Preserving Contrast and Highlights: Converting ProRes HDR 10-bit to SDR using hevc\_videotoolbox
In this article, we will discuss the process of converting a 4K HDR 10-bit video clip with BT.709 color space to SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) while preserving as much color information as possible. This will allow the clip to be played on devices that do not support HDR.
Understanding HDR and SDR
HDR (High Dynamic Range) provides a greater range of color and contrast compared to SDR. HDR content can display more vivid colors and details in both bright and dark areas of the image. However, not all devices support HDR playback, which is where SDR comes in. SDR has a more limited range of colors and contrast, but it is compatible with a wider range of devices.
Using hevc\_videotoolbox for Conversion
hevc\_videotoolbox is a command-line tool that can be used to convert HDR video to SDR. It uses the HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) codec to compress the video, which helps to reduce the file size while maintaining the quality of the image.
Preserving Contrast and Highlights
When converting HDR to SDR, it is important to preserve as much of the original contrast and highlights as possible. This can be achieved by using the --color-matrix option in hevc\_videotoolbox to specify the BT.709 color space. This will ensure that the colors are accurately translated from HDR to SDR.
hevc_videotoolbox --color-matrix bt709 input.mov output.mov- HDR provides a greater range of color and contrast compared to SDR.
- hevc\_videotoolbox is a command-line tool that can be used to convert HDR video to SDR.
- Using the
--color-matrixoption in hevc\_videotoolbox to specify the BT.709 color space will help to preserve the original contrast and highlights when converting HDR to SDR.
References
-
Book: Video Encoding by Example Using FFmpeg by Jan Ozer
-
Article: Video Toolbox by Apple
-
Online Resource: HDR on the FFmpeg Wiki
Note: This article is intended to provide a general overview of the topic and is not intended as a comprehensive guide. It is recommended to consult the official documentation and other resources for more detailed information.