From our experience, 4K Ultra HD has always looked incredible, delivering impressive detail and clarity. But when it comes to 4K video content, for a long time we struggled to find much more than promotional videos of flowers and cityscapes. Thankfully, that's finally changed... Video-on-demand streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Rakuten and YouTube now offer plenty of 4K films and TV shows. Apple and Google have 4K downloads at fairly affordable prices, while the BBC has shown a full series of Blue Planet II in 4K on iPlayer, and carried out successful live 4K broadcasts of the 2018 World Cup and Wimbledon Championships. But the biggest source of 4K content, especially if you want , has to go to Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and players. We're also seeing - now numbering in the hundreds and spanning new and old titles. Allow us to round up in full the different ways you can watch 4K content right now... How to watch 4K on Netflix Netflix was one of the first video-on-demand services to announce it would be supporting 4K streaming, and in April 2014 it went live in the UK. But to access the content, you need to have the right kit. The first generation of 4K TVs didn't support this - they instead came with the H. You'll also need to make sure your 4K TV or other necessary kit has an HDMI 2. This ensures copy protection compliance for 4K content coming from an external source. If you have a non-compatible 4K TV, all is not lost - manufacturers can release software updates. Panasonic, for example, has released a software update for its series you can read the What Hi-Fi? The simplest way to see if your set is compatible is to check it against this. Alternatively, you can connect a separate box, such as the or or , to your TV. This gives you access to Netflix and other services in 4K. Sky Q will soon be adding Netflix to its user interface, too. You will also need to sign up to Netflix's Premium 4K Ultra HD plan, which costs £9. This subscription plan comes with the added benefit of users being able to watch content on up to four screens at any one time, all from one account. And finally, you need a solid internet connection. Netflix 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. But what content is out there? It's still relatively low on 4K movies but high er on 4K TV shows, such as The Crown, Stranger Things, Better Call Saul and Marvel's Daredevil, to name a few. There are over a hundred pieces of 4K content available on Netflix, including TV series, documentaries, movies and stand-up comedy specials. 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 and. You can see a full list of Amazon Prime Video devices - note this is a list of devices that are compatible with the movie streaming app as a whole, not necessarily 4K content. You'll find the necessary Amazon app pre-installed on all the latest TV models from most of the major manufacturers. If you have an older set, you might need to perform a software update. Amazon's service offers a good selection of 4K films and TV shows. You'll find TV shows, including Amazon Originals such as , The Man in the High Castle, The Grand Tour, Transparent and Red Oaks, all available in 4K and all included in the Prime price. Films available to stream include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Paddington 2, Blade Runner 2049 and more - all on a pay-as-you-go basis. Rental prices start at £1, though £7 is more standard and not all films can be rented. To buy, you're looking at between £5 and £14. How to watch 4K on BBC iPlayer BBC has been promising 4K content on its on-demand streaming platform for nearly two years now, and after showing a snippet of Planet Earth II in 4K in late 2017, it finally progressed to show an entire series - - in Ultra HD 4K and Hybrid Log Gamma. When the final episode aired on 10th December 2017, the BBC made all seven episodes of the David Attenborough-narrated nature documentary for 30 days on iPlayer. The BBC has also carried out is first ever live 4K streaming trials on iPlayer. In April, it broadcast an entire rugby league Challenge Cup match and in May, it streamed the second half of the FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Chelsea. But the biggest scoop for the BBC was streaming live 4K broadcasts of the World Cup and the Wimbledon Championships in the summer of 2018. What's more, the Beeb has said it has that plagued the otherwise successful broadcast trial, and we can surely hope to see more live events in 4K soon. YouTube Ultra HD videos don't use H. 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 efficient when it comes to streaming Ultra HD video. So how do you watch 4K YouTube videos online? 