Amazon is rolling out an AI-based new feature for its own streaming service, Prime Video. With their help, dialogues can be better understood.
Many are familiar with the problem that dialogues are difficult to understand when streaming series and films. Often the only thing that helps is to rewind and listen carefully again or turn on subtitles. Amazon is now introducing a technical solution for its Prime Video streaming service. Other streaming services could follow.
Amazon brings “Dialogue Boost” function
Especially in blockbuster films, the dialogues are too quiet, especially compared to action scenes, for example. There’s often a lot of banging and banging, while you have to turn up the volume again for conversations elsewhere. But then again the background noise is too loud. This is because such titles are not designed for the living room at home, but for a large cinema hall. At home, the speakers are smaller and cannot reproduce the sound adequately. In addition, the sound for the stream is usually additionally compressed in order to be able to be transmitted efficiently via the Internet.
The US seller Amazon has therefore now developed a feature called “Dialogue Boost”. With its help, users should be able to specifically adjust the volume of dialogues – without affecting the other noises. This is possible with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). This is able to filter out the corresponding noises.
Actually, the function should be introduced explicitly for the hard of hearing. Raf Soltanovich, Vice President of Technology at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said: “At Prime Video, we are committed to creating an inclusive, fair and enjoyable streaming experience for all of our customers.” the feature also has a positive effect on all other streaming users.
Limited use of “Dialogue Boost” to be expanded
In its announcement, Amazon reports an initially limited number of originals that are to receive the “Dialogue Boost” function. The feature initially starts securely in the following content:
- Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Harlem
- The Big Sick
- beautiful boy
- Being the Ricardos
According to Soltanovich, with functions such as “Dialogue Boost” they want to use their own technological skills to advance innovations in the streaming area. So far it is not known that other services want to take over the feature. However, it should only be a matter of time before corresponding alternatives are also available on other platforms, since the corresponding benefit for the user is definitely given. The rapid development in the field of AI should also drive this forward.