Resolution, HDR and Audio Formats
The alphabet soup, decoded. What each format does, which device supports it, and whether your TV can show it.
The short version
4K is resolution: 3840 × 2160 pixels. On a screen under 43 inches viewed from a sofa, you will barely see it. HDR is the bigger upgrade. It widens brightness and colour so highlights glow and shadows keep detail.
There are four HDR flavours. HDR10 is the baseline every HDR TV supports. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ add scene-by-scene metadata so the TV adjusts tone mapping as the picture changes. HLG is the broadcast format used for live sport and BBC iPlayer.
Check your TV's spec page before buying. Samsung TVs do not support Dolby Vision; LG and Sony sets usually do not support HDR10+. The streamer can only send what the TV can show.
Format comparison
| Format | Apple TV 4K | Google TV Streamer | Roku Ultra | Fire TV 4K Max | Shield TV Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4K output | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Vision | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HDR10+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| HLG | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DTS:X passthrough | No | Limited | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Frame-rate matching | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI upscaling | No | No | No | No | Yes |
"Limited" means the device passes the format in some apps or via specific settings, not across the board.
What suits your TV
Older 1080p set
You will not see 4K or HDR, so do not pay for them unless a new TV is on the way. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the cheapest current option and future-proofs you. If the set is large and you watch mostly HD streams, the Shield's upscaling sharpens the picture visibly.
4K TV without HDR
Early 4K sets from around 2014–2016 often lack HDR. Any pick gives you sharp 4K; set the output to 4K SDR so the device does not force an HDR signal the TV washes out. Roku and Apple TV handle this cleanly in their display settings.
4K HDR or OLED
Match the HDR format to your TV brand. On LG or Sony, Dolby Vision matters most: Apple TV 4K leads. On Samsung, HDR10+ matters: Google TV Streamer, Roku Ultra or Fire TV. Turn on "match frame rate" and "match dynamic range" for films.
TV with soundbar or receiver
Plug the streamer into the TV and the soundbar into the TV's eARC port; Atmos passes through on all five. If you own a receiver and a Blu-ray-grade film library in Plex, the Shield passes lossless TrueHD and DTS:X straight through.
Settings worth changing tonight
Most devices default to "always HDR", which makes menus look dim and SDR shows look grey. Switch to 4K SDR as the base output and enable dynamic-range matching. The device will flip to HDR only when the content is HDR.
Turn off motion smoothing on the TV. Filmmakers, including Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie in a well-known 2018 appeal, have asked viewers to do exactly that. Then pick the TV's Filmmaker Mode or Cinema preset.
Use a certified Ultra High Speed or Premium High Speed HDMI cable if your device needs one. Shelf boxes like Apple TV and Google TV Streamer connect by cable; sticks plug straight in, and an HDMI extender helps if the port is cramped.
