Tag: Dolby

Peacock Becomes First Streamer to Adopt Dolby’s Full Suite of Picture and Sound Innovations

LAS VEGAS — Dolby Laboratories and NBCUniversal on Monday, Jan. 5, announced Peacock will be the first streaming platform to embrace Dolby’s full suite of advanced picture and sound innovations.

The announcement, made on the eve of CES 2026 at the Dolby Live amphitheater at the Park MGM Hotel and Casino, builds on a partnership that began 10 years ago with the 2016 Olympics. Last September, Peacock announced it would start serving up NFL games in Dolby Atmos, an immersive, spatial audio technology that allows sounds to come from all around and above the listener for a more realistic and lifelike experience.

The Monday announcement, hailed by Dolby and NBCU as a first-of-its-kind technology integration, will see a gradual rollout of both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision — an advanced high dynamic range (HDR) video technology that enhances picture quality by optimizing brightness, contrast, and color on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis using dynamic metadata — to Peacock’s portfolio of movies, original productions, and live sports and events.

Peacock is extending the availability of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos across live sports over the coming year, including Sunday Night Football, NBA and MLB. Peacock is also the first streamer to announce its commitment to support Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby AC-4, anticipated to launch later this year.

Peacock is currently gearing up for a live sports streaming bonanza in February, with the Winter Olympics in Italy, the NBA All-Star game and the Super Bowl.

The announcement was made by John Couling, SVP of entertainment at Dolby Laboratories, and David Bohunek, SVP of global video engineering at NBCUniversal, in a “fireside chat” moderated by veteran technology reporter Jake Krol.

“We see a great opportunity to push the video quality alongside the audio even to higher levels, so we’re excited about that,” Bohunek said.

Couling said live sports is a good place to start. “Dolby is known for movies and music, but sports actually is a really deep part of our heritage,” he said. “We first worked with NBCUniversal on the 2016 Rio Olympics, but we’ve been involved in sports much longer than that — actually, for decades. Our first 5.1 broadcast here in North America was back in the late 1990s, and the first Super Bowl in 5.1 was in 2000. So we’ve been involved in the sound of sports for some time, and it’s really all driven by the fact that we want fans to be able to get the very best experience, and that means making them feel like they’re there–making them feel like they are part of being in that stadium or that arena.”

Couling said Peacock is the right partner because the streamer and Dolby both share a vision of placing the viewer “in the emotional heart of the action.”

Both companies, he said, also believe in “pushing technology, but doing that for a purpose that goes far beyond the technology itself. It’s for the purpose of creating that wonderful experience, that immersion, of giving people choice and capabilities, of making the experience just as good as it can possibly be. And when we work with a partner who’s really creating some of the most important and powerful content, they challenge us with can we do this, can we do that, can we make it do the following. And it’s great to be driven by that kind of passion.”

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Peacock also is preparing to adopt the next generation of Dolby innovation. Unveiled at IFA 2025, Dolby Vision 2 is the successor to Dolby Vision, which was originally introduced a decade ago. The company says Dolby Vision 2 “is designed to meet the evolving expectations of today’s viewers and unlock the most out of your television. From helping solve the debate on whether the picture is ‘too dark’ to delivering a more cinematic experience without distracting judder or soap opera effects, Dolby Vision 2 delivers a more authentic, captivating picture.”

Dolby AC-4 is Dolby’s most advanced and efficient audio codec to date, delivering crystal-clear sound with up to 50% greater efficiency than traditional codecs, according to the company. Dolby AC-4 offers new personalization and dialog enhancement features and unlocks the highest audio fidelity possible while using a fraction of the bandwidth of traditional codecs.

Peacock’s Bohunek welcomes the new capabilities that will become available with Dolby AC-4.

“I actually have a little story to share,” he said. “I think it was our first NFL exclusive game we had on Peacock, and during half time we got a phone call from somebody pretty important in our company saying, ‘Hey, in the second half, I really want to hear the commentary more. Can you change that?’ And then two minutes later, we got another phone call from somebody very important in the NFL, saying, ‘Hey, I want to hear the stadium noise more. It’s more exciting that way.”

