New SDVoE Academy Course: Chroma Subsampling
What is “chroma subsampling”? We’re glad you asked!
We keep hearing video described as 4:4:4, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0. Since 4K took hold of video, these seem to be the de-facto description for it. So, as you’re reading this, why not try and answer this question: “What do these numbers mean?” Imagine you’re having a conversation about video with the guy who’s fixing your car, and he asks you what you mean by 4:4:4.
How did you do? Be honest! If your answer is, “Actually, not that well, I needed to look it up on Google” then you’re in the same boat as many other industry people. The great news is that it doesn’t take long to learn, and once the lightbulb goes on you’ll immediately feel more confident talking to your mechanic, or better still, your customer.
Everybody wants the best quality video all of the time on every device. However, in reality, this isn’t entirely possible just yet. The image you see from a 4K projector connected directly to a 4K source is going to be the best it possibly can be. Conversely, you don’t need to have that exact image pushed to your 7-inch phone screen, even if it was possible.
How to describe chroma subsampling to your customers
Chroma subsampling is one of the ingenious methods that “doctors” an image to help reduce bandwidth. It reduces the ratio of color information in a signal in favor of luminance (brightness) data, often without significantly affecting picture quality. The ratios change depending on where and how the original video content displays on the many different setups now available. This is true from the phone in your pocket to the 50-foot display in the concert hall.
Our latest SDVoE Academy course is not designed to teach you how to perform chroma subsampling. It’s designed to give you the knowledge of what chroma subsampling is, so your customers have the confidence you are providing the best possible video quality for their application. You can drive the sales process based on fact, rather than let the customer drive you based on cost.
Head over to the SDVoE Academy to shore up your knowledge of chroma subsampling today.
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