Which TV providers offer HD and Ultra HD?

Full 1080p HD has now become the standard viewing quality for most TV content, but not all providers include it by default, and prices can still vary.

Ultra HD (4K) content remains more limited, and usually requires compatible equipment and an additional subscription. Where available, it typically covers selected shows and live sports on services such as Sky Entertainment, Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and Netflix.

This guide explains which TV providers include HD as standard, where Ultra HD is available, and what - if anything - you'll pay extra to access higher-quality viewing.

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At a glance: HD and UHD TV packages

Sky and Virgin Media now include full 1080p HD as standard across their current TV platforms, with selected content available in Ultra HD (4K) for an additional monthly fee.

Customers using older Sky Q setups may still receive some channels in SD by default, and need to upgrade to Sky's HD or HD & Ultra HD packs to access higher resolutions.

BT and EE deliver Sky Sports and other premium channels via the NOW streaming platform. NOW supports full 1080p HD with Boost, and Ultra HD with Ultra Boost, although BT and EE TV boxes currently only support the HD tier. Customers using the NOW app directly on compatible smart TVs or devices may be able to access additional UHD content.

While platforms like Netgem TV support 4K, the actual viewing quality will depend on which streaming services a customer subscribes to, such as NOW or Netflix, and whether those services include HD or Ultra HD access.

Overall, Sky and Virgin Media currently offer the widest availability of full 1080p HD channels across their TV platforms, with optional Ultra HD upgrades available for selected content on Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Sky Sports and TNT Sports.

Amazon Prime Video is also a strong option for viewers focused on on-demand content, as it includes Ultra HD films and TV shows as standard and can act as a hub for additional services such as Paramount+ and Discovery+.

Disney+ similarly offers full 1080p HD streaming as standard, with selected titles available in Ultra HD on compatible devices, and can be accessed either through pay TV platforms like Sky and Virgin Media or directly via smart TVs and streaming devices.

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Best deals on Ultra HD TV content

Ultra HD (4K) content is currently concentrated around Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Sky Sports and TNT Sports. Below, we compare the best pay TV bundles where Ultra HD viewing is available, and how much it costs to add 4K access.

Sky Stream can be taken with or without broadband and includes 1080p HD as standard. Customers can add Sky's Ultra HD pack for £6 per month, unlocking 4K content across compatible subscriptions such as Sky Cinema and Sky Sports.

Virgin Media TV requires bundling broadband, but includes TNT Sports Ultimate in 4K as standard with the TNT Sports pack. Customers can also add Sky Sports Ultra HD and Sky Cinema Ultra HD via a single Ultra HD add-on.

Virgin Media's Ultra HD add-on costs £7 per month and now covers both Sky Sports UHD and Sky Cinema UHD where available, replacing the older separate and bundled upgrade pricing.

Finally, while customers can upgrade to full 1080p HD with BT, EE and TalkTalk via NOW, Ultra HD viewing isn't supported on their TV boxes. Although NOW offers an Ultra Boost add-on, 4K streaming is only available when using the NOW app directly on supported smart TVs and devices, not through BT, EE or TalkTalk TV hardware.

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Best deals on full 1080p HD content

For viewers who are happy with full 1080p HD, there's a much wider choice of TV providers and bundles available.

Full HD is now the standard viewing quality across many pay TV services, including Sky Stream, Virgin Media Mega TV, Virgin Media Flex, and most major streaming platforms such as Netflix.

By contrast, BT and EE TV customers receive Sky Sports and other premium channels in lower resolution by default, and need to add the NOW Boost upgrade for £6 per month to unlock full 1080p HD. The same HD upgrade applies to customers subscribing to NOW directly via a smart TV or streaming device.

Below are some of the cheapest pay TV bundles that include full 1080p HD as standard:

Overall, Sky and Virgin Media offer the widest range of content in full 1080p HD as standard, while customers using NOW can also access full HD by adding the NOW Boost upgrade, regardless of which broadband provider they use.

