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Digital Video Basics

Digital video uses a grid of pixels to represent images, with each pixel assigned a numeric value to indicate its color. More pixels and higher bit depths provide more colors but require more data storage and transmission bandwidth. Common video formats have resolutions from 128x96 up to 4096x2160 pixels, recorded at frame rates from 1 to 200 frames per second depending on the application. While high quality video can require gigabits of data per second, compression techniques reduce this by eliminating redundant or uninteresting bits between frames.

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88 views

Digital Video Basics

Digital video uses a grid of pixels to represent images, with each pixel assigned a numeric value to indicate its color. More pixels and higher bit depths provide more colors but require more data storage and transmission bandwidth. Common video formats have resolutions from 128x96 up to 4096x2160 pixels, recorded at frame rates from 1 to 200 frames per second depending on the application. While high quality video can require gigabits of data per second, compression techniques reduce this by eliminating redundant or uninteresting bits between frames.

Uploaded by

dragon25
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Digital Video Basics

presentation at VSF 2010

Digital Video Basics


In the Digital Era, all data is recorded, stored, and transmitted in digital form
Including pictures and sound

A digital picture is composed of a 2D array (W x H) of pixels (picture elements) Each pixel is a block represented by a binary number indicating its color
True Color = 24 bits = 3 8-bit channels (RGB)
8 bits = 256 shades per channel 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 mixed colors

More than human eye can distinguish


Humans perceive 1-10M colors

Pixel Pictures Not New Idea

Detail

Le Grand Jatte (aka Sunday in the Park)


George Seurat 120 x 81 (inches)
Estimated to contain 3,456,000 dots (started in 1884, finished in 1886)

24-Bit True Color Scheme


0 1 2 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 1 1 0 7 0 1 0 1 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

Red Channel

Green Channel

Blue Channel

251 252 253 254 255

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

0 1 1 1 1

1 0 0 1 1

1 0 1 0 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

0 1 1 1 1

1 0 0 1 1

1 0 1 0 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

0 1 1 1 1

1 0 0 1 1

1 0 1 0 1

Pixel Number (W x H)
Fixed by standard/device
Mobile: 128 x 96 (sub-quarter CIF) Videoconferencing: 352 x 288 (CIF) (Common Intermediate Format) SDTV: 640 x 480 (NTSC) or 720 x 576 (PAL) HDTV: 1280 x 720p or 1920 x 1080i WQXGA: 2560 x 1600
Wide Quad eXtended Graphics Array

Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI): 24fps


2K = 2048 x 1080
(also use similar 1920 x 1080 HD format at p24 frame rate)

4K = 4096 x 2160
5

Video: Frames Per Second


Depends on application
Time lapse: 1 frame/minute to 1 frame/year Surveillance: 10 or less Mobile: 15-20 Film: 24 SDTV: 25 (PAL) or 30 (NTSC) HDTV: 25/30 (1920 x 1080) or 50/60 (1280 x 760) High speed: 100 to 200M per second
100 frames = 3.33 seconds to playout at 30 fps 1000 frames = 33.3 seconds to playout at 30 fps 200M frames >77 days to playout at 30 fps

Key Pixel Facts


Doubling resolution quadruples pixels (2 x 2) Aspect ratios rectangular (W>H) due to HVS
1.33:1 (classic 4:3 33% wider than high) 1.60:1 to 1.85:1 (widescreen formats, e.g. 16:9) 2.35:1 (cinemascope, panavision, superscope)

Density (pixels per inch or ppi) not constant


Varies by size for fixed formats (e.g., 1920 x 1080) Useful density depends on viewing distance
300 ppi = photo-quality prints (close up) 72-100 ppi = typical monitors, displays (2-3 feet) 48 ppi = 19 SDTV or 50 HDTV (7-10 feet)
7

The Problem with Digital Video


The bits add up to staggering numbers:
1 SD frame = 345,600 pixels x 24 bits/pixel = 8,294,400bpf 1 second video = 30fps x 8,294,400bpf = 248,832,000bps HD can be as much as 6X more = 1,492,992,000bps

Cant store or transmit 250Mb/sec of data for SD, let alone 1.5Gb/sec for HD Fortunately, in video, most of the bits are either redundant or uninteresting

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