Since theXbox Series X’s release in November last year, there has been an issue with the quality of Blu-Ray media that may have bothered those trying to watchBlu-Ray movies. The Xbox Series X Blu-Ray player has encountered issues with displaying the color black correctly, which can greatly affect a movie-watching experience.
Host of YouTube channel HDTVTest Vincent Teoh said he has been watching the issue closely since theXbox Series Xreleased. Two months ago, Teoh performed a test using a Canon DP-V2411 Reference Monitor with a pixel value function to check the black levels on the Xbox Series X Blu-Ray player. Sure enough, the black floor levels were elevated, which can appear to give any media a slight grey or blue hue on HD televisions.
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According to Teoh, the latest Xbox Series X dashboard update has amended the issue. Teoh once again tested the black floor using the same monitor and pixel value function, and he found that the black floor levels were correctly at zero. Teoh goes on to use a reference with the movieMad Max: Fury Road, in which the end of a scene features a road flare burning out so the screen fades to black. Before the update, the scene would not display correctly, but after the dashboard update the true black color shows perfectly.
Xbox has also implemented a change that benefits the YouTube app. After the update, the Xbox Series X now supportsHDR on the YouTube app, making colors more vivid and allowing for higher quality imaging. With both the black levels corrected and the HDR support for YouTube, Xbox Series X owners may see a significant difference in the quality of the media they can watch.
The update is a very quick turnaround for Microsoft, and Teoh applauds its efforts. Both changes can be difficult to implement, but it appears Microsoft has taken user feedback seriously and rolled out the update in a timely manner. While the Xbox Series X January update does not add any noticeable changes to theXbox dashboard UI, it does feature general stability and performance improvements.
The January update addressing the black levels and HDR support for YouTube is substantial considering theNovember update for both the Xbox One and the Xbox Series Xgave the UI a complete overhaul. The update is a very noticeable improvement that manyXbox Series Xowners will hopefully enjoy when watching Blu-Rays or YouTube videos.
