4K CONTENT AND HOW TO GET IT
With more content and ways to watch, now is the time to invest in a new 4K Ultra HD TV
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K TV has gone from being the future of TV to becoming a rm reality, with new televisions and Ultra HD Blu-ray players hitting the market in greater numbers and, thanks to BT and Sky getting in on the action, an increasing amount of 4K content.
On-demand streaming services such as Netix, Youtube and Amazon Instant Video are arguably the best source for varied 4K content, oering a wide range of lms and TV shows.
We had to wait until March 2016 to see the Panasonic DMP-UB900 Blu-ray player in our test rooms, but since then, we’ve tested the Oppo UDP-203 and, most recently, Sony’s rst eort in the UBP-X800. Even Microsoft’s latest Xbox One S console has an Ultra HD Blu-ray player built in.
As for 4K broadcasts, BT was the rst out of the blocks with its BT Sport Ultra HD channel, but Sky now has a growing amount of 4K content on Sky Q. As well as football, cricket and Formula One, its 4K coverage includes lms such as
Spectre and The Revenant, natural history programmes, documentaries and dramas.
Here are some of the dierent ways you can watch 4K content.
Netflix
Netix was one of the rst video-on-demand services to announce it would support 4K streaming, and went live in the UK in April 2014.
To watch Netix 4K online, you will need to have the right kit. First, your 4K TV needs to support the High Eciency Video Coding HEVC/H.265 compression standard. The rst generation of 4K TVS didn’t support this, instead coming with the H.264 codec, which doesn’t support most of the 4K content now available.
You’ll also need to make sure your 4K TV (or other kit) has an HDMI 2.0 connection that is HDCP 2.2 compliant. This ensures copy protection compliance for 4K content coming from an external source. However, if you have a non-compatible 4K TV all is not lost. Panasonic, has released a software update for its AX802 series (read our review of the 58in version online) that means it can stream Netix in 4K.
Alternatively, you can connect a separate box, such as the Amazon Fire TV (2015), to your TV and stream Netix, as well as Amazon Instant Video in 4K. The simplest way to see if your set is compatible is to check it against the list of Netix compatible TVS, available on its website.
You will also need to sign up to Netix’s 4K Ultra HD plan, which costs £9 per month. This subscription plan comes with the added bene t of being able to watch content on up to four screens at any one time, all from the one account.
And nally, you need a solid internet connection. Netix recommends a speed of at least 25Mbps, but ideally higher, for streaming 4K video. Once you’ve ticked all those boxes, you’re ready to start watching.
The amount of content on oer has grown to 47 TV series, including The Crown, Stranger Things, House of Cards, Breaking Bad, 13 Reasons Why and Daredevil, with documentaries, movies and stand-up comedy specials too. You can nd a full list of live 4K content at: whats-on-netix.com
Amazon
Amazon o ers 4K content through its Prime Video streaming service. For those with Prime memberships, a range of Amazon Original TV shows are available at no extra cost.
You can watch 4K video through the Amazon Prime Video app on compatible TVS and the latest 4K Fire TV box. A list of devices that are compatible with the app is available at amazon.com.
Most of the latest models from the major manufacturers now come with the app, initially available only on Sony 4K TVS, pre-installed. If you have an older set, you may need to perform a software update. Microsoft recently updated the Amazon Prime app for its Xbox One S games console, so it now supports streamed 4K HDR content.
Amazon has a good selection of 4K lms and TV shows, including The Man in the High Castle, The Grand Tour, Alpha House Season 2, Mad Dogs, Transparent and Red Oaks, all available in 4K. Mozart in the Jungle, The Grand Tour and Red Oaks are also available with High Dynamic Range (HDR). Films include The Amazing Spider-man 2, Moneyball and The Da Vinci Code.
Youtube
Youtube has been supporting 4K Ultra HD video since 2010 but, as with the two previous services, there are requirements. Youtube Ultra HD videos don’t use H.265 compression. Instead, they use the VP9 codec, which is royalty-free, meaning its adoption rate could potentially be higher. It is also said to be more ecient when it comes to streaming Ultra HD video.
Google implemented the VP9 codec into its Chrome browser and Youtube in 2013, so both have been able to support 4K streams for some time. If you search 4K content within Youtube, you’ll be able to select 4K as a quality option on each video. But, as with HEVC/H.265, VP9 needs compatible hardware. Most new PCS should support the VP9 codec. If you don’t have a compatible display, video will be downsampled to the maximum output of your monitor.
