Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s the pioneering efforts of manufacturers such as Runco, Faroudja and DVDO, high-performance home theater system had to include video processors. But by the late 2000s and the emergence of 1080p projectors and displays the need for progressive scan and line doubling technologies had subsided. Further minimizing the value of video processors, the video industry quickly transitioned straight from the 3D fad and into the UHD 4K (3840×2160) format.
Now, like many other things, ranging from fashion to even guitar solos in pop music, video processors are once again in vogue driving state-of-the-art video system performance.
Despite the huge leaps in quality the home video market has experienced over the past couple of decades with the transition from analog media to HD and now UHD 4K, Richard Litofsky, co-founder and CEO of MadVR Labs, suggests that modern media such as HDR is still difficult for displays to reproduce.
“On a technical level, no display today can fully reproduce HDR as originally mastered. HDR content can be graded up to 10,000 nits [although 1,000 and 4,000 nit grading is more popular] with full BT.2020 color coverage, but most front projectors only reach 50-150 nits,” says Litofsky.
“Even high-end projectors over $50,000 or even $100,000-plus may only hit 300-500 nits on a large screen—still well short of mastering levels. [With] that said, we are seeing some projectors in the $10,000 to $20,000 range that can approach 300-500 nits, which is an exciting trend, albeit not at the same picture quality as the higher-end models.”
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Addressing this performance gap in TVs, Litofsky boasts that today’s generation of video processors augment video, including 4K and HDR, in several ways, unlike the products of previous generations, which were built for SDR (standard dynamic range) and formats such as 1080p.
Pointing to his company’s own product line, Litofsky notes that today’s video processors can deliver HDR tone mapping, including frame-adaptive tone mapping for HDR, and AI-based video processing. MadVR’s Envy Core and Extreme MK2 products can even provide upscaling, geometry correction, dynamic tone mapping, video calibration, and the company’s MotionAI (Advanced Motion Interpolation).
According to Dave Silkin, president and CEO of Digital Sales Group Metro and DSG Distributors, the step up into video processors and solutions offer his dealers value by enhancing the video performance of their luxury home theater installations. Even before he started representing products like MadVR’s in the Long Island region, one feature in particular that he kept hearing was a non-linear stretch option, which he says provides a more visually appealing means of aspect ratio of correction.
Another pain point Litofsky points out on modern televisions is that, while peak brightness has improved, they still don’t reach full mastering level brightness. He goes on to say modern TVs’ built-in tone mapping often falls short with some TVs clipping highlights, while others apply fixed tone mapping curves that don’t dynamically adapt to content.
“To explain further: One big problem with what many displays do is that they simply apply one global tone mapping curve to the whole movie, so they handle bright scenes the same way as dark scenes,” Litofsky says.
“Unless the content is Dolby Vision, which then does dynamic tone mapping to customize tone mapping for each scene. External video processors can produce results that are like Dolby Vision—or potentially even better depending on the circumstances—even when playing HDR10 content.
“This is achieved by the video processors measuring each pixel or each movie frame in real time to make dynamic adjustments to the tone mapping algorithm for each movie scene and each movie frame to get the best possible image quality. Furthermore, Dolby Vision is not available with today’s home cinema projectors except for some ultra-short throw [UST] projectors.”
Litofsky emphasizes that while video processors are commonly associated with projectors, these products can be as impactful for high-performance flat-panel TVs, improving HDR tone mapping, upscaling, restoring much of the 30% lost image size due to black bars when watching movies on 16:9 screens, and color accuracy far beyond what built-in processing can achieve.
He goes on to state that other technical elements that video processors help to address include the handling of aspect ratios, which can be difficult for home AV systems because there is no set aspect ratio for movies. One solution that Litofsky notes the market has implemented to address the challenges associated with CinemaScope aspect ratios is the inclusion of memory settings for projector lenses.
Video processors, he contends, automatically detect and adjust for aspect ratio changes in real time to eliminate the need to manually select a different lens setting.
Moreover, says Litofsky, video processors provide reference-quality calibration options, non-linear stretch to eliminate black bars, advanced motion processing, and chroma and AI-based upscaling.
Beyond the enhancement of the overall image quality and remaining true to the content creators’ intentions, Litofsky stresses video processors augment home entertainment in several ways.
For instance, MadVR’s Envy video processors can control motorized masking systems to help masking panels automatically adjust to match the aspect ratio of the content. Additionally, processors like the Envy can communicate with AVRs, projectors, and other home theater components to automate tasks such as adjusting volume levels, HDMI input switching, and display modes, reducing the need for a dedicated control system.
Additionally, Litofsky notes that unlike most displays that rely on fixed-function ASICs, some video processors can receive continuous firmware updates and evolve processing techniques, adapting to newer standards and processing techniques over time.
“While video processors are often viewed as tools for improving image quality, their automation capabilities, system integration, and future-proofed technology make them an essential part of a modern, high-end home theater system,” adds Litofsky.
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