Skip to main content

Sony’s promised Dolby Vision update doesn’t speak HDMI

Hey, we get it, TVs are more like computers that ever before, and sometimes software updates don’t go as planned. But that is cold comfort for owners of Sony’s high-end 4K TVs, which were promised a year ago that they’d get support for Dolby Vision. A recent firmware update issued by Sony that was supposed to deliver said HDR support, appears to be missing a key ingredient: Actually being able to see Dolby Vision content from external devices like 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players.

The problem seems to be a glitch in the way Sony is handling Dolby Vision over external ports, including HDMI, and USB, according to Forbes. Consumers trying to play Dolby Vision content from devices like Oppo’s 4K Blu-ray player, or Apple’s 4K version of Apple TV, are finding that their Sony TVs simply aren’t being recognized as Dolby Vision-compatible, even after the update.

Recommended Videos

Interestingly, the botched update isn’t a total write-off. Streaming Dolby Vision content from services that the TVs can access directly via built-in apps, like Netflix, and Amazon Video, does work. On another bright note, Sony’s commitment to Dolby Vision and HDR isn’t under any doubt. The company debuted a new range of fully Dolby Vision compatible TVs and UltraHD Blu-ray players at CES 2018, so we have every reason to believe that this glitch will be short-lived once Sony figures out what is going on. When it does, perhaps it can pass on what it learned to Apple. Turns out plenty of Apple TV 4K users are none too happy that once the device recognizes an HDR-capable TV, it only sends HDR signals down the HDMI connection. So far, Apple hasn’t released a fix.

As much as this will no doubt prompt eye-rolls from people who have spent some serious cash in preparation for the Dolby Vision goodness that awaits them, there isn’t actually a whole lot of 4K Dolby Vision content on physical media at the moment. So Sony, consider this a very short grace period before your customers start an all-out social media revolt. That wouldn’t be pretty, even in Dolby Vision.

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
Vimeo adds Dolby Vision support, but only for Apple devices
Dolby Vision is now supported by Vimeo on Apple devices.

Starting today, video upload and streaming service Vimeo is enabling Dolby Vision for creators, as well as the folks who stream content from the site, making it the first service of its kind to support Dolby's dynamic HDR format. The only catch is that you'll need a compatible Apple device for both uploading and playback of Dolby Vision content.

"Vimeo’s mission is to enable professional-quality video for all," said Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud in a press release, "and today we are delivering that power in Dolby Vision to hundreds of millions of Apple users globally."

Read more
Dolby Vision vs. HDR10 vs. HDR10+: Which HDR format is the best?
A gamer using one of LG's TVs.

High Dynamic Range, or HDR, is a transformative technology, turning drab-looking movies into head-turning, eyebrow-raising treats of color and contrast. It makes the whites whiter, the blacks blacker, and helps the color just pop off the screen. It's why certain modern movies look so gorgeous, and why they can also look drab and overly-dark if your TV is poorly configured.

There are a range of different HDR formats, and depending on the TV you're watching on, the streaming platform you're using, and the content itself, you may end up using any one of them. But the main three we're going to discuss today are the three most popular options: HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. Each of these handles HDR a little differently and though there are some strengths to each of them, they all have their weaknesses too.

Read more
New Apple TV 4K feature only works with a product Apple has killed
The Apple HomePod on a desk.

One of the Apple TV 4K (2021)'s coolest features appears to be limited to the HomePod, a product the company has officially discontinued. Confused? So are we.

Apple has recently been making announcements that seem, well, poorly thought-out to put it kindly. When it announced that it would be adding a lossless audio option for every single track on Apple Music, it also acknowledged that none of its wireless AirPod line of earbuds and headphones is currently compatible with the new format.

Read more