will say how that method is better than ONVIF. This doesn’t help many buyers of CCTV products today as they are not always experts in the field of CCTV or in the business of security, so they don’t see the strategic benefits of employing an ONVIF approach. We also see that the end users do not yet see the wider benefits of using an open standard and what that can offer them in the longer term.  They are instead more focused on the short term project, so there are many strategic influencers who are not yet aware of ONVIF.

Many projects I work which under government-funded customers that have long approval cycles and need to be able to have longer term plans. ONVIF allows this, as it has a stable roadmap and retains backwards compatibility in most things, so I am able to set a roadmap and a vision for a customers that they can plan around whilst having access to a large range of vendors and innovative new products. Government-funded long term projects will benefit the most from using ONVIF-conformant componentry. In India very few consultant prescribe ONVIF product, basically they still not clear about spec of ONVIF profiles. In UK, USA, Australia whether it is rail, roads, national or local projects, ONVIF has to be a key consideration in government-funded projects.

More systems will be ONVIF conformant and people buying products will be able to choose new and innovative solutions – like thermal cameras – as they become available, based purely on quality and cost instead of the manufacturer. That is a much simpler decision for them to make and the best products will rise to the top and remain in the market. There will also be more opportunities for systems to interoperate so that systems can be shared.

Each ONVIF profile has a fixed set of features that must be supported by a conformant device or client. Realizing a need for the standardization of communications between IP-based physical security products, Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems and Sony Corp. in 2008 formed the Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF).

ONVIF has surpassed 10,000 conformant products that meet its global interoperability standards, further broadening the organization’s offering and relevance in the IP-based physical security marketplace.

Membership is open to manufacturers, software developers, consultants, systems integrators, end users and other interested groups. The organization’s membership base covers six continents and offers more than 9,000 profile-conformant products.

How important is it for devices to be able to openly communicate, with some sort of standardization in effect? The technology researchers at the Gartner Group predict that by 2020 there will be 50 billion devices connected over IP networks, or what’s known now as the Internet of Things (IoT).

As ONVIF standards have evolved they have been designed around a list of performance profiles. Each ONVIF profile has a fixed set of features that must be supported by a conformant device or client. An example would be that an ONVIF Profile S device must work with other ONVIF Profile S devices.

Within each profile are product features listed by ONVIF and classified as mandatory (M), conditional (C) or optional (O). You can check online at the ONVIF Conformant Product List page and search for compliance confirmation. Do remember smarter video systems play a clear role in generating data.

To get an idea where products for your next project stand, here’s a look at current ONVIF profile specifications.

ONVIF Profile Specifications

For electronic access control systems:-

• Profile C conformant devices and clients support site information, IP door access control and event and alarm management.
• Profile A devices can retrieve information, status and event, and configure entities such as access rules, credentials and schedules. Conformant clients can provide configurations of access rules, credentials and schedules. The client can also retrieve and receive standardized access control-related events.

For IP-based video systems:-

• Profile S could be a camera or video encoder that can send video data over an IP network to a Profile S client. A client might be video management software (VMS). This profile also covers pan/tilt/zoom control, audio, multicasting and relay outputs for conformant devices and clients that support such features. So it addresses common functionalities of IP video systems, such as video and audio streaming, PTZ controls, and relay activation.
• Profile G products such as a camera or video encoder device can record video over an IP network or on the device itself. A Profile G VMS client is one that configure, request and control recording of video data over an IP network. Profile G also includes support for receiving audio and metadata streams. So it addresses video storage, recording, search, and retrieval.
• Profile Q aims to provide quick discovery and basic configuration for Profile Q-conformant products. Profile Q also covers specs for TLS (transport layer security) configuration. TLS is a secure communication protocol to protect against tampering and eavesdropping.
• Profile T is a release candidate for IP-based video systems. It supports video streaming such as the use of H.264 and H.265 encoding formats, imaging settings, and alarm events such as motion and tampering detection. This profile is designed to work with Profile S and not replace it.

The most majority IP-based security products claim to compliant with ONVIF standard. However, when end-users try to install these devices marked with this standard might encounter some problems, such as network video recorder can't discover the IP cameras in the same LAN network, motion detection doesn't work. Why is this happening?

First, you need to verify that your installed devices are truly compliant with ONVIF standard. Some manufacturers often mark their products as compatible with ONVIF, although this is not true. It's better to buy/use the IP-based security products from members of ONVIF. You can find the full list of members/manufacturers who are verified to offer ONVIF compliant products.

