Posted Thu Jul 12, 2018 at 08:50 AM PDT by Steven Cohen
Support for the dynamic HDR format is rolling out to Xbox One systems.
Microsoft has announced the addition of Dolby Vision streaming support to the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. The feature is set to roll out to users over the coming weeks as part of the recently released System Update 1810 Preview.
Dolby Vision is a proprietary end-to-end High Dynamic Range (HDR) format. The process uses expanded brightness to improve contrast between dark and light aspects of an image, bringing out deeper black levels and more realistic details in specular highlights -- like the sun reflecting off of an ocean -- in specially graded Dolby Vision material. Likewise, Dolby Vision also offers a Wide Color Gamut (WCG), providing a greater range of colors than those found in the previous Rec. 709 color standard. In addition, the Dolby Vision process takes advantage of dynamic metadata, allowing it to adjust brightness levels on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis to create a more accurate HDR experience compared to static metadata formats like HDR10.
For now, it appears that Xbox One S & X Dolby Vision support will be limited to Netflix streaming. In order to watch Dolby Vision Netflix content through the console, users will need a Dolby Vision compatible display and a Netflix Premium subscription. It's not yet clear if Microsoft also plans to add Dolby Vision support for Xbox One S & X Ultra HD Blu-ray playback.
The Xbox One S 1TB Starter Bundle is now available for $298. Meanwhile, the Xbox One X is now available for $478. Finally, a Netflix Premium subscription with 4K Ultra HD and HDR streaming support currently costs $14 per month.
Source: Xbox Wire
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