As OTT platforms get even more entrenched, the demand for clearer and immersive streaming experience is also increasing. The streamers are working to enhance the technology and make the viewing experience on various devices even more interesting for the users. In line with this thinking, Disney Plus Hotstar is bringing Dolby Atmos audio for its (Hotstar) app users on compatible TVs, AVRs, soundbars, Android smartphones and iOS devices.
The streaming platform in July 2020 had launched Dolby Vision support, but the new Dolby Atmos playback offers a multidimensional and spatial sound experience, and puts its users in the middle of the action.
This feature is available to all of the platform’s users. Many of the popular Disney Plus Hotstar titles are now streaming in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Users can easily locate content in Dolby on the Disney+ Hotstar app by looking for the ‘Dolby badge’ on the title listing page.
How does Dolby Atmos work - Dolby Regional Director explains
Sidd Mantri, Head of Product - Developing Markets, Disney Streaming, said: "We are delighted to add Dolby Atmos spatial audio to further amplify the best-in-class entertainment experience on Disney Plus Hotstar. What excites us most, is the differentiated headphone experience we have now delivered to Dolby Atmos-enabled devices (including mobile) for a truly superlative experience on-the-go." All compatible devices and brands of wired and Bluetooth headphones can be used to experience Dolby Atmos.
But what is this differentiated experience? Well, Dolby Atmos enabled content will unleash every detail as it is meant to be heard. In an e-mail response to TechRadar India, Ashim Mathur, Senior Regional Director, Japan & Emerging Markets, Dolby Laboratories, said: "Dolby Atmos is an immersive audio experience that empowers creators to place discrete audio elements in a three-dimensional sound field, which is not possible in stereo or channel-based surround audio like 5.1. Because it is object-based, Dolby Atmos can adapt to any playback environment and give fans an immersive experience that matches the creator’s original vision in the studio."
The Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite allow artists to produce audio that is optimized for both speaker and headphone playback experiences, Mathur said.
"Dolby Atmos mixing includes creative choices such as binaural render modes 'near', 'mid', and 'far', offering creatives flexibility to determine how Dolby Atmos tracks are produced for headphones. Additional independent headphone metadata (binaural render modes) per object can be created. Thus, ensuring a differentiated headphone experience," he explained.
Dolby Atmos actually attaches sound to objects on-screen. This can give you the feeling that you are in the middle of the action, because it can deliver sound from every angle. The point is it is different from having speakers all around you while watching.
Some of the offerings in Dolby Atmos on the platform are: Home Shanti, Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, November Story, Human, Grahan, The Great Indian Murder, Aarya, Masoom, Ghar Waapsi, Special Ops 1.5, Vikram, Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal and A Thursday. Additionally, new titles from Hotstar Specials and Multiplex will also have Dolby Atmos.
