Deep Color / XV Color Question

[VinnyC]

Hi, I apologize in advance if this is answered somewhere already. I looked but had no luck.

My question is, does all deep color support up to 48bit? In other words, if something supports deep color / xv color, does that automatically mean it can support up to 48bit color? Or is it like slapping an HD sticker on something even though it can only go up to 720p? I understand that the color bit depth for deep color include 30bit, 36bit, and 48bit. But nothing indicates whether or not there are going to be 30bit deep color tvs, 36bit deep color tvs, and 48bit color tvs.

Or maybe Deep Color just means it does all three, end of story. If it DOESN'T support all three, then how would I be able to find out the information?

And am I totally confused by thinking that Deep Color is the same as XV color? I understand Sony made XV color the "official name" for deep color... but I could be wrong.

I understand there are a lot of nay-sayers about deep color / xv color. Please take your rants elsewhere. I am just trying to get an answer to my question, not start a debate over the usefulness of a feature.

 

[VinnyC]

Wow, no one has any thoughts?

 

[MDS]

Most people probably haven't studied deep color and that is why you haven't gotten a response.

I can say this though: The bit depth has nothing to do with resolution. Bit depth means the number of bits to represent the color of each individual pixel. 720p (1280 x 720) could use 24, 30, 36 or N bits per pixel if the device supports it.

Nobody can say for sure whether display manufacturers will rush to support Deep Color in the near future or not. I suspect not.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Nobody can say for sure whether display manufacturers will rush to support Deep Color in the near future or not. I suspect not.

Wouldn't that also depend on what is on the DVD or broadcast? No use having a greater color depth when it is not transmitted.

 

[MDS]

Wouldn't that also depend on what is on the DVD or broadcast? No use having a greater color depth when it is not transmitted.

Yeah, that is why I don't think there will be any big push by display manufacturers to support Deep Color. It's a new color standard and at this point still suffers from the chicken and egg problem. The display manufacturers will wait to see if source devices will support it and the source manufacturers won't be too hot to support until there are displays that can support it.

 

[VinnyC]

Ok, I have some clarifications...

Well I know the new Mitsubishi TVs support Deep Color, but it isn't listed anywhere which format of deep color it supports. Maybe that just means it is capable of going up to 48bit. http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/j/i/18326/WD65733.html?cid=5385

From what I've read, apparently xv color is not the same as deep color, but the two things work together to give more colors. XV color expands the primary colors to 6 colors instead of RGB, and deep color complements that to provide more "in-between" colors to get rid of color banding.

Unfortunately, nothing clarifies whether or not Deep Color automatically means it can go up to 48bit color, or if the 1st gen models can only go up to 30 or 36bit.

I do understand it depends on the source image. But would a 48bit source display in 48bit on ANY deep color TV? Or would it be down-converted because the TV can only do 36bit for example.

 

[Audioholics]

Those numbers are extremely deceptive... Some companies like Silicon Image like to use the higher combined (3x for RGB) numbers to describe things instead of the industry accepted ones (stated per channel).

Currently, HDMI uses 8-bit color. Deep Color currently enables up to 12-bit. That equates to your 24-bit and 36-bit numbers. But you see how deceptive that is since it's really just 8-bit and 12-bit encoding per color channel.

I do not believe any silicon chips currently manufactured go above 12-bit per channel. So, if they tell you anything above 36-bit they are simply stating the "potential" of the spec. Since Silicon Image isn't very interested in what can actually be done and likes to simply spout off numbers and potentials this could get very interesting.

You must also have a Deep Color-enabled HDMI 1.3a/b display and source in order for it to work.

Sony likes to re-brand everything it does and we let them think it's "official". It makes them a happy and then they leave everyone else alone to produce better products and technologioes... lol. For example: SXRD = LCOS... Compact Vault = Compact Flash... xvYCC = x.v.Color...

 

[VinnyC]

Well, according to this PDF from Texas Instruments

http://focus.ti.com/lit/an/slla263/slla263.pdf

8,10,12, and 16bit color equates to 24,30,36, and 48bit. So you are right Clint. It depends on what actual bits one is talking about. (Page 6 of the PDF in the chart at the top). Apparently the bits per pixel are 24,30,36, and 48, and the bits per sub-pixel are the 8,10,12, and 16bit.

That being said, you say current gen chips can only go up to 12 bit (36bit)? Thereby confirming my fears of their being multiple forms of deep color? Curse this industry and it's deceptive tactics! Don't make multiple things and then reference them all by the same name!