Second, it's not possible to be ONVIF compliant only; the IP-based security products need to be compliant to a Profile as well. You can be ONVIF conformant only, but if you are it is not guaranteed that you would get interoperability between other ONVIF devices and clients. To truly reap the benefits of ONVIF, you need to be Profile S compliant as it dramatically increases the chance of things like video and audio streaming or video configuration and multicast actually working well together.

One may encounter cases within a set of devices with Profile S, having no problems with connectivity and video streaming, but with some functions (e.g. motion detection). It is usually caused by errors of the standard or, more often, by an incorrect implementation of the standard/profile made by the manufacturer. Such problems should be immediately reported to the manufacturer that, in turn, should release improved software. ONVIF forum is heavily working on new, improved versions of the standard, which will be debugged and more precise in terms of terminology.

ONVIF has suspended Dahua & HikVision on October 9, 2019.

ONVIF Benefits to End Users:

• Greater flexibility
• Increased product choice
• Future proof

ONVIF gives you the flexibility to pick and choose optimal products for your needs without being locked into a specific brand. An ONVIF conformant video management software, for instance, will allow you to integrate ONVIF conformant devices from different hardware manufacturers. With software that supports both ONVIF and proprietary application programming interfaces (APIs), you can choose to use the ONVIF interfaces for certain functionalities and the proprietary API for other features at the same time. Having ONVIF conformant products is like having an insurance policy that future-proofs your system for a more secure investment.

ONVIF offers thousands of conformant products from different vendors that support one or more.

ONVIF Benefits for System Integrators/Specifiers:

• Greater product choice
• Assured interoperability
• Easier integration

ONVIF conformant products allow you to create a flexible, cost-effective and future-proof system. ONVIF enables you to choose optimal products from different vendors. The conformant products allow you to be confident in their interoperability and makes integration of products from different vendors easier. The interoperable functionalities are determined by a conformant product’s ONVIF profile(s). 

Please share this handy guide to all consultant, System integrator & customers. After reading this guide if you ask any of them, what would make your life easier? They’ll likely reply with open source integration of systems. Well, it’s been some time coming, but it looks like that wish is becoming more of a reality these days.

4K Resolution TV Everything You Need to Know

4K Resolution TV Everything You Need to Know

 

4K technology is quickly taking over the mainsteam of the digital video world, from TV screens to computer monitors to cameras and projectors, 4K screen resolution and all of its accompanying features are now no longer just bleeding edge technologies but becoming positively mainstream, particularly when it comes to TV displays and the video recording that creates their content.

With four times the resolution of traditional HD displays, 4K Ultra HD offers a massive improvement in picture clarity over existing HD resolutions.

The reason for this has to do with the amount of pixels a 4K TV contains. Whereas traditional HD is limited to 1920 vertical columns and 1080 horizontal rows of pixels, Ultra HD has a total resolution of 3840 pixels by 2160 – a slightly smaller resolution than the 4,096 x 2,160 resolution seen on cinema screens (that, for the record, is called Cinema 4K).

What is 4K?

Pure and simple, 4K means a clearer picture. It's more pixels (8,294,400 to be exact) on the screen at once that creates images that are crisper and capable of showing more details than standard HD.

What is the resolution of 4K?

4K resolution, at least the way most TVs define it, is 3840 x 2160 or 2160p. To put that in perspective, a full HD 1080p image is only a 1920x1080 resolution. 4K screens have about 8 million pixels, which is around four times what your current 1080p set can display.

Think of your TV like a grid, with rows and columns. A full HD 1080p image is 1080 rows high and 1920 columns wide. A 4K image approximately doubles the numbers in both directions, yielding approximately four times as many pixels total. To put it another way, you could fit every pixel from your 1080p set onto one quarter of a 4K screen.

Why is it called 4K?

Because the images are around 4,000 pixels wide. And before you ask, yes, the industry named 1080 resolution after image height, but named 4K after image width. For extra added fun, you also might hear this resolution referred to as 2160p. Welcome to the future. It's confusing here.

Do all those extra pixels matter?

They matter very much. More pixels means more information. More information means sharper pictures. Sharper pictures are more engaging. More engaging content is more fun. And fun... well fun is the thing, isn't it?

Moving 4K into Home Theater

While the origins of 4K film go back quite a ways and have their roots in theatrical releases of films such as Blade Runner: The Final Cut back in 2007, it wasn’t until James Cameron filmed his now famous “Avatar” in 4K resolution that the projection platform itself was widely introduced in many theaters eager to please audiences with beautiful crystal screen clarity.

