Netflix Begins HDR10+ Streaming

Netflix is now streaming HDR10+ content for AV1-enabled devices to enhance the viewing experience for certified HDR10+ devices. Previously, those devices only received HDR10 content, but the new capability will improve the quality and accuracy of the picture when viewed on those devices, the company says.

In a blog post, Netflix recounts how nearly a decade ago, it adopted HDR and began producing shows and movies in HDR, encoding them in HDR and streaming them in HDR.  

Why Netflix Adopted HDR10+

According to the company, HDR streaming has increased by more than 300% over the last five years, and the number of HDR-configured devices watching Netflix has more than doubled. Netflix now has over 11,000 hours of HDR titles, the company claims.

Here’s more from Netflix:

We enabled HDR10+ on Netflix using the AV1 video codec that was standardized by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) in 2018. AV1 is one of the most efficient codecs available today. We previously enabled AV1 encoding for SDR content, and saw tremendous value for our members, including higher and more consistent visual quality, lower play delay and increased streaming at the highest resolution. AV1-SDR is already the second most streamed codec at Netflix, behind H.264/AVC, which has been around for over 20 years! With the addition of HDR10+ streams to AV1, we expect the day is not far when AV1 will be the most streamed codec at Netflix.

The company also says it has been adding HDR10+ streams to both new and existing HDR content. Now, AV1-HDR10+ accounts for 50% of all eligible viewing hours, the streaming giant says.

“We will continue expanding our HDR10+ offerings with the goal of providing an HDR10+ experience for all HDR titles by the end of this year,” the company writes in a blog.

In the blog, authors say HDR10+ now joins Dolby Vision and HDR10 as the streaming industry’s leading HDR formats. Netflix calls HDR10 the most widely adopted, uses static metadata for tone mapping, while HDR10+ and Dolby Vision improve image quality with dynamic metadata, adjusting brightness and contrast per scene.

What is Needed to Watch HDR10+ Shows and Movies on Netflix

According to Netflix, these requirements must be satisfied to receive HDR10+ content:

• Member must have a Netflix Premium plan subscription

• Title must be available in HDR10+ format

• Member device must support AV1 & HDR10+. Here are some examples of compatible devices:

• For TV or streaming devices, ensure that the HDR toggle is enabled in Netflix application settings: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/100220