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Sky HD & Ultra HD

Sky's Stream TV service, which launched in October 2022, includes full 1080p HD as standard. This covers Sky Entertainment channels such as Sky Atlantic and Sky Max, as well as Freeview HD channels.

Customers using Sky's older satellite-based Sky Q platform receive Freeview channels in HD by default, but must pay an additional £9 per month to unlock full 1080p HD across Sky's premium channels.

Sky offers its HD and Ultra HD viewing through a dedicated add-on, which is available on rolling 31-day terms.

Customers on the older Sky Q platform generally pay more than those using Sky Stream or Sky Glass. However, the Ultra HD pack also unlocks full 1080p HD, so customers don't need to pay for separate HD and UHD upgrades.

Ultra HD content on Sky is mainly focused on Sky Originals, blockbuster films, and live sport through the Sky Cinema and Sky Sports packs.

While some Sky Entertainment programmes are available in 4K, customers will generally get the most value from the Ultra HD add-on if they also watch Sky Cinema or Sky Sports.

The Sky Ultra HD pack also includes TNT Sports Ultimate for customers who take the TNT Sports add-on. Netflix titles are only available in Ultra HD if customers separately upgrade to the Netflix Premium plan.

Read more about Sky TV packages.

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Virgin Media HD & Ultra HD

Virgin Media takes a more inclusive approach to HD viewing than Sky, with all subscribed channels delivered in full 1080p HD as standard where available, without requiring an additional HD upgrade.

This applies across both Virgin Media Mega TV bundles and the Flex platform, meaning customers automatically receive HD versions of their subscribed channels on compatible equipment.

For Ultra HD, Virgin Media includes TNT Sports Ultimate in 4K as standard with the TNT Sports Collection.

Customers who take Sky Sports or Sky Cinema can also access Ultra HD content via a single Ultra HD add-on priced at £7 per month, covering available Sky Sports UHD and Sky Cinema UHD content on compatible boxes and TVs.

Read more about Virgin Media TV packages.

Customers who take the TNT Sports pack also get TNT Sports Ultimate in 4K included at no extra cost, continuing Virgin Media's position as one of the strongest options for live sport in Ultra HD.

Virgin Media additionally offers the Virgin TV Ultra HD showcase channel free of charge to TV 360 and V6 customers, providing rotating 4K content for viewers with compatible TVs.

Since February 2023, Virgin Media has allowed customers with Sky Sports to upgrade to Sky Sports Ultra HD for an additional £7 per month. This £7 Ultra HD add-on now also covers available Sky Cinema Ultra HD channels, replacing Virgin Media's older, more fragmented UHD pricing.

This brings Virgin Media closer to Sky's single Ultra HD upgrade model, although access to UHD content remains dependent on which Sky channels Virgin carries in Ultra HD.

Virgin Media also upgraded its Bigger Bundle + Sports package in July 2023, making Sky Sports available in full 1080p HD as standard. Previously, Sky Sports was limited to SD on most bundles, except for higher-tier plans.

Here is the content quality included in the three main Virgin Media TV plans:

Customers who add premium Sky packs such as Sky Cinema or Sky Sports can then choose to upgrade their viewing quality.

Read more about Virgin Media TV packages.

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BT TV HD

BT (and EE) TV includes Freeview channels in HD as standard. To watch Sky Sports and other premium channels in full 1080p HD, customers need to add the HD add-on to their TV package.

The HD add-on costs an extra £6 per month and is available on a rolling contract, so it can be added or removed at any time.

Customers who take BT's most comprehensive Full Works package get full 1080p HD across supported channels included as standard.

One important point to be aware of with BT (and EE) is that, despite BT's involvement in TNT Sports (previously BT Sport), TNT Sports channels are delivered in SD as standard.

Customers must add BT's HD pack to upgrade TNT Sports to full 1080p HD, and the TNT Sports Ultimate 4K channel is only available once this HD add-on is in place.

