Virgin Media Community

[ClarkKent77]

Today, I was watching City V Newcastle on BT Sport Ultimate. I noticed the picture wasn't that great. I clicked on info and it said "HD". I compared the image with BT Sport I HD, and it was the same. 

Last week, I also thought the image for the football on BT Sport Ultimate wasn't as sharp or crisp as it used to be. The games definitely used to be in UHD / 4K. 

So, has something changed? Any idea what has happened? 

[roy247]

The info always says HD, I did have the game on but for some reason I didn't give it my full attention to say if the PQ wasn't 4K.

There has been similar posts before about BT Ultimate picture quality. Maybe it was down to atmospheric conditions, but I don't remember it raining which football commentators always seem to imply is normal in Manchester but never anywhere else when it's raining.

[andyshortw]

I have both BT Ultimate and Sky Sports UHD.

Today I noticed my Sony Bravia TV detected HDR 4k while watching the F1 on Sky Sports UHD, but did not when watching the Man City Newcastle game on BT Ultimate.  Can't say the picture was obviously bad but I did think that was strange...?

[ozsat]

BT Ultimate is NOT HDR on VirginMedia.

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@andyshortw wrote:

I have both BT Ultimate and Sky Sports UHD.

Today I noticed my Sony Bravia TV detected HDR 4k while watching the F1 on Sky Sports UHD, but did not when watching the Man City Newcastle game on BT Ultimate.  Can't say the picture was obviously bad but I did think that was strange...?

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[andyshortw]

Really? Ok, thanks.

Any idea why that might be?  Just a quirk of the contract between BT and Virgin?

[ozsat]

The true HDR version does NOT have all the programmes on the main Ulitmate channel - so you get the full line-up on VirginMedia but in SDR.

Those with Sky get the non-HDR programmes flagged as HDR - which can cause colour and brightness issues.

BTtv viewers get both versions - the full SDR 4K version - and the HDR 4K version which only has the true HDR programming.

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@andyshortw wrote:

Really? Ok, thanks.

Any idea why that might be?  Just a quirk of the contract between BT and Virgin?

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[ClarkKent77]

Sorry, I'm a little confused! In previous months, I have compared the images between BT Ultimate Sport and BT Sport 1 (on Saturdays, the same game is on both channels at the same time). I do this because I got a new TV, and the image quality was noticeably different (even my wife commented). On BT Ultimate, it was much sharper and clearer and better. 

Are you saying BT Ultimate doesn't have 4K? Because it really looked like 4K to me, until now. When I compared on Saturday, the image was the same. 

[andyshortw]

I'm in a similar position, but as well as a new tv I also moved from BT to Virgin, partly, due to the fact Virgin offers Sky Sports in UHD, which BT doesn't.

I'm no jargon expert by any means, but BT Ultimate on Virgin is 4k (which relates to the number of pixels etc) but is not HDR which relates to the dynamic range of the colours (I think!).  Sky Sports UHD on Virgin *is* HDR.

On BT, Ultimate streams on 2 different channels, one is 4k HDR, one is not.  I did watch the HDR channel on my new tv prior to moving to Virgin, and although I obviously haven't had the chance to watch them side by side, my layman's observation is that the sharpness of the picture etc is very similar via both providers but perhaps the HDR version via BT may be a touch more 'Vivid'...?  

Just my (by no means expert!) impression.

[ozsat]

Don't confuse HDR and 4K as being the same thing.

Ultimate is all 4K - and Sky Sports UHD is 4K

Sky Sports UHD on VirginMedia also has HLG (a version of HDR) added.

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@ClarkKent77 wrote:

Sorry, I'm a little confused! In previous months, I have compared the images between BT Ultimate Sport and BT Sport 1 (on Saturdays, the same game is on both channels at the same time). I do this because I got a new TV, and the image quality was noticeably different (even my wife commented). On BT Ultimate, it was much sharper and clearer and better. 

Are you saying BT Ultimate doesn't have 4K? Because it really looked like 4K to me, until now. When I compared on Saturday, the image was the same. 

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[ClarkKent77]

Sorry, guys. I’m not explaining myself well! What I’m saying is this: 

I have BT Sport via Virgin Media. Previously, I was getting a really sharp, clear, impressive picture with BT Sport Ultimate, and a fine-but-not-great picture with BT Sport One. The difference between the two was noticeably different. 

In recent weekends, the picture quality (when watching Premier League football) has been the same on both channels. Both fine-but-not-great.