Get 4K HDR, Dolby Vision and Atmos Quality in Streaming Services

In this guide we are going to see what criteria we need to meet to watch streaming services at their highest quality, get the most out of your device.

Currently, we have numerous devices to watch paid streaming such as Netflix. Not all of them can achieve the highest video and audio quality. It will depend on many factors such as DRM permissions installed, connection speed, operating system and other manufacturer contracts. It is possible to reach 4K HDR quality with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio on multiple services if we have the right hardware.

How to Watch Streaming Services in Highest Quality

Depending on the operating system and the DRM certificates of our hardware, we will have a maximum level of quality when playing paid streaming content.

Streaming services on Android Certified

Streaming services only offer us maximum compatibility on certified devices and with Netflix validation only on assemblers that comply with the Hailstorm program. When we have this validation and the DRM Google Widevine L1 certificate we can watch streamings in 4K Dolby Vision Atmos quality on all services such as Prime Video, Disney or HBO among others.

• Multichannel audio: HDMI only in streaming services, SPDIF stereo only.

Streaming Services on Android NOT Certified

On Chinese Android TV-Boxes we usually do not have DRM certificates, so we are limited in terms of the resolution we can get. In DRM certificates we only have Google Widevine L3 this limits to use Netflix in 540p quality for example. We will also have problems with Dolby Audio, as we will have to decode to stereo or maybe we will not have sound.

Streaming services on Windows PC

On Windows PCs we have certain limitations in quality. Normally, you can get FullHD quality or up to 4K HDR resolutions. On these machines we are left without Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos, this is limited for Android TV-Box or Smart TVs themselves validated for it.

Network Speeds for Streaming Viewing

Here you have a clear summary of the recommended Internet speeds to watch 4K UHD content on the main streaming platforms. As we can see, they are not very high speeds because they reward using the minimum bandwidth, on a Smartphone we will have low bitrate to consume little mobile data. If we watch these platforms on Android TV or PC will increase the bitrate, therefore, the required speed will be higher increasing the quality.

• Bitrate: It is the quality at which the content is played per second, if we are on a mobile or have few Mbps available will lower the image quality using this feature.