4K Ultra HD Streaming: Coming Soon to a TV Near You

By Paul Ausick Updated Apr 27, 3:01PM EDT · Published Nov 16, 8:25AM EST

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DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) on Friday became the first so-called multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) to deliver 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) video on-demand directly to its customers who own a Samsung UHD TV and DirecTV’s Genie HD digital video recorder (DVR). The service launched with nearly 20 movies, including “Forrest Gump,” “Amistad” and “Star Trek” (2009).

Just to review: high-definition (HD) video most often refers to a monitor resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (1080p), but other resolutions are also possible; 4K is the common name for a screen resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels at an aspect ratio of 16:9 or 1.78:1, but the industry standard is 4,096 x 2,160 at an aspect ratio of 19:10 or 1.9:1. Streaming that many pixels per frame at a speed of at least 24 frames per second puts enormous demands on bandwidth. A download speed of at least 25 megabits per second (Mbps) is usually recommended.

The short version of the story is that 4K UHD is not cheap. The least expensive TVs cost around $1,000 and prices rise quickly. Consumers who want it need to subscribe to high-speed — and higher-cost — Internet service, and some services require additional hardware.

Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) launched its 4K UHD streaming service in April of this year with the release of its second season of “House of Cards.” The company’s selection is relatively limited and Netflix added a $4 per month charge for the service for new subscribers and $3 a month for current subscribers until August 2016.

Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) also streams 4K UHD video at a price of $8 for a 24-hour rental. In order to receive these videos, consumers need a Sony 4K UHD TV built after 2013 and a 4K UHD media player that costs an additional $700. Viewers can also purchase episodes of available TV programming, like “Breaking Bad,” for $4 to $11 per episode and purchase a movie for $30 to $35. Sony has about 200 movies and TV shows available.

Google Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) YouTube offers free streaming 4K UHD video to any computer that supports the 4K standard. Content is still limited to just a few clips.

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) has said that it will add 4K UHD streaming to its Prime Instant Video service for no additional cost above the $99 annual charge for the free two-day shipping service and anything else Amazon can think of to sweeten the Prime offer. No launch date has been announced, and the rumored offerings are limited.

Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA), another MVPD like DirecTV, is expected to launch a 4K UHD service on Samsung TVs before the end of the year. Expectations are high for something that tops the DirecTV offer.

ALSO READ: Netflix Releases High-Definition Product for iPhone

About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.