YouTube announces support for HDR video; color and brightness will now pop

YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl today announced at CES that the platform will soon be supporting HDR video. HDR (High Dynamic Range) refers to digital imagery that has an expanded contrast range and color pallette compared to conventional images, resulting in colors that are deeper, blacks that are purer and bright areas with crisp detail.

However the television or monitor displaying the content needs to specifically support the HDR feature for the effect to be visible. Coincidentally Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic have all announced HDR capability in some of their next generation flagship TVs.

This certainly seems to be a standard headed toward wide acceptance with even Amazon and Netflix having already announced support for the standard.

HDR will bring to life imagery in titles that have strongly stylized scenes, including in titles such as Game of Thrones and Jessica Jones, also in those that depict expansive landscapes and space vistas.

Just when consumers were coming to terms with UHD, here’s something else to consider for a top-notch viewing experience this year.