4K looks spectacular on a big television, but it’s demanding. Most SSTV IPTV channels arrive in Full HD, and a selection of channels, events and on-demand titles are offered in Ultra HD. Here’s how to make sure you actually see the extra detail.
Speed for each picture quality
| Picture | Resolution | Steady bandwidth | Typical screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1280 × 720 | About 10 Mbps | Phone or tablet |
| Full HD | 1920 × 1080 | About 20 Mbps | Most living-room TVs |
| Ultra HD (4K) | 3840 × 2160 | At least 35 Mbps | 4K TVs of 55 inches and up |
Measure where it matters: run a speed test on the TV or streaming stick itself, in the evening, rather than trusting the speed printed on your broadband bill.
Your 4K checklist
- The television: a 4K panel, connected through an HDMI input that accepts 4K signals (often marked HDMI 2.0 or 2.1).
- The streamer: a device that decodes HEVC (H.265) video. Fire TV Stick 4K models running Fire OS, the Google TV Streamer and the NVIDIA Shield are solid choices.
- The network: a cable to the router if at all possible; otherwise strong 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
- The content: 4K only appears on channels and titles produced in it.
Settings that sharpen the picture
- Enable auto frame rate in TiviMate Premium, so the TV switches to the programme’s own frame rate.
- Choose Cinema or Filmmaker picture mode for films and series.
- Turn off motion smoothing for films if the image looks unnaturally fluid.
- On some televisions, switch the HDMI input to enhanced or deep colour mode, or 4K signals won’t come through.
Choosing stability over pixels
If a 4K stream stops to buffer, switch to the Full HD version of the same channel. At normal sofa distance from a medium-sized TV, the difference is modest, and an uninterrupted picture matters more. The buffering checklist finds the usual culprits.
4K questions
Is the whole line-up in 4K?
No. Full HD is the standard; 4K covers selected channels, events and catalogue titles.
Will my TV’s built-in app show 4K?
Some smart TV players handle 4K, others can’t decode every stream. A 4K streaming stick or box is the most dependable option.
How much data does 4K use?
Roughly double Full HD, often 15 GB or more per hour. On a metered connection, stick to Full HD.