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YouTube to join Netflix and Amazon with HDR video

Online video is about to get a lot more colorful.

Kris Connor/ Getty Images

With big-name TV makers and movie studios all pledging to support high dynamic range (HDR) technology, it was only a matter of time until the world's biggest online video platform got in on the action. According to Mashable, Robert Kyncl, YouTube's Chief Business Officer, confirmed that the service will soon roll out support for HDR, allowing streamers to watch videos in a lot more detail.

While HDR has become a buzzword, it's likely to make a big difference in the way you watch TV and movies this year. In brief terms, HDR captures a wider range of contrast and brightness than HD or 4K. The resulting images show greater detail in darker parts of the screen and highlight a wider range of colors, allowing you to pick out details that you may not have noticed before.

However, it also means that you will need a compatible TV or display to view YouTube's range of HDR videos the way they're meant to be seen. LG, Sony and Vizio will soon release new 4K sets with high dynamic range support built in, and PC makers are following the trend. Netflix and Amazon are making the shift too, ensuring that streamers can also board the HDR bandwagon.