It’s Games time. With the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony taking place today, making history by being the first to be held outside of a stadium, we are just hours away from 16 full days of world-class sporting action, with Badminton kicking us off tomorrow (nice and early in the UK), ladies and gentlemen.

If there’s ever a fortnight to be stuck to your TV setup or home cinema, it’s now – but if you have a 4K (Ultra HD) and HDR (High Dynamic Range) TV or projector and perhaps even a surround sound 5.1 or Dolby Atmos audio system, you’ll certainly want to watch all the gold medal glory in those leading audiovisual formats. 

The good news is that the Paris 2024 Olympics is being broadcast in 4K and HDR around the world: the Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS) is producing the global feed in 4K HDR with 5.1.4 Atmos surround sound, and France Télévisions is leading the broadcaster way for its home games by offering 4K HDR broadcasts through its new digital terrestrial channels. 

So is that quality also available where you live, via your country’s broadcasters?

UK: you can watch the Olympics in 4K and HDR

In the UK, the BBC is the official Olympic television broadcaster, however despite the Beeb’s previous dabbles in live 4K HDR broadcasting via its iPlayer service, it will only be offering HD (1080p) and SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) through its BBC One and BBC Two coverage.

So can you watch Paris 2024 in 4K HDR in the UK at all? Thankfully, yes.

For the past decade, Warner Brothers Discovery (owner of Eurosport and Discovery) have exclusively had the European rights to the Olympics, so it isn’t surprising that both channels will offer a better viewing experience. There will be 4K HDR broadcasts on Eurosport’s main linear UHD channel, which is available via satellite on pay-TV platforms such as Virgin Media, EE TV and BT TV for subscribers.

The Discovery+ service (which currently has a £3.99/month special offer for the duration of the Olympics through Amazon Prime Video Channels or discoveryplus.com) also offers Eurosport 1 and 2, but will deliver the Olympic broadcasts only in HDR – not 4K. (If you have Sky TV or EE TV, you’ll get access to Discovery+ offerings for free during the Olympics.)

As for audio, we cannot yet confirm whether Eurosport or the pay-for platform providers will offer surround sound.

US: you can watch the Olympics in 4K, HDR and Atmos

Comcast NBCUniversal's USA Network channel will broadcast some events in 4K with HDR (Dolby Vision) and Dolby Atmos surround sound, reportedly through all of the following: the Xfinity Stream app, Altice, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV/Stream, Dish, Fubo, Sling TV, Verizon and YouTube TV. (Multiple reports state that NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service will live-stream every event – but not in 4K.)

NBC will actually produce the games in HD HDR, before upconverting it to 4K (it’s calling it ‘enhanced 4K’) for distribution. And on the surround sound front, as reported by SVG, “NBC trucks onsite in Paris will mix a 5.1 production but will pass the extra eight channels of height information [from OBS] untouched to NBC’s primetime-immersive audio-control room” for a mixed 5.1.4 output.

Australia: you can watch the Olympics in 4K

While the Olympics coverage is being shown on the Nine Network terrestrial channel, the Stan Sport streaming service is offering 4K coverage of Paris 2024, with “all medal events and major moments” being available in the superior resolution. So on that basis, the streaming service’s 4K coverage should be very comprehensive. This is the first time Australia will offer the Olympics in 4K, though there’s no mention of HDR or Dolby Atmos.

What devices you need to watch the Olympics in the highest possible quality

So to watch the Olympics in 4K, you need two things: a 4K/HDR TV or projector, and a 4K/HDR-compatible device (a streaming stick or set-top box) that can host the broadcast platform offering 4K coverage, if the TV itself does not via, say, an app. And hey, it's not too late for an upgrade! 

For example, in the UK, you’ll need a 4K/HDR TV or projector and, say, an EE TV Box Pro or Sky Q box/Stream stick with the relevant subscription. 

In the US, you’ll need a 4K/HDR TV or projector and, say, a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity with the relevant subscription. To get the Dolby Vision flavour of HDR that will be offered on USA Network, both devices must support Dolby Vision too.

And in Australia, you’ll simply need a 4K TV that can access the Stan Sport app, plus the relevant subscription.

For the Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 immersive sound available in the US, you’ll need either a Dolby Atmos soundbar or an Atmos-compatible AV receiver (connected to speakers that can deliver all or some of the available 5.1.4 channels).