However, going from theaters to something like home entertainment is a big leap and it wasn’t until just within the last couple of years that both projectors and the already mentioned TVs became widely available for home theater system set up that would let consumers enjoy UHD clarity in their houses.

Now, in terms of TV 4K systems, this resolution isn’t even entirely noticeable unless you enjoy a very large and thus very expensive screen or are sitting abnormally close to your TV. However, when it comes to projectors, the power offered by 4K really does become visible.

Sitting close enough?

Yup. Remember when Apple made a big fuss about "retina" displays a few iPhones back? "Retina" refers to screens that have sufficient resolution that at a normal viewing distance your eye can't make out individual pixels. Get far enough away from a 1080p set and, hey presto, It's a retina display! More importantly, at that same distance, your eyeballs won't be able to squeeze any more detail out of a 4K image than a 1080 one. If you're at "retina distance" from your 1080p set now and don't plan on moving your couch closer, upgrading to 4K may not make a big difference to your experience.

So I should sit closer?

Oh my yes. The ability to get up close to the screen without the image breaking down is one of the most intoxicating things about 4K. Sitting closer allows the same sized screen to fill more of your visual field, which yields greater immersion. The up-close factor is one of the reasons 4K computer monitors have become one of the technology's fastest growing sectors. 4K monitors remain pin-sharp even when you're just a foot or two from the screen, as you are when you're sitting at your desk. 

Streaming 4K Content

While 4K content for home theater systems such as projectors and TVs is still pretty scarce on the ground, it is making ground as streaming content. YouTube has had a 4K channel running since as early as 2010 and other developments are definitely on the horizon, especially in countries or regions with excellent internet connectivity that goes above the normal speeds available to most people.

The broadcast industry as a whole is offering the promise of a steadily more established standard in streaming content compression during transmission, called H.265 or HVEC (High Efficiency Video Codec). With the implementation of HVEC, broadcasters are assuring the buying public that 4K content will become easy and economical to stream into home theater systems and thus will become much more common. TV manufacturers themselves have been keeping up to date with this promise and have ensured that every new 4K TV to be released since 2015 and today, as well as for the foreseeable future, is fully capable of decoding the HVEC standard for its users.

Furthermore, other competing standards of 4K video compression are being developed, though with less ecosystem traction. One that has gained some headway is Google’s VP9 4K video compression codec, which the company still uses in compressing the 4K content streams found on its YouTube video service. Most premium 4K TVs today are compatible with both VP9 and H.265, though not all models offer both.

Specific 4K display-related technologies

Moving along into some particular features of current 4K display features in TVs and other devices, we come to a few very particular specs and technologies which are redefining the quality of both the TV display viewing experience and how rich the consumer content experience can become. In particular, high dynamic range and wide color gamut are playing a crucial role in making 4K TVs into displays of previously unparalleled richness and quality.

High Dynamic Range

High dynamic range technology is the Big New Thing in the world of 4K TV displays and with good reason. What HDR essentially does is expand the range of both bright and dark levels a 4K TV can show on the screen. At the same time, highlights of color vibrancy and richness are also expanded by this same wider dynamic range. The result is a more realistic, much more sharply detailed picture quality in comparison to what you’d see with standard dynamic range (SDR).

Of particular interest to TV makers (and consumers once they get to experience the realism produced) is the ability to develop HDR that can come as close as possible to simulating the brightness and darkness of the real world. Thus, while we already have 4K TVs that can create essentially “perfect” darkness with no notable light emission, in the form of OLED technology, the brightest consumer HDR 4K televisions, even for 2016, can only manage something between 1000 and 2000 nits of brightness, when in the real world, even the sky on a sunny day is seen by our eyes at about 20,000 nits. Thus you can see the dramatic difference at work here.

However, the aim of 4K TV makers and the companies behind HDR technology is to create displays which can even reach 10,000 nits. This is what one HDR standard bearer called Doby Vision is aiming for. Current HDR standards like “UHD Premium” from the UHD Alliance call for at least 1100 nits of maximum brightness in LCD 4K TVs but more on that shortly.

Wide Color Gamut

Another crucial aspect of modern 4K TV content is color gamut technology, or the ability to deliver the largest possible range of rich colors for the greatest possible realism and vibrancy. Currently, many 4K TVs are thus starting to offer color ranges that conform two two particularly broad gamuts called DCI P3 (which is frequently used in commercial cinematic display) and REC.2020, which is the current “Wide Color Gamut” gold standard for 4K ultra HD. However, not all 4K content fits these higher quality standards and much of the video and 4K TV display technology still on sale is REC.709, which was developed for older HDTV display technology.

