Technology
How to find 4K and HDR TV on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube
NETFLIX, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube all offer some content in amazing 4K and HDR quality.
This is great if you’ve got a HDR TV but it can be annoying trying to find which content is compatible so we’ve rounded up how to do it for you.
There are loads of ways to watch 4K and HDR programmes on your smart TV[/caption]
How to watch 4K and HDR content on Netflix
First you’ll need a compatible device and Netflix’s Ultra HD Premium plan which costs £13.99 ($17.99) a month.
You can search for “UltraHD” – the alternative label for 4K – in the search bar and the relevant content should pop up.
You’ll also see a HDR or Dolby Vision logo next to compatible titles.
It’s worth noting that not everything in 4K is also HDR but this is a quick way to find 4K HDR titles.
4K and HDR can make your TV viewing feel like you’re in the cinema[/caption]
How to watch 4K and HDR content on Amazon Prime Video
You’ll need a compatible device and a recommended internet speed of 15Mbps.
The streaming service shows a HDR logo next to the compatible content so you’ll need to look out for this when you find something you want to watch.
Some devices label 4K content as UHD.
How to watch 4K and HDR content on YouTube
Finding 4K and HDR content on YouTube is easy.
Type in the search bar the content that you’ll looking for.
Once you’ve hit enter, go to the “Filters” button at the top and to the left of the page.
This lets you filter out content and search specifically for 4K and HDR videos.
What is 4K, Ultra HD and UHD?
Here’s an easy guide to what 4K means…
- 4K, Ultra HD and UHD are all different names for the same type of TV screen. 4K refers to the number of pixels on your TV screen – or the “image resolution”
- The pixels are the tiny dots of colour that make up the image you see on your telly. A pixellated image is one where the pixels are really obvious, because there aren’t many. But images with lots of pixels – like a 4K movie – generally look sharper and clearer
- A true 4K screen has 4096 x 2160 pixels. That means on your TV screen there are 3840 pixels across, and 2160 pixels vertically. That’s roughly 8.3 million pixels on the display in total
- 4K gets it’s name because it’s got four times the number of pixels as a standard Full HD TV
- Full HD (or 1080p) screens have 1920 pixels across, and 1080 pixels going upwards – for around two million pixels in total. So 4K just means your TV has many more pixels on the screen compared to a more common Full HD display
- Ultra HD, or UHD, is basically the same as 4K. If you buy a UHD telly in a shop, you’ll be able to watch 4K content on it with no bother
- But there is a small difference. Almost every TV you ever buy has an aspect ratio of 16:9. That means for every 16 pixels horizontally, there are 9 vertically
- True 4K footage doesn’t quite fit in with that ratio, so you won’t often find TVs with 4096 x 2160 pixels. Instead, to fit with the 16:9 ratio, most 4K TVs will have 3840 x 2160 pixels instead
- If it doesn’t make sense, grab a calculator and divide 2160 by 9. Then multiply it by 16, and you’ll get 3840. That’s the aspect ratio working its magic. So when you see an Ultra HD TV, it just means it’s a 4K image with slightly fewer vertical pixels
- If you try watching a 4K video on a non-4K TV, the video will still play – but it won’t be in 4K quality. To watch a 4K video in 4K quality, you’ll need to fork out for a 4K TV. Similarly, if you’re watching standard or HD footage on a 4K TV, it won’t magically become 4K quality
- Some TVs promise “4K upscaling”, which converts your standard or HD footage to near-4K quality. This works by using software to guess what colours would fill the extra empty pixels missing in HD footage, and then filling them in. This creates a 4K-like effect, but it’s not true 4K
Most read in Phones & Gadgets
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Do you prefer 4K and HDR content? Let us know in the comments…
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