TV Answer Man, I am excited about watching Amazon’s Rings of Power but do you know if it will be in 4K? I don’t see the UHD label on the description like it’s on other 4K shows like Samaritan. What’s the deal? — Josh, Butte, Montana.
Josh, Amazon last night debuted episodes one and two of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power at 9 p.m. ET, a few hours before the originally scheduled premiere of September 2.
The show is an Amazon original fantasy series based on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Estimated to have cost more than $1 billion in licensing and production, Rings of Power tells the tale of the second age of Tolkien’s Middle Earth when elves and men must unite to stop evil forces, personified by the Dark Lord Sauron.
The Rings of Power would seem to be a natural for a 4K production with its breathtaking visuals and sweeping landscapes. But as of last evening, Amazon had not placed the UHD (Ultra High Definition, which is another term for 4K) label on the episode description. This prompted a few reader e-mails to yours truly, and numerous posts on social media sites. Many potential viewers were anxious to know if the show would be in 4K.
Click Amazon: See Today’s 1-Day-Only Deals!
Well, Amazon last night finally added the UHD label, and The Rings of Power is indeed available in 4K. The show is also in Dolby Atmos, which provides an immersive sound that will make those mythical flying creatures sound like they are flying over your head.
By the way, The Rings of Power is Amazon’s answer to HBO’s Game of Thrones, which is also now available in 4K and Dolby Atmos. HBO’s new GOT prequel, House of the Dragon, is also in 4K and Dolby Atmos.
Josh, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
Do you know what data rate they will use for this telecast?
As you know data rate makes a big differance,, in video quality.
Let us hope, it is at least 30 Megabits per second to ensure high quality 4K video. Many streamers use a low data rate such as Hulu, and results in substandard HD video. Hulu only delivers HD video at a rate of about 2.5 Megabits per second.according to the internet The best source for 1080 HD video is Blu-Ray discs which usually uses a video average rate of over 25 megabits per second, resulting in a superior HD picture, I wish streamers could do the same.