While the BT TV Box Pro supports both HD and Ultra HD output, customers using older BT YouView boxes are limited to HD, as those boxes do not support 4K.

It's also worth noting that although NOW now offers a 4K add-on called NOW Ultra Boost, this is not supported on the BT or EE TV Box Pro. As a result, BT and EE TV customers can currently only watch NOW content in up to 1080p HD.

These deals are also available under the EE brand. Read more about BT TV packages.

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Streaming platforms

Netgem TV

Netgem TV is a broadband-based TV platform offered by some UK ISPs such as Community Fibre, Brsk and Connect Fibre, bringing together Freeview channels, FAST (free ad-supported streaming) channels and popular on-demand apps in one interface.

The service includes all Freeview channels in HD where available, alongside a large selection of internet-delivered FAST channels covering entertainment, news and sports. In recent updates, the platform has expanded to hundreds of FAST channels delivered over broadband, with sports and other genres available without separate subscription charges.

Netgem's 4K-capable set-top boxes mean customers can watch supported content at up to Ultra HD resolution on compatible TVs, although much of the channel content is currently delivered in HD or lower resolution depending on the source service.

Premium on-demand services such as NOW, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Discovery+ can be added separately to expand the offering, but these require their own subscriptions.

NOW TV

NOW TV memberships offer a flexible, contract-free way to access premium TV content, but higher picture quality comes at an extra monthly cost.

The standard NOW stream is limited to 720p HD. Customers who want full 1080p HD will need to add NOW Boost, which costs an extra £6 per month.

With NOW Boost, customers can watch HD content included in their memberships, such as Sky Sports (with a Sports Membership) or films and box sets (with Cinema or Entertainment Memberships).

According to NOW, Boost enables HD access to the following where available:

• All Sky Sports channels and on-demand sports content
• All live Sky Cinema channels plus on-demand movies
• Most live Entertainment channels (excluding Cartoonito and Nicktoons)
• Selected TV box sets and limited on-demand kids' content
• A limited selection of hayu box sets

Like NOW memberships themselves, the Boost add-on is on a rolling monthly basis and can be cancelled at any time.

For customers who want 4K content, NOW also offers an Ultra Boost add-on for £9 per month. Ultra HD content is more limited, and currently includes:

• Sky Sports Main Event Ultra HD
• Sky Sports F1 Ultra HD
• Sky Sports UHD 1
• Sky Sports UHD 2
• Selected shows and films on NOW Entertainment and NOW Cinema

NOW Ultra Boost also adds Dolby Atmos support and increases the number of simultaneous streams to three, compared with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and two streams on NOW Boost.

Netflix

Streaming service Netflix offers three subscription tiers in the UK, with differing video quality and features depending on the plan.

The "Standard with ads" and "Standard" plans both include full 1080p HD streaming, while only the "Premium" tier offers Ultra HD (4K) streaming alongside support for more simultaneous devices.

Whether content actually plays in UHD depends on what's available - not every title on Netflix is offered in 4K, and the majority of the catalogue remains in HD.

For example, older TV shows and films may only be in SD or HD because they were not produced in higher resolutions, even if you have the Premium plan.

On that basis, signing up to the Premium plan solely for Ultra HD may not be economical unless you want the additional perks such as four simultaneous streams or additional device support - many people upgrade primarily for those benefits rather than picture quality alone.

For a full look at how to get the most from Netflix on your TV or other devices, read our full guide to Netflix.

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video offers HD and Ultra HD (4K) streaming as part of its standard subscription at no additional cost beyond the base plan. Unlike some services that restrict higher resolutions to more expensive tiers, Prime Video's quality levels depend on the title and your device rather than an extra subscription upgrade.

Most modern Prime Video content is available in full 1080p HD where supported, although - as with other streaming services - older shows and movies produced before HD became standard may still be in standard definition.

Prime Video also includes a selection of UHD (4K) titles at no extra charge, which will play in 4K automatically on compatible TVs and devices. The amount of content in 4K is more limited than HD, but included titles span both Amazon Originals and select licensed films and series.