Devices, such as 4K HDR TVs

• ·       Display resolution: minimum of 3840 x 2160 pixels
• ·       Color bit depth: 10-bit signal
• ·       Color Palette: (Wide Color Gamut)
• ·       Signal Input: BT.2020 color representation
• ·       Display Reproduction: More than 93% of the DCI P3 color spectrum
• ·       High Dynamic Range
• ·       SMPTE ST2084 EOTF
• ·       Both Peak Brightness and deep black levels of either more than 1000 nits and less than 0.05 nits of black, OR more than 540 nits of peak brightness and less than 0.0005 nits of black level. (This dual contrast standard is likely a direct sop to LG’s OLED technology, which can’t match the high nit levels of LCD/LED displays but can completely outmatch them in terms of how dark their blacks go, thus re-bracketing the range which constitutes HDR and deep contrast.

 My friend told me about 4K OLED. What's that?

More acronyms! Isn't this fun? OLED - organic light emitting diodes - have been around for some time, but producing big screens using this technology has proven to be prohibitively expensive, something which has so far prevented OLED television from being a mainstream proposition.

It's a real shame because OLED technology can be stunning, offering vibrant colors, deep blacks and bright whites. But don't give up hope just yet. Several companies (most prominently LG) are laboring away to bring OLED to 4K televisions. We recently took a look at LG's new 4K OLED sets, but while they're gorgeous, pricing remains sky high. Hopefully that will change soon, though. "I believe the price and yield rate will be higher immediately and the price will be down," Mr K I Kwon, president of LG Electronics UK, told recently. We hope his predictions hold and we aren't ruling out OLED as a big player in the next generation of televisions.

What about 4K content? Can I get that?

Yeah, about that... There's actually not much 4K broadcast content to be had right now. That said, if you're willing to shell out for it – e.g. buy a 4K UHD Blu-ray player and several 4K Blu-ray discs or purchase digital UHD movies outright from services like Sony's Ultra Streaming Service or UltraFlix – there are plenty of other options out there.

Why isn't broadcast TV in 4K?

Because every 4K frame contains four times the information of HD, 4K content is four times more bulky than regular HD content in terms of its raw file size. That makes it a challenge to get it to you. Broadcast TV hasn't made the 4K switch yet (indeed, it's only recently that hard drive sizes have gotten big enough to manage DVRing HD programs comfortably).

But you can get 4K Blu-ray discs should you decide to buy a Ultra-HD Blu-ray player.

What about gaming in 4K?

We've had 4K gaming on the PC for a while now, but this year at E3 2016 4K took off in a big way with the announcement of Microsoft's 4K Xbox code-named Project Scorpio. Alongside the Scorpio, Microsoft also has the Xbox One S which will upscale HD content to 4K as well as play Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.

Microsoft isn't the only console manufacturer with a 3840 x 2160 resolution on its mind, however. Sony just announced a 4K console of its own called the PS4 Pro that not only plays 4K Ultra HD movies and TV shows from streaming services like Netflix, but can play games in 4K, too.

What kind of cables will I need for 4K?

The two standard cables you're most likely to use are either a standard HDMI or if you're connecting a PC to a Ultra HD monitor, Display Port.

HDMI cables now come in four flavors: high speed with ethernet; high speed without ethernet; standard speed with ethernet and standard speed without Ethernet. Standard speed cables are capable of 1080i, but aren't able to handle the bandwidth of 4K. High speed cables can do anything higher than 1080. Now, as long as you're using the same class of cable, there is no distinguishable difference in terms of performance between one manufacturer's set of cables and another's.

The speed of your connection will depend on the types of connectors, which includes HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.0a. HDMI 1.4 connectors support a 3820x2160-resolution at 30 frames per second, while HDMI 2.0 is the latest spec and can output video at Ultra HD resolution at 60 frames per second. (But more on that below!) HDMI 2.0a is capable of HDR, which is limited to a very specific range of televisions from each manufacturer.

The other type of cable you can use is DisplayPort. DisplayPort carries 4K image and audio signal from most high-end graphics cards to monitors without any noticeable artifacts or delays.

So should I buy a 4K set now or should I wait?

It depends. If you want the absolute best TV you can get right now and don't mind paying a premium for it, it's a 4K set. If you're buying from one of the top tier manufacturers, you're going to get a good product that's reasonably future-proofed. As we said before, the sets look great. However, don't expect to be watching most of your video content in 4K for another two to three years. And make sure any set you buy has HDMI 2.0 ports (the first wave of 4K TVs used the previous HDMI 1.4 standard).

