Amazon has started to make some of its Prime Instant Video content available to view
in 4K, later than
originally thought and months after major competitor
Netflix started offering its Ultra HD streams. The change will allow Prime subscribers to stream a selection of movies and TV shows, including some of Amazon's original productions, as well as offering up 4K movie purchases to all customers.
The selection of Prime content viewable in the high resolution includes
Alpha House,
Transparent, and children's show
Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street, with other
incoming originals also being prepared for 4K streaming. The BBC-produced series
Orphan Black and some Sony Pictures movies, including
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,
Funny Girl, and
Hitch are also streamable in the resolution.
Alpha House
A selection of Sony Pictures movies are also being sold, including
Godzilla,
Hancock,
Moneyball, and
This Is The End, with the 4K versions starting from $20. All customers will be able to try out the 4K streams at no charge, via an LG-sponsored screening of
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live.
In order to watch the content, customers need to use an Ultra HD resolution television with H.265 decoding. Though Amazon does not state how much bandwidth the stream requires, it does state that Netflix recommends a "steady Internet connection of 25Mbps or faster" for streaming, suggesting this is needed for Amazon's content as well.
Top