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HDR-Quality Streams Headed to Amazon Prime Instant Video

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 Prime Instant Video is about to get a lot more lifelike.

Amazon on Friday announced that Prime members in the U.S., U.K., and Germany will soon be able to watch shows and movies in High Dynamic Range (HDR). 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 photographic technique in which several shots are taken of the same high-contrast scene at different exposures. Highlights from the underexposed images and shadows from the overexposed frames are blended together to create a more natural look.

Amazon said its original shows will be the first to arrive with HDR video quality later this year. The Web retail giant is also working with Hollywood studios, as well as other tech and consumer electronics companies to "bring Prime members and customers an unmatched HDR experience in 2015."

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. The company says HDR takes things to the next level.

"4K Ultra HD picture resolution was just the beginning — we're excited that Prime members will soon be able to view movies and TV shows including Amazon Originals in HDR quality," Michael Paull, vice president of digital video at Amazon, said in a statement. "HDR is the natural next step in our commitment to premium entertainment, and we can't wait for customers to have even more choice in how they watch their favorite titles on Amazon Prime Instant Video."

Meanwhile, Amazon this week finally brought Prime Instant Video to Android tablets.

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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