Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Google Play Movies & TV upgrades with support for High Dynamic Range

Parker Hall
By

google play movies and tv high dynamic range chromecast ultra video quality
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Google is bringing better picture quality than ever to viewers who use its Google Play Movies & TV store to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV shows, adding High Dynamic Range (HDR) support to the service. HDR offers deeper contrast, richer colors, and better shading for video content, and is a feature supported in one way or another by a wide swath of 4K Ultra HD TVs on the market today.

Delivered in a short and sweet announcement this morning, the company will first roll out HDR support to the United States and Canada. For now, HDR support only comes to those who own Googles 4k Ultra HD streaming device, the plug-and-play Chromecast Ultra.

Recommended Videos

The Chromecast Ultra has supported the two most popular HDR formats — HDR10 and the less prevalent Dolby Vision — since it was first launched late last year. However, it’s not clear whether Google Play Movies and TV shows will support both formats at this time.

Related

By adding HDR support to its Play Movies & TV Store, Google introduces a new array of movies and TV shows for HDR fans to rent and purchase, and satisfies a common complaint of high-end TV owners who have struggled to find their favorite movies and TV series with the better contrast and richer colors and deeper contrast that HDR has to offer.

The move to add HDR content to its film and TV store mimics other services, including Amazon Prime Instant Video and Netflix, the latter of which recently dipped its toes into Dolby Atmos surround sound as well.

In terms of content, the company has partnered with major film studios like Sony and Warner Brothers for the launch of its new HDR fare, announcing releases like the popular Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them will be available in HDR, with many other major titles on the way in the coming months.

Those looking for the best possible TV to view Google’s newly licensed HDR content on are encouraged to check out our helpful TV buying guide. We’ll update this post with more information as we get it.

Update: The original article stated that HDR support was coming to all Google Cast devices with HDR support, including select TVs with Cast functionality built-in. As of now, Google representatives inform us that HDR support is only available to those who own a Chromecast Ultra device. 

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Parker Hall
Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
The best hidden gems on Netflix right now
Ahn Eun-jin in Goodbye Earth.

Have you ever come across a show on Netflix that was so particular to your taste that it felt like the series was made for you? If so, chances are good that it only got a single season on Netflix. No one has enough time to watch every series on Netflix, and the vast majority of them come and go with such speed that it's almost like they were never there at all.

This roundup of the best hidden gems on Netflix is dedicated to finding shows that deserve a second look, or at least an elevated push on Netflix's algorithm. This month, we're putting the spotlight on Goodbye Earth, a new Korean drama that dropped this week, as well as a nature documentary called Our Living World and a sitcom that was one of Netflix's one-season wonders: The Good Cop. You can find these three and more below in our roundup of the best hidden gems on Netflix.

Read more
B&O’s iconic six-disc CD player is back and can be yours for just $55,000
Bang & Olufsen Beosystem 9000c.

Legendary Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is bringing back its Beosound 9000 CD player -- a six-disc device that can lie flat or be mounted vertically or horizontally -- as the limited-run Beosystem 9000c. Only 200 will be sold and each player will be paired with a set of B&O's Beolab 28 speakers,. It's a package that will set you back by $55,000. If that number doesn't give you pause, you'll be able to buy one starting April 24.

If that price does gives you sticker shock, B&O wants you to know just how much time and effort has gone into making this limited edition possible. The Beosystem 9000c isn't a new manufacturing run. Instead, B&O collected 200 original Beosound 9000 CD players, which it then refurbished in the same factory (and with many of the same technicians) where they were first built between 1996 and 2011.

Read more
Crazy! This 75-inch 4K TV is under $450 at Walmart right now
The onn. 75” Class 4K UHD (2160P) LED Frameless Roku Smart TV is a living room with orange walls.

Walmart continues its reign of great TV deals with the option to buy an Onn. 75-inch Frameless 4K TV for just $448. A 75-inch TV for under $500 is pretty impressive and this TV usually costs $498 so you’re saving even more than usual. If you want a great new TV to add to your home for less, this is the perfect opportunity to do so while saving plenty of cash. Let’s take a look at what it has to offer.

Why you should buy the Onn. 75-inch Frameless 4K TV
Onn. is nowhere to be seen in our look at the best TV brands but it’s still pretty respectable for anyone seeking a budget-priced TV. The most obvious benefit here is the hefty 75-inch 4K screen with 2160p resolution. It looks great with a crystal clear picture which is an excellent upgrade compared to an HD screen. The Onn. 75-inch Frameless 4K TV might lack the finer features of the best TVs but it has the essentials arranged well.

Read more