Where else can I watch in 4K?
Ultraflix from Nanotech has apps on Samsung, Sony, Vizio, Sharp and Hisense TVS. The 4K Ultraflix Network App claims to o er the “world’s largest library of 4K VOD content”, from movies, concerts and documentaries to 40 made-for-imax theatrical titles.
We accessed the app through a 2016 Sony TV, but it bu ered quite a bit, even with an 18Mbps internet connection.
4K TV broadcasts
BT was the rst broadcaster to bring 4K to the UK, with the launch of BT Sport Ultra HD in August 2015. It shows one live Ultra HD event per week, with the focus primarily on football, but it also features other events including Motogp, NBA basketball and Aviva Premiership rugby.
The channel is supported by the majority of 4K TVS released in 2014/15, but you will need to subscribe to the Ultra HD package at £18 per month, have an Innity Fibre broadband connection and the new BT Ultra HD box.
Sky Q
Sky claimed it would o er the “UK’S most comprehensive Ultra High Denition service” through its Sky Q platform, and has stuck to that promise. Sky Q Ultra HD launched in August 2016, with a range of content available at no extra cost to Sky Q subscribers with the relevant TV package.
Football features heavily, but there’s also movies, dramas and natural history programmes. The 2017 F1 season is being broadcast in 4K, as is this summer’s Test cricket. You’ll need a Sky Q 2TB box, as well as a subscription to Sky Q Multiscreen. This starts at £32 per month, but doesn’t include Sky Sports or Sky Cinema.
While it is a huge step forward, Sky’s content doesn’t come with High Dynamic Range (HDR). The Sky Q 2TB box also upscales standard and high denition content to 2160p, 4K resolution. On terrestrial TV, the BBC lmed Planet Earth II in 4K and released a four-minute 4K clip via iplayer, but there is still no date for broadcasting in the resolution. Don’t hold your breath though, the BBC claimed 4K would be standard by 2016.
Playstation and Xbox
Sony launched its own 4K Video On Demand service in the form of Video Unlimited 4K, which sat alongside its Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited services. The service has since been rebranded as Playstation Video, and includes 4K content, but only in the US. Sony says it has “no plans” to bring the 4K Media Player to the UK.
Sony’s PS4 Pro is equipped for playing 4K games, but doesn’t have a 4K Blu-ray drive. Microsoft’s Xbox One S does, but it’s not the best disc-spinner around. Sony has also launched an Ultra app, which brings 4K videos to selected Sony Android 4K TVS – again only in the US. Xbox One S owners in the US can now stream 4K HDR lms through Microsoft’s Films & TV service. The rst title available is The Lego
Batman Movie, but whether the service will make its way to the UK remains to be seen.
4K Blu-ray
For those without a fast enough broadband connection to support 4K streaming (15Mbps or above), a better way to get 4K content into the home is on a disc. Ultra HD Blu-ray discs can handle resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 and up to 60fps (frames per second) and the format also supports HDR, and object-based immersive sound, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
HDR on 4K Blu-ray discs usually comes in the form of HDR10, but some discs may also have Dolby Vision, for which you’ll need a compatible player. Video is encoded under the HEVC standard, and uses 10-bit colour depth and the Rec. 2020 colour space. To play the discs, you will need a new Ultra HD Blu-ray player, such as ve-star standouts the Sony UBP-X800, Oppo UDP-203 and Panasonic DMP-UB900.
Make your own 4K video
A number of phones are now able to record 4K video, including the iphone 7 and 7 Plus and Samsung’s Galaxy S8+, meaning you can make your own 4K movies. With plenty of 4K cameras available, it’s easy to ll the 4K gap, even if your e orts don’t match the quality of House of Cards.
Verdict
With the amount of content increasing, 4K Blu-ray discs having arrived with an even better performance, and Sky and BT now broadcasting in the format, interest in 4K TV is growing rapidly.
The main obstacle is cost. While 4K TVS are becoming more a ordable, Sky and BT’S services aren’t cheap. But still, it’s now more viable than ever to put a 4K TV in your home – and there’s nally something to watch on it.
“Sony’s PS4 Pro doesn’t have a 4K Blu-ray drive. Microso’s Xbox One S does, but it’s not the best disc-spinner around”