Amazon Fire Stick and Roku users warned mistake is 'ruining' their TV
UK households have been urged not to make a 4K mistake that ruins your TV’s picture quality – because it’s costly and such a pain if you realise too late. A blunder relating to a gadget may be ruining your 4K content, it is feared.
Even if you buy 4K TVs, you aren't guaranteed a 4K picture. Tech experts have warned to make 100 per cent sure that you've actually got a 4K TV and ensure that you're watching 4K or Ultra HD content. Even if your TV is 4K, you won't see such high levels of detail unless the movie you're watching is being streamed or display to you in 4K.
Some Amazon Fire Sticks offer 4K – but cheaper models don't, it is warned. Your Roku TV device might support 4K – but not all models do. Apps like Netflix will downgrade content if you're watching it in Ultra HD but using cheaper sticks.
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4K Ultra HD is the name assigned to a screen with a resolution that’s four times that of a Full HD (1080p) TV. That translates to 8 million pixels being crammed into the same space in which a Full HD TV fits just 2 million — achieved by making each pixel four times smaller.
4K and Ultra HD are practically interchangeable. 4K is a digital cinema standard that calls for a 4096 x 2160-pixel resolution. That first number is a horizontal measurement, the latter vertical, and they work out because they fit a 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Amazon says to watch 4K Ultra HD on Your Fire TV, you need a high-speed internet connection of at least 15 Mbps. Some video apps (for example, Netflix) recommend at least 20 Mbps, an Ultra HD TV with at least one HDMI input that supports HDCP 2.2 content protection standards, and devices that support HDCP 2.2, including all the devices in your home theater setup (such as AV receivers and soundbars).
You also need the resolution of your TV configured to 4K, HDR, or FHD. To find the resolution options, check your TV’s picture or input settings and follow the manufacturer’s instructions if needed.