The Disney+ 4K saga has taken another turn as the streaming service has switched to a different video codec to restore 4K streaming on select devices. HDR will have to wait.
Last week, FlatpanelsHD reported that Disney+ had removed both 4K and HDR10 streaming after earlier this year dropping support for Dolby Vision and 3D. The changes significantly reduced video quality, limiting playback to 1080p SDR.
Disney has now provided an update:
- "We have implemented an alternative technology to enable 4K UHD and HDR following a recent court ruling, and we have begun restoring 4K UHD support on Disney+ in Denmark. 4K UHD remains unavailable on certain devices. We understand the inconvenience this may cause, and we are working to expand 4K UHD device support and restore HDR as quickly as possible," Disney told FlatpanelsHD.
New codec, limited device support
The issue is rooted in patents. Following a ruling by the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in Europe, Disney+ was forced to limit video quality due to patents covering the HEVC video codec and HDR technologies.
According to German publication Heise, Disney+ has switched from HEVC to the VP9 video codec to restore 4K streaming.
However, VP9 is supported only on certain devices. At the moment, 4K on Disney+ is available only on Google TV, Fire TV and newer LG TVs. It is currently unavailable on devices such as Apple TV 4K, Samsung TVs and game consoles.
- "Currently supported devices include Android TV devices, including select models from Google, Philips, Sony and others; Amazon Fire TV; LG TVs from 2020 onwards; Sky Glass; and Sky Stream. Device compatibility, support and availability of 4K UHD may vary and change over time," Disney said.
HDR still unavailable
HDR10 is still unavailable on Disney+, although the company says it is working to restore support. VP9 is an older video codec that is not widely supported.
Another option could have been the newer AV1 video codec, but AV1 is also not yet broadly supported across devices. As a result, Disney+ has had limited alternatives to HEVC while the patent dispute remains unresolved.
Amazon Prime Video resolved a similar dispute by reaching a licensing agreement with patent holder InterDigital.
So in summary 4K has returned to Disney+ in Europe, but only on select few devices. HDR10, Dolby Vision and 3D remain unavailable.
