Video streaming service provider Hulu says it’s once again enabling viewers to watch its content in 4K resolution, though the capability is only supported by a limited number of shows and devices at present.
Hulu pulled 4K streaming from its platform last year without making any official announcement or explaining why it did so, The Streamable reported. Now though it has made an announcement, via Twitter, where it says that a “select list of programming” is once again available in 4K, and that the list “continues to grow”.
The company hasn’t provided an official list of its 4K content, but The Streamable said all of its original shows are available in the higher resolution.
Alas, not every Hulu customer will be able to take advantage of 4K at this time, as the only platforms that support it are the Apple TV 4K and Chromecast Ultra device. Anyone using different hardware to watch Hulu will have to cross their fingers and hope the company expands its 4K support later on.
Eagle-eyed viewers may also notice how Hulu’s 4K streams don’t look quite as good as those from other services, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. That’s not because your eyes are going funny, for Hulu’s support page notes that it only supports Standard Dynamic Range streams, as opposed to High Dynamic Range which is offered by others. What this means is that even if Hulu’s 4K content is seen on a HDR-capable TV, the colours and contrast ratios won’t be as impressive as one might expect. Hopefully, Hulu will add support for true HDR later on too.
The company could certainly benefit from upping its 4K capabilities, as it has long trailed its rivals in this department. When 4K was first introduced on Hulu back in 2016, the number of programmes offered were fairly limited, with just a few James Bond movies and Hulu’s originals available. The only supported platforms back then were the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One S, and the options remain limited even now.