In the UK, a Prime membership - which includes Prime Video - costs around £8.99 per month, or £95 per year. There's also the option to subscribe to Prime Video on its own for a slightly lower monthly fee.

For more about how Prime Video compares with other major streaming services, see our guide on Amazon Prime Video vs Netflix.

Disney+

Streaming service Disney+ offers three subscription tiers in the UK, with video quality and features varying by plan.

Both the Standard with ads and Standard plans include full 1080p HD streaming as standard, while only the Premium tier offers Ultra HD (4K) playback.

As with other streaming services, whether content actually plays in 4K depends on availability. Not all Disney+ titles are offered in Ultra HD, and much of the back catalogue remains limited to HD.

Older TV series and films may only be available in SD or HD due to how they were originally produced, even if customers subscribe to the Premium plan.

As a result, upgrading to Disney+ Premium purely for Ultra HD may not be cost-effective unless viewers also want the additional benefits that come with the top tier.

Disney+ is widely supported across smart TVs, streaming sticks, games consoles and mobile devices, and can also be accessed via pay TV platforms including Sky and Virgin Media.

Read more in our full guide to getting Disney+ on your TV.

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Watching in HD or UHD

To watch TV in HD or Ultra HD, the first requirement is a compatible TV. Almost all TVs sold today are at least HD-ready, and most mid-range and premium models now support Ultra HD (4K), although UHD TVs still tend to cost a little more.

HD TVs support a minimum resolution of 720p, which is sufficient for basic HD broadcasts. However, the modern standard for "full HD" content is 1080p, which is what most HD channels and streaming services now use.

Ultra HD (UHD), often referred to as 4K, delivers four times the resolution of full HD. UHD TVs typically have a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and are required to view 4K content from compatible TV services and streaming apps.

HD 720p vs Full HD 1080p vs Ultra HD 4K 2160p. Credit: Choose.co.uk

While some HD content is available free-to-air via Freeview HD or Freesat, access to most HD and nearly all UHD channels requires a subscription to a pay TV or streaming provider.

Pay TV providers supply their own set-top boxes as part of a TV package. To watch HD or UHD content, customers will need a box that supports the relevant resolution. Most modern TV boxes now support Ultra HD, although older boxes may be limited to HD or standard definition.

Having a compatible TV and box does not automatically guarantee access to HD or UHD channels. Availability depends on the specific TV package, add-ons, or streaming subscription a customer chooses.

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Summary: Where to watch HD and Ultra HD TV

Full 1080p HD is now standard across most modern TV platforms, with services such as Sky Stream, Virgin Media and major streaming apps including HD viewing by default where available.

This is not universal, however. Some legacy platforms - including Sky Q and BT or EE TV - may still require specific channel packs or add-ons for HD access, depending on the subscription taken.

Ultra HD (4K) viewing is most relevant for customers who subscribe to premium channel packs such as Sky Sports, Sky Cinema or TNT Sports, as this is where the majority of UHD content is currently concentrated.

Both Sky and Virgin Media offer selected 4K content across Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and Sky Entertainment, where customers have the relevant subscriptions. Sky's Ultra HD add-on typically costs £6 per month, while Virgin Media's Sky Sports & Sky Cinema Ultra HD upgrade is priced at £7 per month.

Virgin Media has an edge for sports fans, as TNT Sports Ultimate is included in 4K at no extra cost with its TNT Sports pack. By contrast, Sky customers need both a TNT Sports subscription and Sky's Ultra HD add-on to access TNT Sports Ultimate in 4K. Virgin Media also includes a dedicated Virgin TV Ultra HD showcase channel at no extra cost.

In practice, most households will choose a TV provider first and then consider what HD or Ultra HD upgrades are available on that platform. For new customers comparing services primarily on picture quality and flexibility, Sky Stream and Virgin Media currently offer the clearest starting points.