Tomasz Wadowski
Philips joins Samsung – Netflix launches support for HDR10+
Netflix has officially begun rolling out support for the HDR10+ format – and although the process is gradual, it is already known that the next manufacturer whose televisions are ready for the new format is Philips. Previously, a similar declaration was made by Samsung, and now another player, this time a holding company, joins the game.
HDR10+ available on Philips televisions from 2022
According to the editorial staff of FlatpanelsHD, Philips televisions from the 2022 and newer models, equipped with the Google TV or Titan OS system, already support playback of Netflix content in HDR10+ format. This primarily concerns models from the lower series PUS7 and PUS80, which often do not support the competing Dolby Vision format.
PML8709 is a budget MINI-LED television that supports the HDR10+ format. You can find its review here:
Three HDR formats on Netflix – with a certain "but"
In March, Netflix officially announced that its library would gradually be available in as many as three HDR formats: classic HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. However, the introduction of the new format does not mean that users with televisions supporting both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ will be free to choose – Netflix defaults to Dolby Vision as long as the device supports it. Moreover, for content from Netflix to be available in HDR10+, the television must support the AV1 codec – this is a technical requirement that not all models meet, especially those from earlier years.
The competition for Dolby is gaining strength
Unlike the static HDR10, the HDR10+ format uses dynamic metadata, which allows the brightness and contrast of the image to be adjusted for each scene individually. This is particularly important for poorer LCD televisions, where often the brightness of the television is not sufficient for content mastered by professional film studios. Against the backdrop of the competition, HDR10+ is gaining more and more supporters. Amazon Prime Video has been a partner of the format since its launch, Apple added support in 2022, and Disney+ is planning to join in 2025.
Although currently only about half of the HDR catalogue on Netflix is available in HDR10+, the pace of change suggests that the format may become a permanent feature among the most important technologies available on streaming platforms. For users of televisions without Dolby Vision – especially in cheaper models – this is definitely good news.
