Skip to main content

Google Play Movies & TV adds HDR casting to Nvidia Shield, Sony Android TVs

After adding HDR casting support to the Chromecast Ultra about a year ago, Google is this week expanding the functionality to a few select devices, all powered by Android TV.

Announced on Google+ over the weekend, Google is bringing HDR casting support to a few new devices. If you’ll recall, Google started supporting HDR movies in Google Play Movies a while back, but support for that functionality has been somewhat limited.

Thankfully, cast support is finally expanding beyond the company’s own Chromecast Ultra streaming dongle. If you own an Nvidia Shield TV or one of Sony’s recent smart TVs with Android TV on board, you’ll now be able to cast HDR content as long as the display itself is capable of showing that content.

Of course, these devices can already natively support HDR playback through the standard Google Play Movies app, but it’s nice to see Google giving users a bit more flexibility here.

As you’d expect, to use 4K HDR you’ll need to be using movies that were purchased in 4K HDR quality. Most films purchased in 4K should also bring HDR along with them, but if you want to sort through Google Play to find films with HDR in tow, simply search “HDR” in the Play Store. A few popular options with HDR on board include Baby Driver, Spider-Man: Homecoming, A Quiet Place, Wonder Woman, and more.


Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel