Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision is a premium HDR (High Dynamic Range) format that goes beyond standard HDR to deliver a noticeably better picture on compatible screens. Here is what that means in plain terms.

What HDR actually does

HDR lets your TV show brighter highlights, deeper shadows, and a wider range of colours than ordinary video. Standard video is mastered for a maximum brightness of around 100 nits, whereas HDR content is mastered for peak levels many times higher, which means sunlight, flames, and bright skies look far more lifelike.

Where Dolby Vision goes further

Most HDR formats apply the same brightness and colour settings to an entire film or series. Dolby Vision is different. It adjusts brightness, contrast, and colour scene by scene - or even frame by frame - so each moment looks as the filmmakers intended, rather than being a one-size-fits-all compromise. Think of standard HDR as giving your TV a pair of glasses to see a broader range of colours and brightness; Dolby Vision is like giving those glasses a custom prescription tailored to each scene you are watching.

Dolby Vision also uses up to 12-bit colour depth, compared with the 10-bit used by standard HDR10, which means smoother gradients and richer, more nuanced colour across the whole picture.

Where you can watch it in the UK

In the UK, Disney+, Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video all support Dolby Vision HDR streams. On Netflix, Dolby Vision is available on the Premium subscription tier. On Disney+, it is included with the Premium tier, which offers 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos audio. On Amazon Prime Video, you will need the ad-free tier (currently an extra £2.99 a month) to access Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Not every title on a platform carries Dolby Vision, so it is worth checking the details for individual films and series before you watch.

What kit do you need?

To get the full benefit, you need three things to line up: a Dolby Vision-compatible TV or display, a streaming device or smart TV app that supports the format, and a Dolby Vision stream from your chosen service. Many modern TVs from brands such as LG and Sony support Dolby Vision. Streaming devices including the Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and Google TV Streamer also support it. A stable broadband connection matters too - high-bitrate 4K HDR streams need a reliable connection to arrive without interruption.

One notable exception on the hardware side is Samsung, which does not currently support Dolby Vision on its TVs, instead backing its own HDR10+ format.

The bottom line

If you have a compatible TV and subscription, Dolby Vision delivers a picture that is closer to what the director saw in the colour-grading suite - with better contrast, richer colours, and more detail in both the brightest and darkest parts of the image.