Prime Video has announced a new accessibility feature called dialogue boost, which has initially launched on select Amazon Originals worldwide. Dialogue boost will boost the volume of dialogue relative to background music and effects.
While the feature was built with the needs of customers who are hard of hearing in mind, anyone can use the feature to suit their personal listening preferences.
“At Prime Video, we are committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and enjoyable streaming experience for all our customers,” said Raf Soltanovich, VP of Technology at Prime Video and Amazon Studios.
“Our library of captioned and audio-described content continues to grow, and by leveraging our technological capabilities to create industry-first innovations like dialogue boost, we are taking another step to create a more accessible streaming experience.”
Dialogue boost analyzes the original audio in a movie or series and identifies points where dialogue may be hard to hear above background music and effects. Then, speech patterns are isolated and audio is enhanced to make the dialogue clearer. The AI-based approach delivers a targeted enhancement to portions of spoken dialogue, instead of a general amplification at the center channel in a home theater system.
During playback, users can view and choose which level of dialogue boost they would like to use via the audio and subtitles drop-down menu.
The feature is available across all devices that support the Prime Video experience and offers a feature that was previously only available to users with high-end theater system, specialized audio equipment, or select smart TVs.
Users can access dialogue boost on select Amazon Originals including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, and Harlem, as well as movies including The Big Sick, Beautiful Boy, and Being the Ricardos. The feature will become available on additional titles later this year.