The Sky-owned broadband ISP and UK video streaming provider, NOW TV, has finally put right one of its biggest weaknesses by introducing support for 4K (UltraHD – 3840 x 2160 pixels) and HDR (High Dynamic Range) video quality via the launch of their new Ultra Boost. But this is a Sky company, so it’s not cheap, and device support may be an issue for some.
Gripes about the video quality of NOW TV’s streaming service are nothing new, particularly since their standard Entertainment Plan only comes with a piddling resolution of 720p to view a single stream, and that’s after already stumping up £9.99 per month. But they then require you to pay an extra £6 per month for the regular ‘Boost’ add-on just to get the now common 1080p HD (High Definition) standard.
By comparison, the new ‘Ultra Boost‘ will set you back an extra £9 per month and, when compared with the regular ‘Boost’, it adds support for Up to 4K Ultra HD HDR, Dolby Atmos sound, and you can also watch three streams at the same time. Both Boost and Ultra Boost will also allow all the Sky Sports channels to stream at 50fps (frames per second). But take note that not all of NOW TV’s channels are available in 4K.
Core NOW TV Plans Compared
Standard
Boost
Ultra Boost
Streaming quality
720p
Full HD 1080p
Up to 4K Ultra HD HDR
Sound quality
Stereo
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dolby Atmos
Ad-free streaming
No
Yes*
Yes*
Number of streams
1 person can stream at a time
2 people can stream at a time
3 people can stream at a time
* Cinema, Entertainment and Sports Members can watch on-demand shows, movies and sport without ads. (You’ll still get ads on live channels, and see promotional trailers for shows, movies and events you can access.)
However, customers that opt to pay for the 4K boost instead of the regular boost will need an HD or 4K UHD TV that supports HLG, HDR10 or HDR10+, with an HDMI port that supports HDCP 2.2 (not all HDMI 2.0 ports support this).
Some devices will support this, but a lot of others won’t (more details), including some relatively modern devices and TVs. For example, most games consoles aren’t compatible, except Sony’s PS5. Similarly, PCs, MACs and mobile devices aren’t supported either. Credits to two of our readers (Reece and Mike) for the news tip.