The majority of streaming services offer closed captions and subtitles to help the hearing impaired. But increasingly, even those without hearing loss can struggle to understand what actors are saying in TV shows and movies. Amazon is well aware of the problem and is now offering an alternative solution for Prime Video subscribers.
Dialogue Boost improves speech volume over other background music and effects. It’s, of course, designed for the hearing impaired, but it’s also a useful tool for anyone who turns on captions due to the apparent increase in indistinct speech in modern broadcasts.
The feature uses AI to analyze dialogue and identify places where speech is difficult to hear compared to other sound effects. He then amplifies it to make it clearer.
The new feature is available on all devices that support Prime Video, including PCs, cell phones, TVs, streaming sticks, and more. However, it is currently only available for select Amazon Prime Originals. These include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Harlem, The Big Sick, Being the Ricardos and Beautiful Boy.
It will roll out to a wider selection of content in the future. At this time, Dialogue Boost isn’t available on anything you rent or buy on Amazon, so you’ll need to be a Prime subscriber to take advantage of it – and watch the shows listed above. New members are eligible for a 30-day free trial of Prime.
How to enable Dialogue Boost on Amazon Prime Video
- Time to complete: 2 minutes
- Required tools: Amazon Prime Video account, device to watch Prime Video
Choose a title that includes Dialogue Boost
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Click “Watch Now” – settings are available when playback begins
Click on the speech bubble on the right side
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The icon includes text that says “Subtitles and audio” when hovered over it
Select your Dialogue Boost level in the Audio section
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Amazon offers three levels of Dialogue Boost: low, medium, and high. Once you have selected your option, the video will automatically adjust
Is Dialogue Boost available on other services like Netflix, Disney+ or HBO Max?
As of this writing, Amazon is the first streaming platform to offer this feature. The way to know what is being said on other services is always to turn on closed captioning and subtitles.
Other Ways to Stimulate Dialogue on Your TV
There are other things you can do to stimulate dialogue, provided you have the right materials.
If you have a Roku TV, Roku Streaming Bar, or Roku Audio device, you can use the Speech Clarity feature – it’s not available on Roku Streaming Sticks. Here’s how to access it:
- Press the star button on your Roku remote
- Select “Sound Settings”
- Select “low” or “high” in the Speech Clarity section
Some hardware also offers dialog enhancement for audio. Soundbars are the most common example, but some TVs like LG and Samsung also offer this feature on the built-in speakers, so check your settings.
If you’re on the hunt for new home entertainment gear, check out our lists of the best TVs and soundbars.
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