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Kingman

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BT Sport launches Ultra HD package. 

 

BT has announced details of its new BT TV Ultra HD package, which includes Europe’s very first live sports Ultra HD channel, BT Sport Ultra HD

 

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Last updated: 17 July 2015, 13:54 BST
 

BT has announced details of its new BT TV Ultra HD package, which includes Europe’s very first live sports Ultra HD (4K) channel, BT Sport Ultra HD, and the company’s new BT TV Ultra HD set top box.

The new channel will launch with its first live broadcast being the FA Community Shield match at Wembley on August 2 between Chelsea and Arsenal followed by the first game of the Barclays Premier League season, with Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United taking on Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday, August 8.

Other live events will be shown throughout the season, including games from the UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, FA Cup, Aviva Premiership Rugby and MotoGP.

The stunning picture quality of Ultra HD, with four times the detail of HD, will be the star of BT’s top TV package, Entertainment Ultra HD.

It includes BT’s new 1TB Ultra HD YouView+ set top box, giving 600 SD or 250 HD hours of storage and 47 premium channels including entertainment, documentary and lifestyle channels, with 13 in HD and the BT Sport Pack with all of the UEFA Champions League and Europe’s first Ultra HD channel, all for £15 a month. It also comes with a voucher for up to £500 off an LG 4K UHD TV.

The package will be available to buy online from July 25, or call us on 0800 917 7614 from today to find out more.

 

Ultra HD events in August


August 2 Arsenal v Chelsea, FA Community Shield

August 8 Manchester United v Tottenham, Barclays Premier League

August 15 Southampton v Everton, Barclays Premier League

August 22 Manchester United v Newcastle, Barclays Premier League 

August 29 and 30 British GPMotoGP

 

BT TV’s other packages include Entertainment Plus at £10 a month (with 25 premium entertainment channels) and its great value Starter package, for which there is no monthly charge at all and which comes with catch up TV, BT Sport 1, BT Sport Europe, BT Sport 2, ESPN on BT Sport and the upcoming new AMC drama and movie channel, launching in late August exclusively from BT. Entertainment Ultra HD is a new addition to the BT TV line up - customers will require BT Infinity.

All of BT’s TV packages include the BT Sport Pack free of charge, giving the viewer all of BT Sport’s sporting action including 351 exclusively live UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches, the FA Cup, European Rugby Champions Cup, Barclays Premier League, SPFL, Aviva Premiership, MotoGP and UFC.

Entertainment Ultra HD - £15


• Free BT Sport Pack, in SD and HD

• 47 Premium channels including 13 HD plus 9 kids channels

• Plus BT Sport Ultra HD channel

• Up to 80 Freeview channels

• Catch up TV, for example,  BBC iPlayer or 4oD

• Buy or rent the latest movies on BT Store

• 1TB UHD set top box with pause, rewind and record

• Watch TV on the go with TV Everywhere

• Up to £500 off an LG 4K UHD TV

• Costs £15 a month

 

Delia Bushell, managing director of BT TV and BT Sport, said: "The best way to watch BT Sport is with BT TV. BT Sport Ultra HD is the next step in high definition TV and provides a truly cinematic viewing experience and is available only on BT TV.

"The BT Sport Ultra HD channel will bring you closer to the action than ever before. The picture quality is absolutely amazing – it’s four times the detail of today’s high definition TV and eight times the detail of standard definition.

"We are proud to be innovating and leading the UK TV market with our Entertainment Ultra HD package which offers customers the best in premium TV."

Call us on 0800 917 7614 to find out more about this exciting launch. 

 

http://sport.bt.com/sport-football/news/bt-sport-launches-ultra-hd-package-S11363991113985 

 

£15 is what I'm paying now just for BT Sports so seems a very tempting offer, Will be interesting to see whats said about the actual true quality.

 

Will also be interesting to see the counter offers from Sky & Virgin now the chips are down.

 

Any early takers?..

