HDR (High Dynamic Range) is the next big step forward in streaming picture quality, offering higher contrasts between light and dark, more vivid colours, and brighter images on screen.
It's available on BT Sport Ultimate, which delivers the best viewing quality for whichever device you are watching on, encompassing 4K, HDR and Dolby Atmos.
You can watch selected programmes in 4K and selected events in 4K HDR on BT Sport Ultimate using a smartphone, tablet, BT TV Box Pro, Samsung Smart TV and games console, as well as streaming using Apple TV and Google Chromecast.
BT Sport will be making up to 70 events per season available to watch in HDR, including Premier League and UEFA Champions League matches. We’ll let you know which events are broadcast in HDR on our Live on BT Sport page >
HDR (High Dynamic Range) benefits
While 4K TV is about adding more pixels, HDR (High Dynamic Range) is about creating better, more dynamic-looking pixels. It does that by offering higher contrasts between light and dark, more vivid colours and brighter images on screen.
TVs with HDR can display a wider range of colours from black to white, so you can see more details in the very darkest and brightest areas of the picture.
Digital images we watch on TV are made up of dots (or pixels). As TV technology has improved over the last decade or so, there's been an increase in the number of pixels that make up these images. We've moved from SD to HD to 4K. More pixels means more detail, so clearer and sharper images.
SD TV: Standard Definition TV, you receive through the aerial for a terrestrial broadcast. Many TV channels are still broadcast in SD.
HD TV: High-Definition was introduced in the mid 2000s. HD pictures have more pixels, which means they are much sharper than standard definition TV.
4K TV: 4K pictures are even sharper than HD, with four times as many pixels, which means images are superior with more fine detail.
HDR: High Dynamic Range TV standard that allows screens to give you improved contrast, more accurate colours and more vivid pictures than regular sets. HDR can be offered on both HD and 4K resolutions.
How to watch BT Sport Ultimate
BT Sport Ultimate is included with some of our plans and available as an add-on with others. How to watch BT Sport Ultimate >
Mobiles and tablets
You can watch BT Sport Ultimate in HDR using the BT Sport app on an HDR compatible Apple and Android device. Please check the specifications of your device to find out if it supports HDR.
How to watch:
- Log into the BT Sport app
- Select the match you want to watch on the homepage - this should have a HDR icon
- From the match page, choose Watch live
- At the option of watching in the 'Enhanced Player' or 'Standard Player', you'll need to select the Standard Player option to watch in HDR
Watching HDR on a smartphone or tablet doesn't use any more mobile data than regular SD or HD streams. 4K/Ultra HD, which does use more data, isn't available when you're watching the BT Sport app on a mobile.
BT TV Box Pro
You can watch BT Sport Ultimate on your BT TV Box Pro on channel 433 and channel 465 for BT Sport Ultimate HDR.
How to watch:
- Make sure your TV is set to watch in 4K HDR.
- Make sure your TV Box Pro is set to watch in 4K HDR. You can do this by pressing home button on your remote, navigate to settings (cog icon on the top right), select Picture & Sound and check that HDMI display is set to UHD (50fps 10bit)
- If you want to watch BT Sport Ultimate go to channel 433.
- If you want to watch BT Sport Ultimate HDR go to channel 465.
Samsung Smart TVs
If you've got a compatible 4K/HDR Samsung Smart TV, you can watch a HDR broadcast event using the large screen BT Sport app.
How to watch:
- If your TV is 4K or HDR compatible, the app will automatically detect this. Depending on the event being shown, you'll see an icon and the BT Sport Ultimate logo when you're streaming
- If it's not 4K or HDR compatible, you won't see any icons. Instead, you'll see one of the normal BT Sport channel logos when you're streaming, such as BT Sport 1 or BT Sport 2
- You can check your specific model at www.samsung.com/uk/tvs >
Apple TV 4K
Using Apple TV 4K, you can watch 4K and HDR programmes on BT Sport Ultimate by streaming from the BT Sport app to a 4K/HDR compatible TV. Follow the instructions below for HDR. If you want to watch in 4K, choose a 4K setting.
You can also Airplay from the BT Sport app in HDR or 4K using an Apple TV 4K, provided your TV settings are correct.
How to watch in HDR:
- Go to the Settings app on your Apple TV
- Choose Video and Audio
- Go to Format and select 1080p HDR 50Hz. If you haven't previously used this setting, your Apple TV will verify whether or not your TV is compatible
- If your TV is compatible, you'll see a message stating it's been switched to HDR - press OK. Your Apple TV is now set up for HDR
Google Chromecast Ultra
Using a Chromecast, you can watch in 4K and HDR. Connect a Chromecast Ultra to a 4K/HDR enabled HDMI port on a 4K/HDR compatible TV.*
How to watch:
- From the Standard player in the BT Sport app, select the Chromecast icon when streaming
- If your devices are compatible and settings are correct, the device will automatically detect this and show BT Sport Ultimate. If you're not seeing the BT Sport Ultimate stream, you may need to check the 4K and HDR settings of your TV. Find out more about Chromecast setup >
Xbox
Watch BT Sport Ultimate on your Xbox One S and Xbox One X using the BT Sport big screen app. As well as viewing selected programmes in 4K, you can watch in 4K HDR, provided your TV supports 4K/Ultra HD. On-screen icons will appear denoting if a show is available in 4K or HDR.
How to watch:
The Xbox will automatically detect 4K, but you may need to enable HDR.
- Go to Settings from the Xbox home screen
- Head to Display & sound
- Go to Video output
- Look for Video modes in the Advanced menu
- Select Allow HDR10
LG, Sony, Philips, Sharp and Toshiba all make 4K HDR compatible TVs. You may need to check if your device supports it using the manufacturer's website.
HDR internet speed requirements
You'll need a minimum connection speed of 2.5Mbps on mobiles and tablets to watch BT Sport Ultimate in HDR, but we recommend 6Mbps for the best possible viewing experience.
On other connected devices, such as games consoles and Smart TVs, you'll need at least 6Mbps and if you want to stream in 4K, you'll need a connection of at least 25Mbps or 30Mbps for 4K HDR.
*Chromecast Ultras built into TVs are not supported.