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Only a few months ago it seemed the problem had been solved, but the situation has returned. Disney+ users in many European countries have noticed the absence of Dolby Vision support when watching films and TV series. It turns out the changes are the result of the next stage of a patent dispute concerning technologies used in video encoding. Moreover, the consequences are far greater than before. In addition to Dolby Vision, 3D content has also disappeared from the platform.
Dolby Vision has disappeared from Disney+ in 11 European Union countries
Problems with Dolby Vision on Disney+ are not entirely new. Earlier this year users in Europe noticed that the popular HDR format had stopped working in the app. At that time the situation was mainly linked to Germany, and after a few weeks Disney restored the feature in most EU countries. Now the issue has returned with renewed force. InterDigital reported winning a patent case before the Unified Patent Court of the European Union. According to the ruling, Disney infringes a patent covering certain image‑encoding technologies related to the HEVC format. As a result the court granted an injunction affecting as many as eleven EU member states. That is why users have once again lost access to Dolby Vision on the platform. Disney can still appeal the decision, but the whole process could take many months. Until then the platform is forced to limit the availability of some features. Crucially, the problem does not affect all regions of the world. In the United States and many other countries Dolby Vision still works without any restrictions. European subscribers therefore find themselves in a much worse position than users in other parts of the globe.
3D films have also disappeared, but 4K and HDR10 remain available
The consequences of the court's decision are not limited to Dolby Vision. It turned out that films and series available in 3D have also disappeared from Disney+. This is because the two technologies are technically linked on the platform. For owners of devices that support 3D content, this means the loss of one premium feature. Fortunately, the basic image formats remain available. Users can still watch content in 4K and use HDR10. So picture quality will still be very high, though not as advanced as with Dolby Vision. Disney has already confirmed the changes are a direct result of the legal proceedings and acknowledged customers' frustration. The company also says it is analysing possible solutions that would restore the service's full functionality. It's worth noting that a similar problem has also affected other tech firms. However, Amazon chose to reach an agreement with InterDigital, which allows Prime Video to continue offering Dolby Vision to its users. For now it is unclear whether Disney will take a similar step. One thing is certain: European Disney+ subscribers should prepare for a longer wait for the lost features to return.
Disney+ has once again disabled Dolby Vision in some European Union countries following a lost patent dispute. Alongside that HDR format, 3D films have also disappeared from the platform. For now, users are left with 4K and HDR10 content, and the future of Dolby Vision in the European version of the service remains uncertain.
source: flatpanelshd
