Your viewing experience is about to get better.
Back in February, Sky Q was launched enabling TV lovers to record four things at once while enjoying the benefits of fluid viewing – an innovative format that allows you to pause a show in one room and resume right where you left off on another TV or tablet in your home.
The design, capabilities and interface of Sky’s new product were innovative and it has proven to be a hit with viewers in Ireland and the UK. Despite its popularity, Sky are continuing to develop it and they’ve added some features to Sky Q.
We got an exclusive look at some of their latest updates with the arrival of Ultra HD TV being the biggest draw.
1) More clarity, depth and details
The new Ultra HD service launches on Sky Q Silver and it’s available to customers from 13 August at no additional cost. It’s arguably the most immersive TV experience possible because the depth, clarity and level of detail that’s now available is akin to physically being there. Sky aren’t limiting this extremely cinematic experience to just movies though as Ultra HD will be available throughout their 124 Premier League football, F1 coverage, blockbuster movies, documentaries and dramas.
How does it work?
When you tune into a channel with a live programme available in Ultra HD, a prompt will appear on screen. Select the prompt and you’ll be taken directly to the Ultra HD live broadcast. You can change between watching the HD and Ultra HD broadcast at any time.
2) The technical details
4K (or Ultra HD) is the new high-definition TV format. There are generally four times as many pixels in any one area, meaning pictures appear far more vivid.
To experience the benefits of Ultra HD, your resolution needs to set to 2160p, but Sky’s latest service should be compatible with the majority of TV sets that were released from 2015 onwards. A screen of 55 inches and higher is required to get the the best possible experience, but it’s not essential because the clarity and resolution is jaw-dropping, regardless of the size of your screen.
To activate it, go to Settings -> Set-up -> Audio Visual and select the 2160p format.
3) What other new additions are there?
The homepage is getting an update, with editorial recommendations of the day’s best TV now available.
Essentially, this means that Sky will inform you of the TV highlights from that particular day, just in case you might miss them!
Another very cool feature is the improvement that is being made to the fast forward/rewind functionality. As you may know, as things currently are, it’s only possible to skip/rewind at a rate of x30. The new navigation toolbar makes it possible to skip to a general time point- just like you would on a PC – and watch from there.
What else is getting an update?
Well, it’s now possible to auto-download the latest episodes of your favourite shows, thus eliminating any wait between the most recent episode ending and the next one beginning. It’s also easier to create a series link to entire TV shows. You’re also now going to have the option to continue watching at the end of every episode.
4) What else can I watch in Ultra HD TV?
The upgrade is just after being rolled out, but there are a host of titles that can show off its impressive capabilities. Aside from the Premier League and Formula 1 coverage, TV viewers can watch all of the following;
· Over 70 movies with premieres including Spectre, The Revenant, The Martian and Bridge of Spies.
· The biggest ever library of movies from Minority Report to Forrest Gump, The Godfather, Jerry Maguire, Zoolander, The Da Vinci Code and Spider-Man trilogy. Sky are continuing to convert more movies into the Ultra HD format.
· A wide selection of natural history and documentaries, from Sky’s David Attenborough catalogue, to Sky 1’s Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family and brand new features.
· Five new dramas including The Young Pope, featuring Jude Law.
· Plus other entertainment, including comedy series The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year 2016 and Blur in concert.
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