UltimateAVmag.com: x.v.Color and Deep Color: Don't Believe the Hype- Yet

The 2007 TVs and HDMI 1.3 devices are showing up to market, and the hype machine is running full tilt. New TVs with wider color gamuts and far greater bit depths, and the ability to display as many as 68 billion colors! And if you can name all those colors, I'll buy you a cigar.

Let's slow down and acknowledge something here. It's great to buy TVs or anything else with greater and greater capabilities. That means you're that much more future proof. And in a few years, x.v.Color and Deep Color might be all the rage.

But make no mistake- other than perhaps a few camcorders, there aren't any broadcast or consumer HD sources that support x.v.Color or Deep Color. For your new TV to take advantage of either one, the source must either be captured using x.v.Color or Deep Color, or transferred from film using x.v.Color or Deep Color.

Our existing HD library, including everything coming out on Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, does not conform. Nor does any HD broadcast we're aware of currently. In both cases increases bit depths would also take up a significantly larger amount of disc capacity. Talking with industry reps, it's believed that these new "standards" will first come to our TVs through gaming, if that's your thing.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy a TV with one or both of these features. And I'm not saying that these might not become very important in the future, I just don't want you buying a TV today and thinking these features will improve the colors you'll see on that TV with our current HD sources from broadcast and disc.

< Previous Post | Blog Home | Next Post >

Reader Comments

Posted Thu May31, 2007, 5:41 AM — By Gilles

All new Sony HD camcorder are x.v. Color compatible, so you can already get x.v Color improved content.

Posted Fri Jun 1, 2007, 2:19 PM — By Shane

I noted that there are x.v.Color camcorders. My point is that the marketing of these HDTVs is clearly suggesting that there will be a benefit with current broadcast and packaged media formats, which is unquestionably false.

Posted Mon Jun 4, 2007, 2:17 PM — By Yo

You're incorrect about the existing (and MASSIVE) library of film titles. They can - relatively easily in fact - be re-mastered with Deep Color, either from the film source or, more likely and more cheaply, from the existing HD master. Ask any of the top 10 post-production facility engineers, places like Lowry. There's no massive investment in infrastructure required. Some new equipment, yes. But it scales pretty phenomenally if you get what I'm saying...

Posted Tue Jun 5, 2007, 5:46 PM — By Mahmood Batasi

Many thanks for clearing this up Shane. Looks like the hype machine is in full swing by the manufacturers and retailers to capitalise on the HD boom.

Posted Thu Jun 7, 2007, 12:06 AM — By Shane

Yo- There is not a single packaged media title I'm aware of that has been mastered or remastered in Deep Color. If I'm incorrect, point me to the title.

And if you're suggesting that an existing HD master could be processed into Deep Color without going back the film elements, I don't see how that could be real bit depth and resolution and not some form of interpolation as opposed to capturing real infomration from the film elements.

Posted Sat Jul28, 2007, 5:23 PM — By Symon

That is my question. Do current DVD players hyping deep color do some interpolation on lower res sources and output deep color signal? Interpolated values would get rid of the digitization bands in broad areas of similar color, right? Agreed, not as good as true bit depth but still a huge improvement by getting rid of annoying quantization effects.

Posted Sat Sep 1, 2007, 12:58 PM — By heirdt von braun

I strongly disagree, I'm sure new blu-ray discs will support this technology in the next years and also games since PS3 already supports it thanks to the latest firmware upgrade. Please remember Sony has a very solid product integration, and I'm completely sure the first blu-ray movies supporting XVcolor will come from Sony Movie studios. So I don't really think this technology is trully far beyond today's available multimedia content. On the other hand HD broadcasts don't even support 1080p signal due to tremendous technology and investment it would require, and honestly I don't imagine them implementing XVcolor in a near future.

Posted Thu Sep20, 2007, 3:33 PM — By the gin mill

the simple reality is that the majority (middle of the line and up) of sony and mitsubishi fall 07' models will come 1.3 and x.v. color equipped, so hinting that buyers will be forced to pay a premium for the technology is what is REALLY misleading. Nothing points to the technology NOT being used in the next 2-3 years, and nothing asserts definitely that it will, so the smart move is to secure it if resonably priced and just wait. BTW, imo, it will almost certainly b utilized sooner than later. $$$$$$$

Posted Thu Nov22, 2007, 7:18 PM — By Pebhouse

xvCo.or can be added into games via PS3 very simple if the game designer are will to do so. Frankly running side by side the X range's color is obviously much better then V and W series.

Posted Tue Oct28, 2008, 2:04 AM — By edepot

I think x.v.color (or xvYCC) is not explained very clearly. http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html Those interested in a detailed explaination should visit that site. It goes into good detail on what is actually implemented in the PS3

Posted Sat Jan 3, 2009, 1:53 AM — By robinhanm

Pingback from Flv converter for mac blog If you happenly want to convert FLV on Mac, I suggest this Mac FLV converter, This FLV converter is specially designed for Mac os x users.

Posted Thu Oct22, 2009, 12:55 PM — By Coder90

No one was replaced by anybody. ,

Posted Fri Oct23, 2009, 10:05 AM — By Mr.Carrot14

When an act is determined or recognized as discretionary, that branch, department, or official has immunity for those actions, otherwise they would never make decisions for fear of adverse actions. ,

Add Comment