Virgin Media brings Ultra HD quality movies and shows from the Sky library to some of its customers for free. In total, around 1,300 episodes of TVs and 250 films in 4K quality will be available on the recently launched Virgin TV 360 set-top box, which includes Ultra HD streaming, plus wireless multi-room support and voice control.
Ultra HD offers four times as many pixels as standard 1080p high definition and is considered a natural successor in terms of image quality. You’ll need a 4K or 8K TV to see the extra clarity. So it’s worth checking that you have the right kit. If you’re all ready, then Virgin Media has promised a pretty diverse selection of Ultra HD content, including original Sky movies like the newly released Twist with Michael Caine and Rita Ora, and Hollywood box office smashes like Birds Of Prey: And Die fantastic emancipation of a Harley Quinn.
Sky TV staples like The Blacklist and Seal Team will also be included in the free 4K bundle for Virgin Media customers. All content from Sky Entertainment and Sky Cinema Ultra HD will be available in box sets and films through a dedicated area for customers to download and watch whenever it suits them, Virgin announced.
To get the pixel-rich Ultra HD movies and films at no additional cost, you need to subscribe to Virgin Media’s Ultimate Oomph package. This is the most expensive package currently offered by the company. It includes the brand new TV 360 kit, children’s, entertainment and sports channels as well as Sky Entertainment and Sky Cinema in Ultra HD. For those who are already paying for Virgin Media’s Ultimate Oomph package, this is a brilliant new feature that is available for free.
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Customers who have not subscribed to Ultimate Oomph but already have a subscription to Sky Cinema with their TV 360 set-top box can add the ability to watch in Ultra HD by using the new Sky Cinema and Sky Entertainment add-on Add Ultra HD to your monthly bill. This costs £ 6 a month. You cannot watch in Ultra HD without a Sky Cinema subscription.
This is similar to how Sky Q handles Ultra HD. This is an optional extra that allows your existing content (whether you’re paying for TV shows, movies, or Sky Sports) to be viewed in crisp 4K format. In contrast to Sky, Virgin Media does not seem to offer any sports equipment in Ultra HD yet.
However, with Virgin Media’s TV 360 set-top box, viewers can also stream programs from BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, YouTube and Netflix in Ultra HD. For the latter, however, you need to make sure that you are paying for the correct subscription level that allows for that quality of image (hint: it’s the most expensive).
David Bouchier, Virgin Media’s chief digital entertainment officer, said of the launch, “Inevitable television deserves the ultimate picture quality, and Virgin TV customers can now enjoy Sky’s top TV shows and movies in Ultra HD. Our high-performance Virgin TV 360 and V6 set-top boxes allow our customers to watch the widest range of Ultra HD and High Dynamic Range content in one place. This makes us the true home of Ultra HD content. “
