HDR10+
This starts to get very crowded in the HDR space. There have been already 2 competing HDR standards in the kind of Dolby Vision and HDR10. But earlier this year HDR10+, a new format, emerged.
Amazon Prime Video has already pledged support for the format through its video streaming service. And currently, Netflix has said that there is a ‘possibility’ that it will add support for the format in the future.
Talking to TechRadar, Netflix’s Senior Product Manager of its Partner ecosystem, Richard Smith, told. The company would be open to supporting other HDR formats beyond HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
“We already do support HDR10, not the HDR10 + variant, in future. We will support HDR10 + possibility is there but it is not something that is on our roadmap at the moment,” he said. When asked whether the company was open to these other formats.
The HDR10+ main benefit has over HDR10 is that it allows for every scene HDR mastering using dynamic metadata – That’s what Dolby Vision already offers.
But, HDR10+ doesn’t offer the same 12-bit color as is offered by the latter format. Instead of sticking with the same 10-bit depth as HDR10.
Netflix indicated that it believed an open approach this was much more effective to consumers.
“Our aim is to not necesserily dictate your choice as a consumer but rather embrace it. And whichever technology you choose to buy we want to give you the best picture we can on that,” Smith concluded.
Rather than pre-emptively offer support for a format that is not yet been widely adopted. It instead sounds as though Netflix is waiting for enough people to have compatible televisions before it invests in the format.
With Samsung’s 2017 lineup of televisions already offering support for HDR10+. And with Panasonic pledging support for all its 4K pro. It might be worthwhile for Netflix to support the standard sooner rather than later.