On the other hand, if you're price sensitive or want to wait until the content side of the equation is a bit more solved, it absolutely makes sense to wait. The UHD Premium specification is still in its infancy, and although we're moderately sure and it remains to be seen if the entire industry will eventually adopt it.

In terms of content you're not missing out on much at the moment. There are incredible values to be found in generously-sized 1080p sets right now. And 4K sets are only going to get cheaper.

What’s the Bottom Line, Is 4K Here to Stay?

This certainly looks to be the case. Current 4K UHD trends are developing at a much faster and steadily more affordable pace than what we’re seeing with plasma TV and the still incredibly expensive OLED display technology. In fact, plasma TVs, which for a time were thought to be the next wave in Ultra HD TV display technology are failing completely so far. With Their main manufacturer having ceased production this year.

This means that 4K is almost certainly going to have its large space on the TV market as new UHD content emerges, and the technology is already well established as the latest and possibly best in cameras and film projectors.

Yes, major manufacturers are already working on experimental development projects in the even more powerful 8K resolution technology but many of the problems that already exist with displaying and streaming 4K will need to be worked out even further before 8K ever becomes a commercial product. So for now, it seems that 4K is here to stay at least for the next few years and getting ready for it is a great idea now that prices for TVs, cameras and even projectors are dropping.

Pros

1) The 4K TV is gorgeous because of its resolution 3840×2160 which gives perfect image clarity. The pictures are more detailed with sharpness.

2) The image depth is so nice that it overcomes the problem of some people who feels that the image is getting flattened. Every image is clearly seen in this 4K TV.

3) 4K TV can handle the perfect color of an image. Even if the picture is heavily compressed the color won’t change. Color resolution plays good in 4K TV.

4) 4K TV will make the view of 3D better because of its bigger screen resolution. You may feel real 3D image with this TV.

Cons

1) You may only feel 4K presence if the screen you choose is big.

2) 4K TV is more expensive and we need to buy some extra devices based on the purpose.

3) 4K TV sources are still short due to the broadband and Blu-ray disc connectivity  problems.

Visit: http://arindamcctvaccesscontrol.blogspot.de/2015/07/difference-between-1080p-and-2160p.html
https://arindamcctvaccesscontrol.blogspot.de/2015/01/720p-and-1080p-explained.html?m=0
https://arindamcctvaccesscontrol.blogspot.in/2014/12/to-4k-or-not-4k-video-or-ultra-hd.html?m=0

The advantage of H.265 Camera

H.265 / HEVC is the latest video compression standard which is based on H.264, driven by ever increasing demand for high definition and the rapid development of imaging technology, UHD becomes trend in today's television and video surveillance market. UHD standards for ultra high definition includes 4K UHD and 8K UHD. 4K UHD equals 3840 x 2160 (approximate 8.29 megapixels), while 8K UHD equals 7680x4320 (approximate 33.18 megapixels). 

In today's video surveillance applications such as parking lot, hotel, safe city, harbor, air port and elsewhere large scaled and has growing demand on detail capturing, which, at the same time, pressuring on decoding and storage. Apparently, the introduction and development of H.265 standard brings extensive possibilities and optimism to the industry by addressing problems such as shortage of bandwidth, improving transmission efficiency and delivers other benefits.

In order to solve the high bandwidth problem for ultra high definition, the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) developed the H.265/High Efficiency Video Coding. Compared with current mainstream H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, the H.265 is able to double the data compression ratio, while improve video quality with low bit-rate. The H.265 supports both 4K UHD and 8K UHD resolution up to 8192x4320. In conclusion, H.265 is capable of further reducing 50% the data rate requested for high quality video coding. Bitrate is acclaimed to have approximate 40% to 50% down at 1080p while rendering superb image quality.  This enables IP camera to deliver smooth video with low bandwidth, which in turn, reducing the network bandwidth, and video storage size. Meanwhile, with the rapid development of 4G cellular mobile technology, the integration between the H.265 and 4G will have much possibilities.

HEVC/H.265 mainly features in the following aspects:

·         Higher compression efficiency, when compared with H.264/AVC. In same resolution, HEVC/H.265 has lower bitrate than H.264/HEVC.

·         Support high definition, ultra high definition video formats

·         Support frame rate of 20-60 frame per second video decoding, has same flexibility like the H.264/AVC, supports maximum 172fps.

