Quantum Dynamic Range Video (QDRV): A floating-point HDR video format & toolchain

QDRV (Quantum Dynamic Range Video) is an innovative, open-source floating-point video format and toolchain designed to succeed existing integer HDR formats, such as HDR10, HDR10+, and proprietary Dolby Vision. Through a two-tier operational structure, QDRV provides both high-precision mastering and efficient delivery, without the constraints typical of proprietary systems.

Operational Tiers

• Mastering Tier: Utilises .qdrv64 files, which support Float64 linear-light RGB for precise and transparent video mastering.
• Delivery Tier: Employs .qdrv32 files tailored to deliver Float32 PQ RGB data within AV1-compressed payloads, ensuring compatibility and interoperability with various downstream systems.

Unlike traditional HDR formats, which impose licensing requirements and proprietary tools, QDRV is fully open and royalty-free. It addresses video production teams' pressing need for a mathematically transparent format that retains quality and observability throughout the production pipeline.

Key Features

• Dual-Phase Processing: Mastering runs through .qdrv64 for precision and delivery through .qdrv32 for efficient data handling, reducing the hidden format transitions that complicate traceability.
• Deterministic Mode and Fidelity Contracts: Supports predictable behaviour through deterministic processing choices, and enforces quality contracts based on targeted metrics such as PSNR and SSIM.
• Compatibility and Evolution Management: Explicitly manages format and version compatibility, supporting both v1 and v2 container formats and ensuring an unambiguous migration path.
• Interoperability Features: Facilitates compatibility with existing AV1 ecosystems, exporting dynamic metadata and supporting standards-compliant muxing options for various formats, such as MP4, CMAF, and IVF.
• Robust CLI Tooling: The qdrv command-line interface provides a comprehensive operator surface for format inspection, conversion, and conformance execution, and it is designed for both interactive use and integration into automated pipelines.

Deterministic Processing and Quality Assurance

QDRV prioritises reproducible results across different environments, making it suitable for teams under release pressure. Checks are incorporated into the workflow to validate outcomes continuously during development, ensuring quality and compliance with contractual expectations for video fidelity.

Implementation and Design Philosophy

The design of QDRV emphasises clarity and determinism. The architecture focuses on maintaining distinct responsibilities among its crates, enabling flexibility in feature development while safeguarding the overall reliability of the format.

Extensive Documentation

QDRV follows an implementation-first approach, ensuring that the documentation reflects current capabilities and behaviour rather than aspirational goals. Feature and usage details can be found within the repository and provide comprehensive insights into the format's design and application.

Summary

QDRV represents a significant advancement in video processing, aiming to enhance both precision and observability in dynamic-range workflows. It offers the video production community a powerful tool for mastering and delivering high-fidelity content in a widely compatible format.