NEWS

What To Know About IMAX Enhanced

An early explainer on the new A/V technology

October 1, 2018

Sony's Master A9F TV will be certified IMAX Enhanced

Sony's Master A9F TV will be certified IMAX Enhanced

After more than a generation of home theater being a thing, two companies — IMAX and DTS — have combined to create the first single certification for both home theater video and audio gear called IMAX Enhanced.

According to the two companies, "[t]he new certification and licensing program combines the highest-end consumer electronics products with IMAX digitally re-mastered 4K HDR content and DTS audio technologies to offer consumers a new level of quality in immersive sight and sound experiences for the home."

Initial IMAX Enhanced A/V gear — five Sony OLED and LCD flat screen TVs, nine Sony projectors, three Denon AVRs and five Marantz AVRs — have already been announced, most due to hit retailers in October. Currently available AVRs will receive firmware updates next month to be fully compliant with the new IMAX Enhanced specifications. IMAX Enhanced certified soundbars are expected, but home theater speaker systems are so far not eligible for certification.

IMAX ENHANCED logo (1)

However, while IMAX is partnered with all of the major Hollywood studios, no IMAX Enhanced titles have been announced, and there is no estimation of when or how many IMAX Enhanced titles will be available. IMAX Enhanced content will not be distributed for ATSC 3.0 broadcasts.