Edited by Kingman
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If I had a 4k TV id be straight in there. Looks decent. Glad they are broadcasting 4k. Hopefully will give sky a kick up the backside.

EDIT.... Seems its all IP based. Should be good though.

Edited by PieFacE
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Update… 

 

Welcome to Ultra HD

 

 

main_image.jpg    

 

 

Enjoy striking action from the world's finest sports competitons   icons.jpg     line.jpg    

 

Hello,  

 

Thank you for your interest in BT TV Sport Ultra HD, the next generation in high definition TV that is set to revolutionise your viewing experience. What you get Be one of the first people in the UK to enjoy the very best sport in the very best quality, when we show exclusive coverage of this year's FA Community Shield clash between Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday 2 August.  

 

The game will be shown on our new BT Sport Ultra HD channel. With more than four times the detail of full HD, you'll feel closer to the action than ever before. And, with a live event every week throughout the season, you can savour regular stunning sporting action.  

 

What you need to do Because you're not currently a BT customer, we need to check whether you can receive the service in your area. Please call us to find out.

 

To enjoy Sport at it's very best you'll need to sign up to our Ultra HD Entertainment Max pack for just £15 for 12 months1. You will need to pay an engineer install fee of £44.  

 

You'll also need to sign up for BT Infinity from £10 per month (12 month contract) and a take a BT landline for 16.99 a month.  

 

To watch sport in Ultra HD requires a compatible Ultra HD-ready TV, so when you upgrade to our Entertainment Max pack, we'll also offer you up to £500 off a new LG Ultra HD TV from the BT Shop2.        

 

Call now on 0800 434 6249 to find out if you can get BT Sport Ultra HD        

 

Act now Sign up now to experience sport like you've never seen it before. 
Order by 24 July to be Ultra HD-ready for the Community Shield.   Thanks for choosing BT.   signature.gif   Libby Barr 
Managing Director, Customer Care      

 

 

So in a general summary,

 

If I've done the calcs right and there is no hidden gems about to surprise us then technically myself and other BT Sports subscribers can get this for just £2 a month more? 

 

Already costs £15 a month now for the HD Package, but UHD Package requires the switch to Infinity broadband along with line rental at a further cost of £27 a month.  Collective £42

 

Currently paying Sky £25 a month for standard broadband (Not Fibre) and line rental. So thats a Collective £40

 

As long as Infinity is available in the area i think its pretty much a no brainer for technically just a £2 a month rise, this sounds to good to be true and we know what that usually means!

 

However i do wish Sky would now show there hand so we can see whats what, 

 

Anyone done the switch or contemplating it?
 

Edited by Kingman
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TV's that Will/Wont work with BT UHD Sports so try before you buy folks! 

 

 

Ultra HD - TV compatibility and HDMI port settings

 

To watch BT’s Ultra HD content and to get the highest possible picture quality, you need to check that you have or plan to buy an Ultra HD/4K TV that is compatible with BT’s Ultra HD service.

 

What make is your TV? 

Choose your TVs make from the below to find out about compatibility and set up for BT's Ultra HD:

 

sonytab.png samsungtab.png lgtab.png panasonictab.png phillipstabs.png

 

 

Other brands

 

Toshiba

At this stage no Toshiba Ultra HD 4K Television will work with the BT Ultra HD product.

 

Disclaimer

 
You’ll need an Ultra HD/4k TV that’s compatible with our Ultra HD service. This list of TVs has been compiled through us testing or being informed by the TV manufacturers as being compatible. Our Ultra HD service requires the TV to support HDCP2.2 content protection and a picture resolution of 2160p50 (sometimes known as 50Hz) over the same HDMI port. 

It is your responsibility to check the TV manufacturer’s product information to verify compatibility. We cannot accept responsibility if your TV does not support the display of BT’s Ultra HD content. 

