Netflix has recently increased the price of its most popular plan, the Standard plan by increasing the price monthly of $ 8.99 to $ 9.99, but it's not the only change the online video service has made this year. In January, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, it announced plans to put the resolution 4K to users in certain securities, and now both Netflix and Amazon have content available in the ultra-high definition resolution in streaming. Netflix also revealed that it will start production and content in HDR (High Dynamic Range), something that Amazon has already jumped the gun with some of his films and series that are currently available to its streaming users. Since both technologies are still quite new to the public, we have broken all you need to know about these ultra-high definition resolutions.
What is 4K?
Something you might have heard of, 4K is a variant of the ultra-high definition, also known as UHD, and has gained popularity in the homes of those who opt for the new 4K TVs. It offers users a superior image quality by increasing the number of pixels displayed on a screen. More pixels means a sharper picture image and an improved visual experience. It takes its name, 4K, because the images projected on 4K TVs are about 4000 pixels wide (compared to HD resolution to about 1,080 pixels or standard definition resolution of about 480 pixels). It is important to note, however, that 4K is a function of the distance the viewer is seated on the screen, so that the size of your screen can make all the difference in whether or not you actually get 4K complete experience. For example, if you have a small lounge with a TV 72 inches, the content you stream 4K would not really be showing 4K because you are probably sitting too close to the screen.
What is HDR?
HDR, or high dynamic range, works a little differently. Unlike 4K HDR does not change the number of pixels, so that the screen size and the distance the viewer is the screen will have a huge effect. In other words, HDR projects a resolution of high definition with better pixels, more vivid images and contrast levels higher. This is supposed to be the cream of the crop in the resolution of the video, because it is more representative of what the human eye actually sees. A picture of the sun, for example, will show you the difference exhibitions, highlights and shadows, very similar to what you see in real life.
Where can I watch HDR and 4K content?
Currently, Amazon and Netflix 4K streaming capabilities, but it is only available on certain securities. The reason behind this is that pixel quality is still quite new - not all shows or movies were recorded using 4K, so they can not read in 4K. Amazon has a few titles available to stream HDR, and Netflix is to follow soon. Both online video giants plan to start producing more and more of their original content in HDR in the future, so you can expect to have a wider selection of ultra-high definition content soon. If you are looking to distribute ultra-high definition with Hulu, you have to wait a little longer, as the company currently only supports playback in standard and high definition.
For more information on the devices that support Netflix, Hulu or Amazon or check out the different plan options available, visit our video reviews online.