With Dolby AC-4, Bohunek said, “the customers will be able to choose, and if they want to hear only the dialog, or only the stadium sound, or somewhere in between, it’s their choice. And that’s pretty exciting.”

Comcast, Dolby to Deliver Super Bowl in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to Xfinity TV Customers

Comcast and Dolby have announced that Super Bowl LIX on Fox will be delivered in both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for the first time ever. The experience will be available to Xfinity TV customers as part of Comcast’s new Enhanced 4K offering on X1 and on the Xfinity Stream App. 

“Enhanced 4K provides customers with an unmatched viewing experience with the best picture and audio quality, delivered to the home in the fastest way possible so the action customers see in their living room is only seconds behind the game unfolding in New Orleans,” according to the companies’ press release.

“The Super Bowl is another example of how Xfinity is redefining the sports viewing experience through innovations in our network and with the latest innovations from partners like Dolby,” Vito Forlenza, VP of sports entertainment, connectivity and platforms, said in a statement. “With the clearest picture quality and the most realistic audio possible, we’re offering customers a viewing experience they can’t get anywhere else for the biggest live sporting event of the year. Plus, we’re delivering it as fast as possible over our state-of-the-art network so customers can feel like they’re witnessing every exciting moment at the same time as the fans in the Superdome.”

“Dolby and Comcast share a long history of delivering unparalleled, first-of-their kind experiences to fans, and today marks another milestone in our journey to transform the future of live sports,” Jason Power, VP of AV ecosystem at Dolby Laboratories, said in a statement. “Together, we continue to raise the bar by offering Xfinity customers an immersive experience that brings the sights and sounds of the game to life like never before.” 

Xfinity customers can also enjoy the viewing experience in 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos through the Xfinity Stream app, which is available on compatible Dolby-enabled streaming devices and TVs.

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Jennifer Lopez Joins ‘Love More in Dolby’ Campaign

Jennifer Lopez, the multi-hyphenate artist, is teaming up with Dolby Laboratories to kick off the latest installment of the “Love More in Dolby” global brand campaign.

In this next chapter, Lopez stars in the commercial which celebrates her new single “Can’t Get Enough” from This is Me … Now, releasing globally on Feb. 16, and her first studio album in a decade. Fans can experience “Can’t Get Enough” now in Dolby Atmos, streaming on Apple Music and other services where available. This is Me … Now will also be available in Dolby Atmos.

“There are so many intricate details that went into making This is Me … Now to create an emotional journey for my fans,” Lopez said in a statement. “When I first heard the album in Dolby Atmos, I was blown away because it really lets each of these individual tones shine through, so the artist can hear exactly what they have created. This is Me … Now is an emotional and truthful album and cinematic experience. When you hear it in Dolby Atmos, you will feel the full emotion of the heart and soul that was poured into this new record.”

“Jennifer Lopez has a beautiful gift for storytelling, and we are thrilled that Dolby Atmos will help fans connect with This is Me … Now on an even deeper level,” Todd Pendleton, SVP and chief marketing officer at Dolby Laboratories, said in a statement. “Dolby Atmos captures the raw emotion of this story exactly as Jennifer intended it to be experienced. Fans will feel as if they are sitting alongside her in the studio as they rediscover her music in a whole new way.”

Directed by Grammy-nominated music video director and filmmaker Colin Tilley, the piece explores how Dolby Atmos “can transform a mundane moment like sitting in traffic into an instant vibe,” according to the Dolby press release. The commercial follows the premiere of Dolby’s “Love More in Dolby” campaign, which kicked off in November 2023 with the debut of a short concert vignette starring Ed Sheeran.

To celebrate this next chapter of “Love More in Dolby,” Dolby is also offering consumers the opportunity to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win several Dolby experiences. The grand prize includes a two-night trip to Las Vegas for the winner and up to three guests for a Dolby Live VIP Experience. Additional prizes include a Dolby Home Theater setup (consisting of a TV and sound bar enabled with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos) and one-year of both Apple Music and Amazon Prime Video; tickets for a Dolby Cinema night out; and other prizes. Terms and conditions apply. No purchase necessary. The sweepstakes ends March 31. To learn more and view the official rules, visit here.

