If you want to enjoy movies at home with the same kind of cinematic feel as, well, those in the cinema, you’ll soon be able to – on Rakuten TV, at least.
At IFA 2019 we now have word that the IMAX Enhanced movie format, which uses an expanded aspect ratio and DTS mixed audio to imitate the feel of going out to the movies, will be coming to a select number of premium Sony TVs this month – as the first in the UK / European market.
The compatible televisions will be the Sony AG9 4K OLED, XG95 LED, and ZG9 8K TV, though these films will only be available on the Rakuten TV streaming platform.
A press release for the announcement said that "Sony's TVs have met a carefully prescribed set of performance requirements, set by IMAX, DTS engineers and Hollywood's leading technical specialists, to bring the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images and powerful, immersive sound to the home."
What can I watch in IMAX Enhanced?
As of September 2019, viewers will be able to watch a small number of IMAX Enhanced movies on the Rakuten TV streaming platform, which allows you to buy or rent films individually. The films will include Venom, the last two Spider-Man films, and the 2017 Jumanji reboot – and presumably some others that aren’t as high-profile.
Not every film will have the 1.90:1 IMAX aspect ratio all the way through, though, as Spider-Man: Far From Home will only have 45 minutes of it.
We expect to see the format roll out to other Sony TVs, and those by other manufacturers at some point, as the catalogue gradually grows to include more films. With more than enough HDR formats running around, you may not want to have to think about another – but given the focus on bringing a cinema-like experience, IMAX could certainly offer something different.
