How Sony is Elevating the Home Entertainment Experience with IMAX Enhanced

When shopping for Smart TVs, consumers have a wide array of options to choose from. While choice can be a great benefit for consumers, it challenges brands to distinguish themselves in a crowded marketplace. We sat down with Pete Wood, SVP, Digital Sales, Distribution, at Sony Pictures Entertainment to discuss how they innovate to bring fans elevated movie experiences at home.

How is Sony bringing cinematic experiences to the home?

Sony as a company prides itself on its long history of elevating consumer experiences at home through all our products and consumer touchpoints. As we think about the future of at-home experiences, a big area of focus is figuring out how to improve the audio-visual experience even more. As in what is the next “wow factor” that we can introduce? And so, in the last few years as we started to move from standard def to high def to a 4K world, we’ve challenged ourselves to discover the next iteration beyond 4K that could really enhance and elevate consumer experiences.

With so many options out there, how does Sony set itself apart?

There are a lot of TV manufacturers on the market. So being different and elevating beyond what is available in the marketplace is important. About five years ago, working closely with DTS and IMAX, we really set what I believe is a new standard in home entertainment with the launch of IMAX Enhanced titles on select certified devices.

What role does sound play in that experience?

People often only think about picture quality. And we do pride ourselves on providing the best picture. But the reality is, sound is equally important. We already have the best picture performance in our new BRAVIA range of XR TVs, so it’s important that we don’t forget the importance of the audio.

What does the content partnership with IMAX Enhanced look like?

Currently, Sony Pictures Entertainment has the largest IMAX Enhanced catalog of content in the world. These are films that have been digitally remastered with IMAX’s proprietary DMR technology and feature IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio (on select films and scenes only), delivered in 4k HDR with DTS:X audio. We spent a lot of time remastering our catalog of content with IMAX and today we’re proud to now offer an expansive IMAX Enhanced library of films. And that library is continuously growing.

What about regional availability?

The nice part about our relationship with DTS and IMAX is we aren’t just thinking about serving the English-speaking markets, but also localization. So, in addition to our IMAX Enhanced collection of 300 or so movies, we also offer localization to the key territories and markets where we want to deliver our movies and experiences.

How does the IMAX Enhanced program work for Sony BRAVIA TVs? 

To be part of the IMAX Enhanced program, Sony BRAVIA TVs go through a series of rigorous tests to become IMAX Enhanced-certified. Sony BRAVIA TVs also have a unique feature called IMAX mode which senses when IMAX Enhanced content is played back through the Sony Pictures Core app and automatically adjusts the settings to optimize that content for the best viewing experience possible. Viewers don’t have to lift a finger.

What has consumer feedback been like?

We recently did a demonstration where we specifically showed a scene from an IMAX Enhanced film with DTS:X audio and there was definitely a moment where you’re sitting in that room watching these action scenes and you feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up and you’re like ‘we did that.’ And that is something that is truly special. At the end of it, a number of people said, “Oh, I need one of those Sony TVs in my house, and I definitely need to upgrade my audio system.”

Watch highlights from the interview:

To learn more about the IMAX Enhanced program, check out the official website and the following Q&A featuring Sven Mevissen, Director of Product Management at DTS, and Deston Bennett, Senior Director, Business Development & Partnerships at IMAX Streaming and Consumer Technology.