 

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/53069/~/ultra-hd---tv-compatibility-and-hdmi-port-settings

Edited by Kingman
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Here it is then, Sky's Counter offer with their new SkyQ Box 

 

 

Sky prepares launch of new 'Apple and Netflix-style' set-top box Dubbed SkyQ, the new technology aims to take a lead over BT 

 

Sky is putting the finishing touches to an advanced set-top box, dubbed SkyQ, that it hopes will be a powerful weapon in its defence of its domestic pay-TV business against BT and help it integrate its European operations. 

The new hardware is due to be unveiled within weeks and will offer satellite households an “Apple and Netflix-style” experience, according to industry insiders. 

SkyQ, developed at maximum speed under the codename “Project Ethan”, is understood to allow subscribers to watch and record at least four programmes simultaneously on multiple devices throughout the home. It will wirelessly beam content to smartphones and tablets around the home, and is ready to receive ultra-high definition broadcasts once Sky follows BT to offer sharper pictures for the latest televisions. 

An informed industry source who has seen SkyQ in action said it was “really very slick” and compared its user interface to Netflix and Apple TV, with programmes presented on a carousel in a “much more visual” format than on the current Sky HD+ box. 

The software will learn viewers’ preferences to make suggestions of programmes they might like, and blur the lines between live broadcast, recorded content, and on-demand over the internet. 

netflix_3353097b.jpg
An industry source compared Sky's 'much more visual' new interface to Netflix

In preparation for the launch, Sky has also renegotiated its rights deals with broadcasters to allow it to “side-load” programmes from the SkyQ box onto mobile devices. 

The launch will be a landmark for Sky, as it seeks to maintain its pay-TV dominance. SkyQ is designed to give it a big technological lead over BT, which uses the YouView set-top box for its pay-TV service. 

BT executives have acknowledged that the YouView technology, developed in partnership with TalkTalk and Britain’s public service broadcasters, is out of date. 

Gavin Patterson, the chief executive of BT, told The Telegraph he wanted to accelerate development

Sky_HD_box_1508837b.jpg
Sky's curreny set-top box technology launched a decade ago

He said: “Youview is a great product but it is effectively run for the benefit of seven shareholders which can mean some decision making is slower than it needs to be. 

“What we can’t do is not keep up with market and not utilise the full benefits the platform can give because of squabbling over investment or prioritisation.” 

The launch of SkyQ will come soon after the company reports its full-year results this week. A consensus of City analysts expects like-for-like sales to rise 5pc to £11.3bn and underlying earnings to increase 16pc to £1.4bn. Earnings per share are predicted to dip 4pc, however, as a result of new shares issued by Sky to pay for the acquisitions of Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland. 

Moving the three Sky operations to the same set-top box technology is expected to play a major role in delivering the £200m in annual savings chief executive Jeremy Darroch said the double takeover would produce

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/11761944/Sky-prepares-launch-of-new-Apple-and-Netflix-style-set-top-box.html

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Netflix like. Apart from being much, much more expensive, and still riddled with ads, presumably. I don't think it's the UI that is drawing people to Netflix.

Edited by Davkaus
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So presumably Sky will charge extra for UHD. Where does that leave HD? Will they have a 3 tier service.

 

Would be interested in their new service but cannot help thinking it will cost an extra arm and a leg.

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IIRC when HD was launched in 2006ish for the Thompson HD box was a one off payment of £250 and then £10 a month for HD. 

 

Will prob require a Fibre Broadband connection to rival BT. 

 

Now would be a good time to dump support for MPEG-2 entirely. Move all the SD channels onto to H264 and get rid of the SD channel if there is also an HD channel of the same content. They'd free up a huge amount of bandwidth and improve image quality into the bargain.

 

Not sure what point there is to 4K otherwise though.

Edited by Kingman
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How is 4K on Netflix BTW, I haven't got a 4K TV yet and haven't even seen what 4K is like yet..