MORE:

How to watch the Opening Ceremony: live stream Paris 2024 Olympics in 4K HDR today

Best TV 2024: flagship OLEDs and affordable flatscreens tried and tested

Best Dolby Atmos soundbars 2024: tried and tested by our review team

Watch World Matchplay Darts 2024 live streams

From the moment Luke Littler was eliminated, this is the World Matchplay Darts final we all wanted. It's Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen, the world No.1 against the world No.2, a maiden finalist against a three-time champion. Away from home? Use a VPN to pick up your usual stream from anywhere. Full details on how to watch World Matchplay Darts 2024 below.

World Matchplay Darts final

8pm BST

• Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen

World Matchplay Darts 2024 preview

MvG has made no secret of his personal struggles, and his dip in form over the past year has coincided with Humphries' rise. The Dutchman, however, has come out fighting ahead of this showdown at the Winter Gardens, saying he reckons he can still teach the top seed a thing or two.

Humphries is out to become only the fourth player to win the World Championship and World Matchplay Darts in the same year. The others to have achieved the feat? Phil Taylor, Peter Wright, and a certain Michael van Gerwen.

Read on as we explain how to watch World Matchplay Darts online from anywhere.

Watch World Matchplay Darts live streams in Australia

Fox Sports has the broadcasting rights to World Matchplay Darts in Australia, which means cord-cutters can live stream the action on the brilliant streaming service Kayo Sports. 

A subscription starts at $25 per month, though you can pay $30 per month for simultaneous streaming on two devices. Whichever plan you choose, new users get a free 7-day trial.

Remember: use a VPN to access Kayo when outside of Australia.

Watch World Matchplay Darts live streams from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular World Matchplay Darts live streams while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you.

You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to watch any World Matchplay Darts live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming sport. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

Watch World Matchplay Darts live streams in the UK

Sky Sports has the exclusive rights to World Matchplay Darts in the UK, with each night of the action being shown on the dedicated Sky Sports Arena channel.

Not a subscriber? Cord-cutters can live stream the darts with a Now Sports Pass (£10 a day or £34 a month).

Sky Sports Arena is also available on Virgin Media as part of the Bigger + Sport TV bundle. It's £65 per month and includes all Sky Sports and BT Sports channels.

Upgrade to Virgin Media Bigger + Sport

• Save big with today's best Sky TV deals

Watch World Matchplay Darts live streams in the US

DAZN has the rights to show PDC darts in the US, with a subscription costing $29.99 per month or $239.88 per year.

Watch World Matchplay Darts live streams in the rest of the world

Unless you're located in the UK, Germany, Austria or Switzerland, you can watch all the World Matchplay Darts 2024 action via PDC.TV.

You'll need the 'Rest of the World' subscription, which costs around £10 per month and includes throw-by-throw coverage of every session.

Remember: use a VPN to access PDC.TV when visiting the UK, Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

World Matchplay Darts past winners

• 1994 - Larry Butler (92.70)
• 1995 - Phil Taylor (90.72)
• 1996 - Peter Evison (100.51)
• 1997 - Phil Taylor (106.32)
• 1998 - Rod Harrington (95.03)
• 1999 - Rod Harrington (85.95)
• 2000 - Phil Taylor (100.32)
• 2001 - Phil Taylor (99.57)
• 2002 - Phil Taylor (98.76)
• 2003 - Phil Taylor (94.38)
• 2004 - Phil Taylor (100.20)
• 2005 - Colin Lloyd (97.89)
• 2006 - Phil Taylor (100.08)
• 2007 - James Wade (96.83)
• 2008 - Phil Taylor (109.47)
• 2009 - Phil Taylor (106.05)
• 2010 - Phil Taylor (105.16)
• 2011 - Phil Taylor (103.84)
• 2012 - Phil Taylor (98.97)
• 2013 - Phil Taylor (111.23)
• 2014 - Phil Taylor (107.19)
• 2015 - Michael van Gerwen (99.91)
• 2016 - Michael van Gerwen (103.93)
• 2017 - Phil Taylor (104.24)
• 2018 - Gary Anderson (101.12)
• 2019 - Rob Cross (95.16)
• 2020 - Dimitri Van den Bergh (98.31)
• 2021 - Peter Wright (105.90)
• 2022 - Michael van Gerwen (101.19)
• 2023 - Nathan Aspinall (96.21)

• Fancy an upgrade? Here are the best TVs
• Or save money with these unmissable cheap TV deals

Everyone TV has announced that Freely TV is coming to more TV brands, including Panasonic.

