YouTube Launches HDR for Live Streams

YouTube Live Streams in HDR

2020 will be remembered as the year live streams went off the charts. Product announcements, events, entire trade shows are now held online via live streams. YouTube’s decision to enable HDR content for live streams is therefore only a logical step towards the ever-changing media scene out there.

SDR (left) vs HDR (right). This is a visualization for normal (SDR) screens, because you’re most likely not actually looking at an HDR screen. Image credit: YouTube

What is HDR video?

If you’re wondering what the hell HDR is and how it could be beneficial for your production (or live stream of course), maybe Samuels review of the new Apple iPhone’s 12 capabilities of capturing 10-Bit HDR in Dolby Vision might be a decent entry point for broaden your knowledge. And speaking of the iPhone 12: Since this is pretty much a mainstream device, I’m sure it work well with YouTube as the go-to video distribution service out there.

HDR really shouldn’t be a niche technology but a mainstream technology for achieving more natural reproduction of colors and contrast.

SDR image (left), HDR version (right). Image credit: YouTube

How Does it Work?

To host a live stream of HDR content on YouTube, you need two things: a supported encoder on the backend, and your viewers need a supported device to benefit from the extended HDR color and contrast. The list of suppored devices will grow rather quickly, I guess.

What do you think about HDR in general? Something worth exploring? Share your experiences in the comments below!