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Dolby’s “Love More” campaign, which will run through 2024, aims to spread awareness of the art of what’s possible in Dolby, according to the company. The campaign celebrates the full potential of Dolby’s latest audio and video innovations, such as Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, “which bring mesmerizing picture and multidimensional sound to your music, movies, shows, games, and sports so you can love them more,” according to the company release.

Dolby Labs Appoints Shriram Revankar SVP

Dolby Laboratories has appointed Dr. Shriram Revankar SVP of the Advanced Technology Group.

Steve Forshay, who previously served in the position, will support this leadership transition and will retire in June.

Most recently, as VP and fellow at Adobe, Shriram founded several of Adobe’s global research labs, including the Big-Data Experience Lab and the Document Intelligence Lab. Through these centers he built and led the team that identified and delivered innovations that enabled the growth of Adobe’s Experience Cloud and Document Cloud businesses. As the leader of Adobe’s advanced technology capabilities, he identified and built near-term and future technology needs for multiple businesses and SaaS-based offerings that rely heavily on data science, immersive media experiences, artificial intelligence and computer vision.

“Throughout Shriram’s career he has identified and delivered technology innovations to enable significant business growth for new and established businesses,” Kevin Yeaman, president and CEO of Dolby Laboratories, said in a statement. “I’m confident that Shriram’s leadership, passion for innovation and domain experience will help fuel Dolby’s future technology offerings and create more immersive experiences.”

“Dolby continuously innovates to deliver the best audio and imaging technologies,” Revankar said in a statement. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to build on Dolby’s strong product foundation and lead the team inventing the next generation of immersive tools, content and services.”

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Prior to joining Adobe, Shriram was a Xerox fellow and founded and led its Smart and Adaptive Systems Lab. As chief architect of the production solutions business at Xerox, he developed a platform that enabled integration of multiple independently developed enterprise solutions to interoperate at scale.

Shriram holds a masters and Ph.D. in computer science from SUNY Buffalo.

Xgimi Showcases Aura 4K Short-Throw Laser Projector at CES 2022

Xgimi at CES 2022 is showcasing its new 4K ultra short-throw laser projector, the Aura.

Launched in October 2021, Aura “reimagines home entertainment” utilizing ultra short-throw technology to project 4K images at up to 150 inches, while only being inches away from the screen, according to Xgimi.

The Aura features HDR10 resolution, is powered by 2,400 ANSI lumens of brightness, and includes an Android TV 10 user interface that runs major streaming services such as Disney+, Hulu and Amazon Prime. It also includes built-in Chromecast functionality; three HDMI ports for external devices such as game consoles, cable boxes and Blu-ray players; and four 15W Harman-Kardon built-in speakers with two tweeters and two subwoofers with Dolby Audio support. 

Eight-point keystone correction technology makes focusing “a breeze,” according to an Xgimi release.

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The Xgimi Aura 4K UST Laser Projector joins the Horizon series, Elfin and Halo & MoGo series in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

DEG Presents 5th Annual Hedy Lamarr Award to Former Dolby Exec Poppy Crum

DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group Dec. 6 awarded Poppy Crum, former chief scientist at Dolby Laboratories, the Hedy Lamarr Award for Innovation in Entertainment Technology in a virtual presentation.

In its fifth year, the Hedy Lamarr Award recognizes female executives in the fields of entertainment and technology who have made a significant contribution to the industry.

At Dolby, Crum is responsible for integrating neuroscience and data science into algorithm design, technology development and technology strategy. She is also an adjunct professor at Stanford University, focusing on the impact of modern technologies and immersive environments such as augmented and virtual reality on neuroplasticity and learning.

“It’s an absolute honor to receive this award in Hedy Lamarr’s name,” Crum said after being introduced by Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association. “She’s truly one of the most creatively inspired and impactful inventors of our time.”

Crum noted the imaginative thinking behind Lamarr’s inventions.

“Her creative and artistic talents and perspective were part of the brilliance that inspired her to see successful solutions and opportunities that were whimsically unconventional and not stuck in the past, whether wanting to help provide safe transport at sea during wartime and finding the inspiration behind frequency hopping in the compositional strategy and orchestration of player pianos or improving flight time and safety in the wing design of an airplane conceived as Frankenstein features of different animals, each having its own aerodynamic superpower to include,” she said.

