Good news, Sky Q subscribers: the British streaming box is finally getting HDR support. Sky had initially promised HDR support at the end of 2019, and it was with heavy hearts that we saw this deadline moved to 2020, but we now know that the first batch of HDR content will land on Sky Q on May 27. However, there are some inexplicable elements. For one, which Sky Q boxes are HDR-compatible, and what support can Sky offer to subscribers with older boxes that aren't up to the challenge of this new wave of HDR? We know the first HDR shows are coming to the platform, with a big focus on nature programming, but for all you need to know about Sky Q HDR, the format used and the shows advertised as confusing on the hardware, read on. continuation.
Sky Q HDR explained
HDR, or "high dynamic range" (to use its full title), refers to a wider color palette and higher contrast compared to SDR ("standard dynamic range") TVs. Most 4K TVs have some form of HDR support these days, even if it's just the basic HDR10 standard. There are other, more advanced HDR formats, like Dolby Vision and HDR10+, that include metadata to dynamically change your TV picture settings during a movie or TV episode, but old HDR10 still packs a punch. inch in richness and depth of color by itself. There's a reason streaming TV services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus support some form of HDR: it just looks so much better overall! However, it seems that Sky Q does not use any of these formats. The nature programming announced so far will use the HDR HLG (hybrid log gamma) format, popularized by the BBC and co-developed with Japanese national broadcaster NHK.
![Muchos documentales sobre la naturaleza de la BBC ahora usan el estándar de transmisión HLG-HDR]()
Many BBC nature documentaries now use the HLG-HDR broadcast standard (Image credit: BBC) HLG works by adding HDR metadata to an SDR signal, which is useful for broadcasters given the much lower expense ( and the lowest bandwidth) from filming in the above format. A Sky representative told us explicitly that you'll need an HLG-compatible TV. Many (but not all) HDR TVs support this format, which is increasingly being offered as standard on newer sets, so make sure your TV is HLG capable before worrying about Sky Q HDR
Sky Q HDR: what you can see
It's not a knockout series to begin with, but those of you yearning for the glory of the natural world (HDR is almost as good as real) will be able to enjoy three new shows from Sky Nature, including Malawi: Wildlife Rescue, Pridelands: Wilderness Reborn and Gangs of Lemur Island. In a press release for the announcement, we were told that "Sky Nature is the start of Sky Q's HDR content, with much more to come in 2020 and 2021." Specifically, it looks like we're getting more Sky Nature content, as well as "Sky Originals" and a fleet of "Sky Cinema blockbusters."
Does my Sky Q box support HDR?
![Sky Q]()
Sky Q frame (Image credit: Future) Good luck! It seems that part of the reason HDR support took so long was because Sky had trouble getting HDR to work on older Sky Q models. Prior to the official announcement, a leaked press release stated that “our new Sky Q 1TB UHD and 2TB enclosures support HDR. Some of our older Sky Q boxes are not HDR compatible. However, the official version softens this fact and "some" are not too specific about who can and cannot access HDR content. An engineer who spoke to Forbes suggests that compatible models will be those that come with an external power supply, while incompatible models will be those that don't. Sky has told us about their official help pages, although the HDR page won't be online until May 27. If your Sky Q box doesn't support HDR in its current form, it sounds like there are a few options. The leaked announcement said that subscribers who upgraded to an Ultra HD Sky Q box would get an HDR-capable model. If you already have an older Ultra HD model that doesn't support HDR, there may be other upgrade options, but again, it sounds like we're waiting for these help pages to appear. online to find out exactly what's on offer.