UHD & HDR for Swisscom blue TV: what you need to know
UHD offers greater image detail while HDR greatly improves contrast and has a much broader colour spectrum. In combination, the two technologies deliver a noticeable improvement in quality. With blue TV, you can enjoy a range of channels and programmes in HDR and UHD. All you need is the right accessories and the right setup.
In order to receive UHD and HDR, you will need a UHD-compatible TV-Box from Swisscom as well as a UHD-/HDR-compatible TV set. The following two tests will help you find out.
UHD test
- Press the home button on your blue TV remote control and select the cogwheel icon (settings) in the top left.
- Choose Video & Audio > UHD Test
- You will then be able to see if there is a problem anywhere. A green tick or red cross provides information about the status of your connected devices. There’s a problem:
- Check if you are using an HDMI port that supports UHD (HDMI2.0 / HDCP2.2).
- Use the supplied HDMI cable or an HDMI Premium-Certified cable that supports the current quality standards.
- Check the possible screen resolution. To do this, press the Back button on the remote control and go to System > Overview Video Output. To be able to receive UHD, the value needs to be 3840×2160 p. If it is lower than this, at least one of the used devices, HDMI cables, or HDMI ports is not UHD compatible. It may also be a receiver or audio system.
HDR test
- Press the home button on your blue TV remote control and select the cogwheel icon (settings) in the top left.
- Choose Video & Audio > HDR > HDR Test
- This test detects whether your TV supports HLG, HDR10 and/or Dolby Vision. To watch in HDR, there needs to be a green tick next to ‘Supports HDR10’. If you see a red cross, run a software update on your TV and check if you need to activate HDR. See below for more information.
Activating HDR on your TV set
For information on how to activate HDR, read the user manual for your TV set. If you have activated the HDR function on your TV, you need to switch blue TV on and off. It is also possible that the TV-Box (if present) needs restarting – via the main switch or settings. To do this, press the home button on your blue TV remote control, go to the cogwheel icon in the top left and select TV and Radio > Restart.
Here, we have compiled the information for HDR activation for some manufacturers:
Samsung
Samsung calls this function HDMI UHD Color. For most TV sets, you need to activate it for each HDMI channel. Depending on the TV model, you will find this function in different places in the menu. Older models often list it under Picture settings > Picture options. More recent models list it under General settings > External device management.
LG
LG calls this function HDMI Ultra HD Deep Color. It is also usually listed under general settings rather than picture settings and needs to be activated for each HDMI channel.
Sony
You need to change the HDMI signal format from ‘standard’ to ‘extended format’ or ‘optimised format’ on Sony TV sets. Go to Settings > External inputs> HDMI signal format.
Philips
To receive HDR on a Philips TV set, go to Settings > HDMI Ultra HD > HDMI 1&2 > UHD 444/422 or 420.
Panasonic
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You need to switch on the HDMI HDR settings on a Panasonic TV as follows: Menu > Setup > HDMI HDR Settings: on.
In the case of HDR, the TV-Box from Swisscom always uses the settings required by the television. It supports up to 4:2:2 12bit YCbCr. Deep Color needs 4:2:0 10bit and higher as the minimum basis for HDR transmissions on the HDMI interface.
If you have activated the HDR function on your TV, you need to switch blue TV on and off. You may even need to restart the TV-Box (if present) using the main switch.
What is UHD?
Ultra HD means Ultra High Definition. It is a digital video format offering four times the resolution of Full HD (3840×2160 pixels instead of 1920×1080 pixels). The term Ultra underlines the better image quality compared to Full. The higher number of pixels ensures a crystal-clear image, bold, vibrant colours and ultra-sharp resolution.
What is HDR?
HDR incorporates a significantly greater range of colours and contrast, particularly noticeable with very light or very dark content. The greater the luminosity of the TV screen, the better the effect. There are a number of competing HDR standards at the present time: the widely used HDR10; Samsung’s HDR10+; HLG, a format co-developed by the BBC and primarily used for live programming, and ‘Dolby Vision’, promoted by LG and also used by Netflix and Apple TV. The Swisscom Box from blue TV conforms to all the different standards and is fully compatible with the latest generation of televisions, which can typically display more than one standard without a problem. It is even the first box of its kind in Europe to support Dolby Vision. Worth knowing: Dolby Vision, like HDR10+, is one of the next-generation HDR standards, offering an even better HDR display than the widely used and somewhat older HDR10 standard (without the plus). These standards are rarely specified directly on the visible logos on the screen. If in doubt, therefore, it is vital to check with the retailer of the device in question.
Related links
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