One of the big issues for HDR use in broadcast is the metadata question. Broadcasters keep saying they do not want to have metadata as part of their workflow, but it exists in capture and increasingly, as part of the HDR distribution package, so this attitude may have to change.
SDI is the main transport mechanism in broadcast, which does not support metadata – not yet anyway. SMPTE has a committee looking at this right now (32 NF40) which will specify how HDR over SDI will be handled. Clearly, a flag to indicate it is HDR vs. SDR is needed as well as signalling the EOTF used. But will it contain additional information like the static metadata specified in ST-2084 or the dynamic metadata specified in ST-2094? If you want to know more about the status of this committee, take a look at: https://www.smpte.org/standards/meeting-reports
HDR live productions are clearly being done on a trial basis today, so how are they handled? After discussing with a few folks, it seems that some custom settings in equipment is needed as well as a lot of person-to-person communication. That is, since there is no metadata to inform the next piece of equipment about the incoming signal, gear must be configured to support an SDR or HDR workflow with clear communication as to what signals are on what lines. Metadata will help with this, but broadcasters keep resisting it. – CC