Freely launched in April 2024 exclusively to Hisense TVs. It then came to Bush models in May, with the service available on the brand’s 2024 4K smart TVs. Now Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp, and Metz TVs will also be getting in on the action.  

For those who don’t know, Freely is a new and free streaming service that allows users to watch live TV channels and access on-demand content on smart TVs without needing an aerial. It was developed by Everyone TV, a joint venture between BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 and only requires an internet connection to access. Freely also offers a few significant upgrades from Freeview Play, the current iteration of free terrestrial TV in the UK. 

Some of the latest additions to the Freely roster include Panasonic’s new line-up of 4K OLED, QLED, and LED TVs. We have reached out for more information on the specific models that will come with support for Freely. There’s also Sharp’s new range of smart TVs, including the GK4 4K and GM6 4K QLED models. Toshiba and Metz are also releasing new models featuring Fleely TV, including some QLED+ models from Metz which will range from 43 to 65 inches in screen size.

We got to try Freely TV out back in April and were impressed with how much of an upgrade from Freeview Play it appears to be. User interfaces and navigational tools are much more streamlined and in line with what you would expect from a full subscription service like Sky or Virgin.

The main goal of Freely is to make free TV more accessible to everyone across the UK. Over four million homes in the country don’t have a TV aerial, meaning watching Freeview is currently impossible for those viewers. Using Freely doesn’t mean you’ll have to ditch your aerial, however, as it can be used to scan channels and assist in the set-up process. 

Freely offers a few functions which are ‘firsts’ for a free TV service. This includes the ability to ‘pause’ and ‘restart’ live content on certain channels. Users will have a 15-minute pause buffer, which should be plenty of time for a quick pit stop. There won’t be any options for ‘rewinding’ or ‘fast-forwarding’ shows yet, however, these functions could be added later as Freely TV is upgradable, unlike the various iterations of Freeview we've seen over the years. 

The network download speed recommended to use Freely smoothly was quoted as low as just 10Mbps, meaning Freely should be a breeze for almost anyone in the UK with an internet connection to access. In April 2023, Ofcom reported the average download speed in the UK at around 70Mbps, for reference. 

MORE:

I’ve tried Freely: here are five things I like and three things that could be improved

Our picks for the best Panasonic TVs: OLED, HDR, 4K, budget, and premium options

OLED vs QLED: which is the best TV technology?

Watch a free Rugby World Cup live stream

The Rugby World Cup 2023 finals is free to watch on ITV and ITVX in the UK, on RTÉ  and Virgin Media in Ireland, and on 9Now in Australia. For 4K coverage you'll need Stan Sport. Use a VPN to watch your usual Rugby World Cup feed from anywhere, if you're away from home. Kick-off is 8pm BST / 3pm ET.

Rugby World Cup: 2023 preview

Both New Zealand and South Africa stand on the brink of history. They have three Rugby World Cup titles each but, by the end of the day, one of them will have four, and be the most successful nation in the sport. The eyes of millions will be watching.

Today's final has been crudely billed as irresistible flair vs brute force but it's a generalisation that does disservice to both teams. While the Springboks are famous for their fearsome forwards, their blistering backs are equally capable of doing the damage while the pack keeps the other team occupied. Their kicking, their nerve and their tactical awareness have been enough to make their one-point wins over France and England look convincing. They will try to bully the All Blacks over the line and they might well manage it. They've succeeded more times than most.

Ask most pundits, though, and they'll pick the New Zealand for the win. Their forwards are not talked about in the same rarified terms as the Springboks' but then that's because their rugby is more complete and less reliant on beating down the door. The All Black pack will be licking their lips at the chance to show what they can do against South Africa's starters and their Bomb Squad. The backs' snappy handling looked frighteningly on-point in their semi final against Argentina too and, if it becomes a kicking game, then there are few than can recover the ball as this side.

But there isn't that much between these teams in talent or determination. Throw in the rainy forecast at the Stade de France today and we should get one of the most evenly contested and best finals that the contest has ever seen. Here's how to watch a Rugby World Cup live stream from anywhere. Sit back and enjoy.

