House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones, is finally out. It is now available on HBO max and on Sky in the UK. And if you are planning to watch it, you are signing up to enjoy one of the best series of all time.
That is not only because of the cinematography but also of the tech that is involved in House of the Dragon. The House of the Dragon is the first-ever HBO Max series that is being screened in 4K Dolby Vision HDR.
It also pairs up the Dolby Atmos to offer stellar virtual surround sound. Yes, HBO Max has screened movies before by integrating all of these entertainment technologies. But the platform did not air any TV series with these techs.
So, what do these technologies have to offer? First of all, Dolby Vision aims to offer High Dynamic Range (HDR) images with maximum accuracy.
It will do so by using dynamic metadata, which carries scene-by-scene instructions. Screens supporting Dolby Vision will be capable of using these instructions to ensure that the content is as close to what the filmmakers envisioned it would be.
The rival of Dolby Vision, which is HDR10, utilizes static metadata. As a result, Dolby Vision is more accurate than the HDR10. And it will eventually offer a better overall viewing experience.
On the other hand, Dolby Atmos will add overhead channels to the surround sound. It will basically envelop the viewer in a bubble of sound. And as it can pinpoint the voices and sounds to the exact points within the sound field.
As it does not simply assign the sounds and voices to specific channels randomly, it is highly capable of offering a more 3D sound listening experience. Eventually, viewers get a proper immersive experience while watching content with Dolby Atmos.
HBO Max in the EU has stopped converting the series from 24 fps to 25 fps. For that reason, you will find the House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones in their original fps rate, which is 24 fps.
And if you have a little idea regarding 24 fps videos, you might already know that it makes motion appear more natural to the human eye. That is why movies and series stick to this fps rating.
All of these might entice you into binge-watching the House of the Dragon; well, it does have a great plot.
According to George R.R Martin, whose books the series is based on, “It’s a story about very flawed human beings, capable of doing good things, capable of doing monstrous things.”
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.