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 right now, you'll be able to select 4K as a quality option on each video. Most new PCs should support the VP9 codec, but it's something to keep an eye out for. If you don't have a compatible display, the video will be downscaled to the maximum output of your monitor. How to watch 4K on Apple iTunes Apple has — rather belatedly — joined in on the 4K fun, finally launching its first 4K- and HDR-supporting box. Plug it into your 4K TV, and it will give you access to a wide range of 4K content via Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. There are around 70 films available to buy or rent on iTunes at the time of writing, including recent blockbusters such as Wonder Woman, Alien Covenant, Logan and Baby Driver, which are otherwise only available on 4K Blu-ray. What's more, Apple charges the same price for 4K films as it does for HD films typically £13. It's in sharp contrast to the price of 4K Blu-ray discs usually over £20 and the premium charged for 4K Netflix, too. You automatically get the new version at no extra cost. All of which is good news for those who want more 4K content. If you're more of an Android fan than Apple, then you'll be pleased to know the Google Play Store now offers 4K content for download. UltraFlix meanwhile is a 4K streaming network from NanoTech, and has apps on , Sony, Vizio, Sharp and Hisense TVs. Rakuten is another service that offers Ultra HD 4K content for streaming. However, according to the Rakuten website, it's only compatible with 4K Samsung smart TVs running a Tizen operating system 2015 models and newer, and models higher than JS6000 and 4K LG smart TVs with WebOS 2016 models and newer. The company recommends a minimum internet connection of 20Mbps. Rakuten recently to bring Dolby Vision and Atmos movies to its film rental service. It also announced that it will upgrade already-purchased Full HD films to 4K HDR for free, where available. What about watching 4K TV broadcasts? BT became the first broadcaster to bring an Ultra HD channel to the UK, with the launch of in August 2015. The focus is primarily on football, but it has also shown other events including the MotoGP, NBA basketball and Aviva Premiership rugby. While football again features heavily, there are also movies and TV shows, Formula 1 races, test cricket and some boxing matches. Sky is also set to double its 4K offering and add at some point in the near future. You'll need a Sky Q 2TB box known as the Sky Q Silver box when it launched , as well as a subscription to Sky Q Multiscreen. Eurosport launched a 4K Ultra HD channel especially for its coverage of the 2018 French Open from Roland Garros in May 2018. You'll need either a or set-top box and a relevant subscription package to view it. And Virgin TV has, rather belatedly, finally launched its. While it offered Champions League and Wimbledon matches this summer, the Virgin TV Ultra HD marks its first channel dedicated to 4K content. It's available for Virgin TV Full House and VIP customers with a. What about 4K on terrestrial TV? All of BBC's 4K trials Blue Planet II, 2018 World Cup and Wimbledon have all taken place on iPlayer, and it looks like it will. There's been no word from ITV or Channel 4 in the 4K stakes yet despite ITV hosting plenty of 2018 World Cup matches , either, so it looks like the Beeb leads the way - so far - when it comes to 4K broadcasts. Will there ever be a 4K channel on free-to-air broadcast TV? We will have to wait and see. What about 4K on PlayStation or Xbox? Sony has its own 4K Video On Demand service which is part of the company's PlayStation Video service. The service includes 4K content, but only in the US. To access 4K content, you need one of the selected US Sony 4K TVs or one of Sony's 4K Media Players, such as the FMP-X1. Sony's PS4 Pro is equipped for playing 4K games, but it doesn't have an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive. Sony has also launched , which brings 4K videos to selected Sony Android 4K TVs. Again, it's only available in the US for now. The boasts similar 4K functionality to the One S in a more powerful package. It can also render 4K games natively. During testing we felt the 4K Blu-ray performance of the One X was superior to its sibling. How to watch 4K Blu-ray For many, getting a broadband connection that's fast enough to support 4K streaming realistically 15Mbps at the very least isn't possible right now. Therefore a better way to get 4K content into the home would be on a disc format. The good news is is here. After a slow start, there are well over a hundred titles new and old being released in 4K. Discs that can handle resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 and up to 60fps frames per second are classed as Ultra HD, and the format also supports , higher frame rates up to 60fps and object-based immersive sound such as and. HDR on 4K Blu-ray discs appears in two varieties: HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Video is encoded using the High Efficiency Video Coding HEVC standard, and includes 10-bit colour depth and the Rec. You will, of course, need a new Ultra HD Blu-ray player to play the discs. You could always create your own 4K Ultra HD content. Most flagship smartphones these days - from Apple and Samsung to - record 4K video, meaning you can make your own 4K movies in no time. And of course there are also plenty of 4K cameras available. It's one easy and cost-effective way to fill the 4K gap. Though we're guessing your masterpieces may not match the quality of or House of Cards... The 4K verdict The growth of 4K content means the format is becoming an increasingly tempting proposition. The amount of content available to stream is rising all the time and, while it relies on a high-speed internet connection, it offers the most extensive catalogue. As expected, the trickle of available titles is fast becoming a flood. As for 4K TV broadcasts, things are starting to move in the right direction. Now that Sky, BT and Virgin are broadcasting in the format, and the BBC has taken 4K to iPlayer, interest is bound to increase. The main obstacles are the cost and logistics of a steady, fast 4K stream. On the bright side, it's now more viable than ever to put a 4K TV in your home. And there's finally something - in fact, a lot of things - to watch on it.