Crum pointed out that Lamarr also had failures, notably the “cola-cube” a sort of bouillon cube that was designed to turn water into a cola drink.

“It didn’t end up working the way Hedy had planned as an inventor because it turns out the water that would be needed to reconstitute the cube across the United States had different chemical compositions, state by state,” Crum noted. “Everyone who does standards, this probably rings true to them. And when the ratios or output of the intended experience didn’t work, she couldn’t create one cube for everyone that would guarantee a successful experience. So Hedy’s cola-cube failure beautifully demonstrated that one-size-fits-all solutions just don’t work very often.”

Technologists must keep this in mind, she said.

“As we fill our lives, our work in entertainment, with increasingly immersive technologies like augmented reality, we have to map the true translation of the technological intent, the user’s perception, rather than model averages or exemplars with OK fits for some and, frankly, poor fits for others,” she said. “One size fits all wasn’t good enough for Hedy, and it can’t be good enough for us. Generating the most relevant features for a personalized experience regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, size and accessibility is fundamental to creating successful and predictable experiences.… Our next steps as innovators in technology are going to see huge benefit to all of us as machine learning and AI play their part in removing existing bias in the success, consistency and impact of the technologies we build across all our users.”

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During the virtual event, the DEG also presented the 2021 Hedy Lamarr Achievement Award for Emerging Leaders in Entertainment Technology, honoring a female college student whose studies in the fields of entertainment and technology have shown exceptional promise, to Shambhavi Mishra, an undergraduate student at Carnegie-Mellon University. Mishra is double majoring in humanities analytics and music composition. Brianna Seaburg, a communications major at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC), was runner up.

Both will receive a financial award to continue their education, with donation assistance from PBS Distribution. PBS Distribution president Andrea Downing virtually presented the award to both students.

A past honoree, Dean Willow Bay of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, led a virtual panel with past student honoree Cassidy Pearsall and the two 2021 winners discussing the transition to work life from college.

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Austrian-American actress Lamarr, the namesake of the DEG award, was a Hollywood legend who is best known for her roles in film classics including Samson and Delilah, The Strange Woman and Tortilla Flat. She was also a lifelong inventor whose innovative work included pioneering “frequency hopping,” which became the foundation for spread spectrum technology. Conceived by Lamarr and composer George Antheil for radio guidance systems and patented in 1942, this highly secure technology resists interference and dropout, and is utilized today for a variety of cellular, Wi-Fi and bluetooth applications.

Other past Hedy Lamarr Award honorees include Geena Davis, founder and chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Nonny de la Peña, CEO of Emblematic Group; and Sara DeWitt, VP of PBS KIDS Digital.

To determine the award winners, DEG enlists its Canon Club Advisory Board, which comprises a cross-section of leaders representing the entertainment, technology, IT and consumer electronics industries.

DEG’s Fifth Annual Hedy Lamarr Innovation Award Will Go to Dolby’s Poppy Crum

DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group Aug. 24 announced Poppy Crum, chief scientist at Dolby Laboratories, as the 2021 recipient of the Hedy Lamarr Award for Innovation in Entertainment Technology.

In its fifth year, the Hedy Lamarr Award recognizes female executives in the fields of entertainment and technology who have made a significant contribution to the industry.

At Dolby, Crum is responsible for integrating neuroscience and data science into algorithm design, technology development and technology strategy. She is also an adjunct professor at Stanford University, focusing on the impact of modern technologies and immersive environments such as augmented and virtual reality on neuroplasticity and learning.

The 2021 Hedy Lamarr Achievement Award for Emerging Leaders in Entertainment Technology, honoring a female college student whose studies in the fields of entertainment and technology have shown exceptional promise, will be presented to Shambhavi Mishra, an undergraduate student at Carnegie-Mellon University who is double majoring in humanities analytics and music composition. Brianna Seaburg, a communications major at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC), is runner up. Both will receive a financial award to continue their education.

The awards will be presented during an online event Dec. 6.

