The Ultimate Guide To Streaming On A 4K Or 8K TV

Bigger Better Entertainment with Premium TVs

Ultra High Definition 4K TVs, also known as Ultra HD, UHD or 4K TVs give you four times the picture resolution of Full HD Televisions – with more than 8 million screen pixels.

What does this all mean? Simply put – 4K TVs can deliver incredibly sharp, clear pictures. And, because UHD 4K TVs update their screens more frequently to smooth out motion they are incredible for watching fast paced action movies and sport, even on the largest sized panels.

But not all TV channels and subscription services broadcast in 4K quality, so picking the right streaming service is important to maximise your enjoyment from your new TV.

Time To Upgrade Your Netflix and Stan

You probably use a streaming service already. Enjoying all those binge-worthy entertainment options? Cool. With your new TV’s big panel size and updated 4K technology you really should consider upgrading to a Premium subscription.

Both Netflix and Stan offer Premium streaming subscriptions.

Netflix’s Premium Streaming Plan lets you stream content in exclusive high definition (HD) and ultra high definition (UHD or 4K) where available.

Stan’s Premium service is similar, offering access to exclusive 4K Ultra HD programs, where available.

Premium Streaming from Netflix and Stan also allow you to stream to four different devices^ at the same time, which is a welcome bonus, especially for families with a mix of different tastes in TV programming. But back to your incredible new 4K Ultra HD Big Panel TV – premium streaming gives you the best chance to take advantage of the incredible picture quality your new TV boasts.

Is it worth the couple of dollars extra per month from your current standard subscription price? Well that’s up to you – but most agree, hell yeah! Viewing 4K content is a truly immersive experience. It lifts the bench mark on your home theatre experience, and with UHD TVs becoming the new norm, more and more programs are being created for the 4K standard every day.

What about 8K?

If you’re thinking of future-proofing your home entertainment with an incredible new 8K TV (which has four times more pixels than 4K TVs) you might be wondering – is there an 8K streaming service that you should subscribe to?

The short answer is not really. There are currently no services offering dedicated 8K content yet, but that shouldn’t deter you, as the 8K TVs currently on the market have incredible upscaling technology in place which transforms available Ultra HD 4K content to deliver stunning picture quality, clarity and depth, so Premium Streaming Subscriptions from Stan and Netflix are still perfect for 8K TVs.

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One more thing to remember – premium streaming of 4K Ultra HD content does require minimum household internet capabilities. You should check with the streaming service and your provider to ensure that you have the ‘megabits per second’(Mbps) ratio required – but as a minimum it’s suggested that to stream content in 4K you currently need about 25 Mbps, versus HD content which only requires 5 Mbps.

NBN ’50’ Mbps plans might be the perfect accompaniment for your new swish TV and premium subscription service, but just remember those 50 Mbps are shared in your household – divided up between everyone who is at that time using a device, so just be aware that if you have a heavy usage family this may impact your viewing pleasure. If this is the case you may wish to look at premium NBN ‘100’ plans. Another impact to consider is what has been coined as ‘evening speeds’, which simply means regardless of your chosen plan your speed may diminish during peak hours.

Whatever you decide, it’s really worth doing a little investigating of ISP plans available in your area to ensure you’re all set to really maximise the entertainment investment you’ve made with your new big screen TV.