Netflix cranks up the brightness, reveals HDR release schedule

Get your sunglasses at the ready: Netflix has started rolling out its first HDR content, and revealed what’s on the way next.

You can watch season one of Marco Polo in glorious HDR right now, but let’s face it, not everyone’s into historical dramas.

That’s why we’re much more excited for what’s coming later this year. Netflix is promising Jessica Jones and the second season of Daredevil in HDR – which should hopefully make all those crazy dark scenes a lot easier to see.

Marvel’s Defenders and Iron Fist will follow in 2017, in case you haven’t had your fill of comic book adaptations. Space anime Knights of Sidonia, cooking show Chef’s Table and thriller series Bloodline are also on track to get the HDR treatment over the next twelve months.

Netflix’s odd obsession with Adam Sandler means you can also watch HDR versions of The Ridiculous Six and The Do-Over if you really want to – maybe once you’ve exhausted all the other HDR content.

4K might mean more pixels, but HDR is basically “better” pixels. Expect brighter highlights, more detail in dark scenes and a wider colour range – basically a bigger jump in quality than the switch from standard def to HD.

You’re going to need an HDR-compatible TV to start streaming. Netflix supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, so pretty much any top-end 2016 TV will be good to go.

As usual, though, there’s a catch.. HDR will be available on Netflix’s 4K package, so you’ll need to shell out that $12/pm (R171 per month) and have an HDR-ready TV at your command. That’s not so bad, is it?

Source: Netflix