“It is an honor to recognize Poppy Crum, an outstanding female leader in neuroscience and technology, with this year’s Innovation Award. She is a true visionary working to better lives and society through the development of immersive technologies,” said Amy Jo Smith, DEG’s president and CEO. “It is also a great pleasure to present the Achievement Award to Shambhavi Mishra to support her work toward ensuring that all voices and perspectives across the industry are heard equally. The 2021 Hedy Award winners are remarkable women in their field who clearly share Hedy’s passion for innovation.”

Crum said, “This honor represents a dedication to excellence in the field of technology initiated by Hedy Lamarr that continues to be led by many outstanding women who are committed to driving advancements that enhance our world and the experiences we have in it. It is truly gratifying to be recognized among them.”

Austrian-American actress Lamarr was a Hollywood legend who is best known for her roles in film classics including Samson and Delilah, The Strange Woman and Tortilla Flat. She was also a lifelong inventor whose innovative work included pioneering “frequency hopping,” which became the foundation for spread spectrum technology. Conceived by Lamarr and composer George Antheil for radio guidance systems and patented in 1942, this highly secure technology resists interference and dropout, and is utilized today for a variety of cellular, Wi-Fi and bluetooth applications.

Past honorees include Geena Davis, founder and chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Nonny de la Peña, CEO of Emblematic Group; Dean Willow Bay of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism; and Sara DeWitt, VP of PBS KIDS Digital.

To determine the award winners, DEG enlists its Canon Club Advisory Board, which comprises a cross-section of leaders representing the entertainment, technology, IT and consumer electronics industries.

DEG Slates Virtual Expo on ‘Localization’ on Thursday, June 17

DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group this week will host a DEG Expo on the rapidly growing business of content localization, including viewpoints from content owners and technology providers.

The virtual event, called “The Expanding World of Localization,” will be held Thursday, June 17, beginning at 9:30 a.m. PT.

Featured speakers include Mark Howorth, president of the Iyuno-SDI Group, who will discuss the state of the localization industry. Dolby’s Tom McAndrew, senior technical manager of content relations, and Javier Foncillas, VP of commercial partnerships for Europe, will speak about the global demand for immersive audio.

An executive roundtable led by Vuulr CEO Americas Thomas Hughes will discuss the potential and pain points for localization, including workflows, terminology, talent management, DEI and the role of AI in content localization. Participants include James Hurrell, head of content and localization, global operations, for  BBC Studios; Chris Reynolds, EVP and GM of worldwide localization and fulfillment at Deluxe; Gray Ainsworth, EVP of global technical operations and servicing at Lionsgate; and Andrea Sconza, director of localization services at Vubiquity. More perspective on innovating with AI will be shared by Craig Seidel, CTO of Pixelogic, in conversation with Spherex CEO Teresa Phillips and Respeecher CEO Alex Serdiuk.

DEG Expo: The Expanding World of Localization is free to media industry professionals, but registration is required.

To register,  click here.

The full agenda can be found here.

Jim Henson’s ‘Labyrinth’ Coming to 4K Ultra HD Aug. 17 for 35th Anniversary

The Jim Henson fantasy Labyrinth will debut on 4K Ultra HD Aug. 17 for its 35th anniversary from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The 1986 film follows a 16-year-old girl (Jennifer Connelly) who is given 13 hours to solve a dangerous and wonderful labyrinth and rescue her baby brother when her wish for him to be taken away is granted by the Goblin King (the late David Bowie).

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The release will feature Dolby Vision and an hour of new and archival special features. The limited-edition collectible set also includes a 28-page Digibook — featuring artwork, photography and early script pages — styled to resemble Sarah’s book of The Labyrinth from the film.

‘Top Gun’ Flying Back to Theaters for 35th

The Tom Cruise action classic Top Gun will land at more than 150 Dolby Cinemas at AMC across the country for an exclusive one-week engagement beginning May 13.

Newly remastered, the film will be presented with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio.

The limited theatrical release is timed to Top Gun Day on May 13, as well as the 35th anniversary of the film, which was originally released on May 16, 1986.

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The film, starring Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards,  is available now on digital, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, with more than four hours of bonus content, including a featurette that explores the film’s legacy and enduring popularity through interviews with Cruise, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and members of the cast of the new film Top Gun: Maverick.

The story of an elite group of pilots competing to earn the title of “Top Gun” ultimately earned a worldwide box office of more than $350 million.

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