James K. Willcox of Consumer Reports recently observed that a number of companies, such as Amazon and Netflix, have been “moving quickly” to bolster their respective rosters of 4K movies and TV shows.
“Many of these programs also support high dynamic range, or HDR, a technology that allows for more contrast between bright and dark areas of the picture,” he explained. “[This] brings greater realism, detail, and vibrancy to many scenes.”
According to Willcox, FandangoNow, formerly known as M-Go, already has hundreds of 4K videos, including some that support the HDR10 format.
“Titles, not exclusive to this service, include ‘The Martian,’ ‘The Revenant,’ and ‘Life of Pi,”’ he said. “The company charges $1 or $2 extra to rent 4K titles, and $5 or so more for purchases. [FandangoNow also] supports VIDITY, a new 4K and HDR download service.”
It should be noted that Samsung recently rolled out a new lineup of HDR LED TVs (KU6300 and KU6500), which boasts full support for VIDITY. Perhaps not surprisingly, the VIDITY-enabled TVs hit the market just months after Thomas K. Arnold, the publisher & editorial director of Home Media Magazine, declared the platform to be “on a roll.”
“[VIDITY] bridges the complexities of interoperability and compatibility across devices,” he wrote. “It’s a standardized solution that takes advantage of technological advances in chipsets, operating systems and devices — from smartphones to tablets to computers to smart TVs — to enable the best possible digital entertainment experience without getting in the way of the experience and requiring the consumer to have a Ph.D. just to figure out how to make it work.”
As we’ve previously discussed on Rambus Press, VIDITY allows consumers to download, store and play 4K Ultra HD movies with high dynamic range (HDR) across a plethora of devices. With no requirement to log into accounts or connect to the Internet for playback, VIDITY compliant products offer consumers a convenient way to store, copy and share their digital files. VIDITY also compliments third-party streaming entertainment platforms such as UltraViolet and others.
Rambus’ Cryptography Research Division is responsible for running and managing the SCSA’s VIDITY Key Issuance Center. The service, part of the Cryptography Research Trust Services offering, manages cryptographic keys used by SCSA-enabled devices and services to secure high-quality 4K Ultra HD content. In operating the Key Issuance Center, Cryptography Research delivers encrypted keys to storage device makers, player manufacturers and content issuers involved with the SCSA.
Interested in learning more about VIDITY? You can check out our article archive on the subject here.
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