This topic

TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Colesy7 — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:12:07 GMT

I’m still yet to receive an answer to this from anyone but can anyone explain why we have to pay to access the 4K channel when the broadcasts are 1080p at best? Colours look terrible, the logo in the corner is extremely bright. @DarrenDev any explanation?

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

DarrenDev — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:21:09 GMT

You don't have to pay to access the Ultimate channel - it's included as standard now, as long as you use the app.
If you're using the channel from the TV Guide then you need the HD add-on, which includes Ultimate if the broadband is fast enough. The broadcast on the Ultimate channel from the TV Guide is ALWAYS 4k.
Colours are subjective - especially when viewing the HDR channel. It also depends on the screen you're using.
The logo is required. It's been discussed on these forums for many years, and isn't going away.

Have I missed anything?

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

NigelB72 — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:21:36 GMT

TNT Sport Ultimate is broadcast in UHD HDR with Dolby Atmos... Where are you getting this 1080p theory from?

Also, 4K is a cinema resolution. Domestic displays are 3840 x 2160 as opposed to 4096 x 2160 for cinema resolution.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Colesy7 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:15:42 GMT

Hmmm I’m watching the 4K channel through the guide (465 to be exact) and I’m sorry but the resolution is not 4K. I have an Lg OLED and the picture is terrible. Although I have recordings of games when it was Bt sport ultimate and the difference in clarity compared to what we have now is mind blowing. Even when watching on the app, the picture is grainy and poor.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Colesy7 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:16:53 GMT

Haha it’s supposed to be. Watch a game on ultimate and then watch a game on sky sports uhd and tell me there is not a huge difference in image sharpness.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

ozsat — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:20:40 GMT

I find that TNT Uliimate is a slightly better pixcture that Sky Sports UHD which is often upscaled.

I find the best source for Ultimate is the BTtv box.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

royc — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:55:53 GMT

I watch BT (TNT)sport via the Discovery+ app and you often have a choice between HD or UHD. I also have a LG Oled TV and the UHD picture quality is just stunning.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

DarrenDev — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 08:03:59 GMT

Just to be clear - the video resolution being sent to the TV Box on channel 465 is always UHD (2160p). It isn't technically capable of being anything else - that stream will always be 2160p.
The source must also have been UHD - otherwise the event would only be shown on the HD channel.
TNT Sports don't always control the video source and video processing though, so it's possible that quality is being lost somewhere for some events. I can't comment on that. If you're saying that it's ALWAYS "1080p at best" though - that suggests something wrong with your setup.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:30:34 GMT

There is a consistent remarkable difference between TNT Sports Ultimate and 1080p.....aside from stating that it is a 2160p feed it is possible to see that the bitrate is so much higher....

I just booted up some channels to show a comparison of what the live throughput it, I can monitor this on the specific interface on the IGMP Proxy.

BBCHD 18.3Mbps
ITVHD 14.7Mbps
Channel4HD 14.7Mbps
TNT Sports 1 HD 18.3Mbps
Sky Sports Main Event HD 21.3Mbps
TNT Sports Ultimate HDR 57.6Mbps

I have a 65" LG C3 (OLED) and indeed HD is starting to look a little washy but there is a remarkable difference in the TNT Sports Ultimate which looks great, reflected by the extra throughput, in fact the Arsenal Porto game recently seemed to be punted out with an extra 10Mbps and it looked the best i'd ever seen. I dont notice any difference between using the Discovery Plus App on my Apple TV or the BT Pro box but I favour the box of the Apple TV due to the delay being slightly less.

Of course I assume these throughput levels can vary depending on whats on at what time I think...but thats what they are right now with whats on them at this moment.

I dont think this is a TNT Sports Ultimate problem....

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Colesy7 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:46:16 GMT

This is where the confusion comes in. The main camera viewing the players isn’t 4K on my set. Maybe there’s something wrong with my box but it’s the same on both TVs I have and also on the discovery+ app. I’m not trying to be difficult or anything but just stating what my eyes are seeing! I have the 4K add on and everything. Hardwired into the hub (900mbps), LG C2 OLED.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:03:18 GMT

@naylor2006

"BBCHD 18.3Mbps
ITVHD 14.7Mbps
Channel4HD 14.7Mbps
TNT Sports 1 HD 18.3Mbps
Sky Sports Main Event HD 21.3Mbps
TNT Sports Ultimate HDR 57.6Mbps"

Out of interest:

Does BT/EE TV use fixed or variable bit rate encoding?

If the latter, are those figures the average or peak bit rate?

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:20:22 GMT

What viewing mode are you using on the LG?

FYI I use Game Mode for all sources because it switches off all colour enhancements, well in fact all enhancements and matches the frame rate, comes also with the absolute minimum latency. Some of the enhancements can make the image look terrible although I cant understand how its 1080p.....

You are saying that the source is 1080p and its being sent at 2160p or what? Can you share a screenshot?

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:26:33 GMT

Just on my stats there, all I did was boot up each channel for about 20 seconds and see what it settled to, then captured it.

There was and Arsenal Porto game, I think it was the away fixture in Portugal but the picture on Ultimate HDR was even better than normal I thought, someone else noticed it on the forums also and I remember (because im a nerd) looking at the throughput and it was 70Mbps going to the BT Box, I cannot 100% confirm this was just the game because perhaps Love it or List It was recording at the same time but which would add another 10 or so Mbps so if the devs say im talking **bleep** because its fixed...then ill happily be wrong, but that away leg looked incredible.

I am also curious to see if it is fixed, if you wanted BT TV and TNT Sports Ultimate you'd not be able to get that on lesser FTTC products or older ADSL, some people dont even get 30Mbps throughput in their package.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:29:27 GMT

"if you wanted BT TV and TNT Sports Ultimate you'd not be able to get that on lesser FTTC products or older ADSL, some people dont even get 30Mbps throughput in their package."

IIRC, the minimum requirement for being able to have the, (original), UHD channel activated, was a router sync speed of 44Mbps?

That was a few years ago - I don't know if that "rule" is still applied?

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Brucemeister5 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:57:25 GMT

I would agree that the Porto v Arsenal away leg in Portugal was the best PQ that I’ve ever seen.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

naylor2006 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 13:07:40 GMT

I remember blooming ages ago when BT TV was first a thing, I had a mate with FTTC and when he put on the UHD channel which was a novelty back then, there wasnt much bandwidth left to do anything 🙂 The was the early days of BT Sport, Its just a guess but I would expect the throughput to be higher now for UHD. That 44Mbps does ring a bell though.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Colesy7 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 13:49:28 GMT

All I know is the channel quality has gone down hill! Just watched a recording from back in the days of bt sport ultimate and omg the picture is so superior to what we get now. There’s complaints about PQ on tnt ultimate everywhere

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

ozsat — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:42:45 GMT

What about the current promo loop?

@Colesy7wrote:
All I know is the channel quality has gone down hill! Just watched a recording from back in the days of bt sport ultimate and omg the picture is so superior to what we get now. There’s complaints about PQ on tnt ultimate everywhere

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

DarrenDev — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:19:16 GMT

@Colesy7 I get that it's not great for you - we'll need to work out why. It is great for most people though.

Please stop with the dragging up old discussions on the forums about Ultimate quality. It really doesn't help.

Re: TNT Sports “Ultimate”

Colesy7 — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:55:49 GMT

Again it’s not 4K, probably 1440p at best!