·         Friendly network adaptation.

As leading and innovative corporate, Hisilicon and Ambarella can't resist its charm and prospect, both of them introducing the first H.265 SoC for ultra high definition IP cameras. Despite the reason that H.265 is still a new compression standard to video surveillance industry, the security camera manufacturers such as Hikvision and Dahua have already adopted H.265 in their latest product portfolio, including ultra high definition network camera, NVRs.

To start with cameras, Hikvision has a latest-released 2 megapixel H.265 low light smart camera DS-2CD5026FWD-(A)(P). As H.265 camera, the Darkfighter series ultra-low light Smart cameras are able to capture high quality colored images in dim light environment. DS-2CD5026FWD offers Full HD resolution with up to 60fps high frame rate, 120dB WDR, Auto Back Focus, P-Iris, PoE, 3D DNR and complete Smart Feature-set to meet a wide variety of applications. It supports H.265/H.264/MJPEG dual video compression, allowing over 40% lesser bandwidth use while acquiring outstanding image quality. Moreover, with its functions such as Intrusion Detection, Line Crossing Detection, Scene Change Detection, Audio Surge Detection, Audio Loss Detection, Defocus Detection, Face Detection, etc.

On video storage perspective, Dahua and Hikvision introduced a comprehensive H.265 4K NVR product lineup, which covers different demands from small to medium as well as large scaled applications. These network video recorders have capability to support up to 12 megapixel recording capability, supporting 1080p@60fps and H.265 preview and playback; 4 channel 4K resolution real time live view and playback; meanwhile, the NVR has many intelligent functions including smart video analysis, facial detection, privacy mask.

HD surveillance users can reduce bandwidth

HD Surveillance users can Reduce Bandwidth

When organizations are considering the switch from analogue systems to network-based HD solutions, there's often the perception that bandwidth levels will increase significantly, as will the costs associated with expanding network and storage capabilities. While these concerns do have merit, the truth is that HD video surveillance need not take up as much bandwidth and storage space as you might expect, so long as the right tools are in place.

When it comes down to managing a company’s network, IT professionals are generally cautious and strategic with how they allocate it. With only a modest percentage of the bandwidth usually reserved for video surveillance, the last thing an IT manager wants is video footage - particularly if it’s in HD - slowing down the entire network and taking up too much storage space.

The perception of high-definition video surveillance by those new to using it, is that HD surveillance takes up too much bandwidth and storage space and that you will have to pay a lot of money to expand your network and storage capacity in order to accommodate it. But HD video surveillance does not take up as much bandwidth and storage space as you might expect. Especially with technology advancing, surveillance cameras and systems are getting smarter and more adaptable to a variety of network and storage circumstances. Here are four things you can do to your HD cameras and system right away to lower bandwidth usage.

Selecting the right compression format

Getting familiar with your camera settings will allow you to maximize your image output without compromising storage space. Choose a compression format that best suits your needs. If you are looking to increase your storage, you may want to go with the h.264 compression format. Most HD video surveillance users are partial to H.264 over M-JPEG because of the way the compression works. It doesn’t capture each frame as a separate entity like M-JPEG. The video stream is composed of a reference frame, called an Index (I) Frame, and then changing areas of the image in subsequent frames, called Partial (P) Frames. The end result is a collection of I Frames and P Frames in an ordered pattern that is configurable on most cameras (for example: 1 I Frame every 30 Frames). This results in less “full" images (I Frames) and using less bandwidth and storage space without sacrificing image detail.

Use the appropriate resolution

Pick the camera that provides the least resolution that you need to get the job done. Why choose a 2 MP, when a 1 MP can do the job? Higher resolution generally means more bandwidth, which requires more storage. Obviously in a parking lot or areas where you are trying to cover a large area in high detail, a high megapixel camera is necessary. But if you are just monitoring a hallway or door, it makes sense to use an HD camera that can capture the detail you want at the lowest possible resolution.

Lower your frames per second

You are not shooting a movie, so there is no need to see 50 frames per second. Most people in the security industry use 5-7 frames per second, which in most cases, is going to show you everything you need to see evidence-wise and will be able to drop your bandwidth by a decent amount of megabits.

Recording on motion

Aside from adjusting camera settings to lower bandwidth, it is also a smart idea to configure your server to do event-based recordings. As an example, if you set up your servers to only record on motion events, then you will only capture footage whenever there is activity in the area that you are monitoring. The cameras are most likely always streaming to the server for live video, but with motion based recording they just wouldn’t be saving the data to the storage.