 

As for UHD content its here and its vast, BT Sport’s 4K Channel starts on 1/8/15 with the Charity Shield being the first live game screened in UHD on the 2/8/15, Netflix’s commitment to 4K grows every month (Breaking Bad in 4K makes you wanna slap ya momma),  If UK netflix aint enough then switch settings to Netflix USA that has even more 4k content. Amazon also has its own 4k content channel and there is also availability of dedicated 4K promo channels from SES Astra and Eutelsat, and Hispasat is also available (Tune your 4k TV to 12441, V,   29500,  3/4,  DVB-S2,  8PSK) 

 

In Japan they are more or less skipping 4k and going straight to 8k, NHK has been working on 8K Super Hi-Vision for more than a decade, screened its first clip in 2001, and has tackled many of crucial technology issues along the way to make it a reality and will screen the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 8k. 

 

http://www.villatalk.com/index.php/topic/13485-curved-tv-vs-flat-tv/page-2

Edited by Kingman
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IIRC when HD was launched in 2006ish for the Thompson HD box was a one off payment of £250 and then £10 a month for HD.

Will prob require a Fibre Broadband connection to rival BT.

Now would be a good time to dump support for MPEG-2 entirely. Move all the SD channels onto to H264 and get rid of the SD channel if there is also an HD channel of the same content. They'd free up a huge amount of bandwidth and improve image quality into the bargain.

Not sure what point there is to 4K otherwise though.

I reckon SD will still be around for another 10 years yet...

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IMO terrestrial channels will be pretty much obsolete in the next 5 years, No point wasting bandwidth on SD channels when most broadcasters now have a free to air HD channel on either free-view or free-sat. 

 

Its only sports/movies channels that we pay for, everything else can be sourced free from the above.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Getting BT UHD installed on the 19th, Negotiated 60% off my full Sky HD TV bill for 12 months + £50 credited to my next bill taking it down to £37.50 so thats that sorted for 12 months. 

 

Got some good ideas from here  http://www.hotukdeals.com/misc/75-off-sky-tv-for-existing-customers-only-works-when-call-specific-number-3-weeks-1741671?page=39#comments

 

Have switched phone line and broadband from Sky to BT's Infinity 1 unlimited  + UHD Pack + BT Sports pack + £125 of Sainsburys vouchers for £42 a month. 

 

So all in all its now costing me a collective £79.50 a month for the BT pack , Sky pack, Unlimited Infinity + Landline & Weekend Calls where as i was previously paying a collective £120 but for standard Broadband and no UHD pack.

 

Happy days £40 a month cheaper and i get faster broadband + UHD BT Sports.

Edited by Kingman
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If anyones interested in saving money on the above link. Ive just dropped it again for my old man this time round. 

 

60% off full sky tv + sports with HD pack, 50% off multi room + box sets & sky go + free 12 months broadband + £100 credit.  

 

£55 a month all in. Includes tv, phone and broadband. 

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I was in Argos the other day and they had a TV setup showing UHD and I have to say it was very impressive. Never really blown away by the step from SD to HD but this was really something.

 

 

Just be mindful of the full specs of the TV before anybody buys one as some early adopters will already find there UHD Sets are obsolete from the new broadcasting requirements. 

 

As stated above, Early TV's that will output the true 2140 x 3160 @ 50fps & support HDCP2.2 as follows… 

 

Click on the manufacture of your set below to see if your model is on the list and compatible 

 

 

sonytab.png samsungtab.png lgtab.png panasonictab.png phillipstabs.png

 

 

Other brands

 

Toshiba

At this stage no Toshiba Ultra HD 4K Television will work with the BT Ultra HD product.

 

Disclaimer

 

You’ll need an Ultra HD/4k TV that’s compatible with Ultra HD service. This list of TVs has been compiled through testing or being informed by the TV manufacturers as being compatible.

 

Ultra HD service requires the TV to support HDCP2.2 content protection and a picture resolution of 2160p50 (sometimes known as 50Hz) over the same HDMI port. 

 

It is your responsibility to check the TV manufacturer’s product information to verify compatibility, so one would think this won't be a valid reason for returning a set back to the store! 

Edited by Kingman
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