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Amazon Rolls Out Limited HDR-Quality Streams

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Amazon is taking video quality up a notch on its Prime Instant Video service.

The Web giant on Wednesday released the debut season its original series, Mozart in the Jungle, along with the pilot episode of Red Oaks in high dynamic range (HDR). Though its selection of HDR content is limited at the moment, Amazon is the first video service to offer the premium visual quality.

What does this mean, exactly? Expect greater contrast on the screen, more detailed shadows, and distinct highlights for colors that appear richer, brighter, and more lifelike, Amazon said.

"HDR is a technical innovation that provides a truly stunning viewing experience and we're thrilled to be the first to offer this unmatched picture quality," Michael Paull, vice president of digital video at Amazon, said in a statement. "We can't wait for our Prime members to watch and re-watch Mozart in the Jungle in HDR."

The new HDR-quality streams are available at no additional cost beyond your Prime membership, but you'll need to watch on a Samsung SUHD TV or via the Amazon Video app to notice a difference.

Amazon first announced plans for HDR content in April, but the rollout begins now. The move comes after Amazon in December first started offering certain movies and TV shows on Prime Instant Video in 4K, or Ultra HD, which offers four times the number of pixels as standard full HD for ridiculously clear images. HDR takes things to the next level. Amazon said it's working with Hollywood studios and electronics companies to add more titles and devices that support HDR this year.

Meanwhile, Amazon's new show Mozart in the Jungle is a half-hour comedic drama from Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppolam and Paul Weitz. Amazon has already ordered a second season of the show, which will premiere early next year.

"It's been a great year for Mozart in the Jungle," Coppola said in a statement. "Now, having the first season available for fans in an upgraded visual experience is exciting — the enhanced quality makes every scene look even better and we hope it's something that our viewers really enjoy."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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