Encoding HDR content for AppleTV 4K

[AWalkerStudios]

As a filmmaker I’m excited to remaster some of the stuff I’ve shot in redcode for the new Apple TV. I’m wondering if anyone has seen any info on best practices for encoding HDR content for playback via iTunes. I’ve noted the VLC app on tvOS needs an update…

 

[HDFan]

The originals were shot in HDRx? I really don't anything about this, but am interested in learning how you create an HDR video.

 

[Julien]

As a filmmaker I’m excited to remaster some of the stuff I’ve shot in redcode for the new Apple TV. I’m wondering if anyone has seen any info on best practices for encoding HDR content for playback via iTunes. I’ve noted the VLC app on tvOS needs an update…

If it is shot on (35mm) film you can rescan in HDR. However if it was shot in digital the original source must be shot in HDR. So you can't convert older digital video to HDR since it doesn't have the dynamic range or expanded color space encoded.

 

[AWalkerStudios]

Not quite. I’m talking about projects that were shot on Red Dragon. I’ve already mastered plenty of images for my website in Display P3 to take advantage of the broader gamut of the iMacs, MacBook pros, and iPhone 7 series. Because the original masters are shot in a 16bit raw codec you can pull HDR. This is not the same thing as HDRx, which is using exposure bracketing to fake a higher dynamic range. (which I think is an awful thing to do if you care about the overall viewing experience) I already know I can export HDR10, DCI-P3 or Dolby Vision files, what I want to know is if there’s a specific codec and metadata combination that I need to be creating in order to add a file to my iTunes library and have it playback on my Apple TV 4K in HDR via home share.

 

[Julien]

....shot on Red Dragon....P3....

Well if shot in P3 then it is recorded in HDR, at least for the color space. I have read that getting a wide dynamic range is often dependent on the aperture settings used and using the camera as close to 'blooming' as possible without (but WAY above me). You are using high end professional equipment and since this is a consumer forum I assumed you were talking about video shot on consumer equipment.

You are asking questions way above the 'pay grade' of this form and would probably be better asked in a pro or semipro film/mastering/encoding forum.

 

[priitv8]

You can do it in HDR10 or HLG if you have
- video software that can export 10 or 12-bit video encoded in PQ EOTF (not many at the moment. Resolve studio 12.5 or later is one, no idea about avid. Premiere and FCPX do not, yet).
- x265 10-bit encoder
- Mastering display characteristics metadata added to file. You just add them to x265 as arguments.
I just received my aTV 4K, so will try how do they play from iTunes as soon as I can.
PS afaik mastering for DV requires license from Dolby Labs so is not that easy.