Rugby World Cup free live streams

Viewers in the UK can stream every game of the 2023 Rugby World Cup for free via ITVX. That's also the case in Ireland, with RTÉ and Virgin Media Player sharing live broadcast duties

Those in Australia can also watch free on the 9Now streaming service.

Outside of the UK or Ireland? Use a VPN to access any local stream from abroad. We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Not used a VPN before? It's easy. Here's our step-by-step guide...

Watch a Rugby World Cup 2023 live stream from anywhere

You won't be able to watch your regular Rugby World Cup 2023 live stream while traveling abroad. The streaming service will spot that you're in a foreign country and block you. You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though.

It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in the right country, allowing you to watch any Rugby World Cup live stream from anywhere in the world.

We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for rugby fans. It offers a 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.

How to use a VPN for Rugby World Cup 2023

Using a VPN to watch Rugby World Cup 2023 is incredibly easy:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend – we've used it for years and it's always reliable.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For the Rugby World Cup, you may wish to choose 'UK' for ITVX.

3. Then head over to ITVX on your browser or device and enjoy the free Rugby World Cup live stream.

Watch Rugby World Cup 2023 in the UK

ITV holds the rights to the tournament in the UK, which means you can also live stream every Rugby World Cup 2023 match for free on the ITVX website or mobile app (live and on catch up).

S4C, meanwhile, is offering Welsh-language coverage of the opening game, every Wales game, and the final. Travelling outside the UK?

Use a VPN to unblock ITVX and watch free from anywhere.

Watch Rugby World Cup 2023 for FREE in Ireland

You can watch every match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup live stream free in Ireland too, with free-to-air networks RTÉ and Virgin Media sharing live broadcast duties.

Stream every game live via either RTÉ Player or Virgin Media Player, with both services available across a wide range of devices. Saturday's final is on both channels.

You can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a good rugby VPN.

Watch Rugby World Cup 2023 for FREE in Australia

There's also free Rugby World Cup 2023 coverage in Australia, with Channel 9 and 9Now showing every Wallabies match, plus the final. Travelling outside Australia?

Use VPN to unblock 9Now and watch the Rugby World Cup from anywhere

Streaming service Stan Sport, meanwhile, has the rights to show every match of the tournament ad-free. It's also one of the few places where you can watch the Rugby World Cup final in 4K.

To begin with, there's a Stan 30-day free trial. After that, you choose your base package, starting from AU$10, and the necessary sport add-on costs AU$15 a month on top (so, from $25 a month in total).

Watch Rugby World Cup 2023 in the USA

Every match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup is available to watch in the US via Peacock TV.

Peacock starts at $5.99 a month for its ad-supported tier, which will also give you access to a wide range of live sports including EPL soccer, WWE, Premiership Rugby and more.

The Peacock TV app is available on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Chromecast, LG smart TV, Vizio TV, PS4, and Xbox One. You can also watch through your web browser.

Of course, Peacock TV is only available within the States so be sure to use a rugby-friendly VPN if you're a subscriber stuck abroad.

A selection of games will also be aired on CNBC on cable with two quarter finals, the final and Ireland vs Scotland also on NBC. Full list of cable games here.

Watch Rugby World Cup 2023 in New Zealand

Kiwis can watch Rugby World Cup 2023 action courtesy of Sky Sport, which is available as part of a range of pay TV packages.

If you're a subscriber you'll also be able to watch online using the country's Sky Go service.

If you're looking to cut the cords, you can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform - where a pass costs $24.99 per week or $44.99 per month. Or you could try the Rugby World Cup Pass on Sky Sports for $89.99 which includes full access to Sky Sport & ESPN from 4 September – 3 November.

Don't forget: UK nationals can live stream every match for free while abroad with a VPN.

Rugby World Cup 2023 live stream in South Africa

Super Sport is the place to watch every 2023 Rugby World Cup match in South Africa but a late, late deal means that South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will now be airing all Springboks games for free as well as a selection of other matches. Keep your eyes on SABC Plus for details.

For those signed up to Super Sport, if you can't watch on your TV, you can also tune in via the network's streaming service for PC and Mac, as well as via SuperSport's dedicated app.

Watch Rugby World Cup 2023 in Canada

You can watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup unfold on TSN in Canada.

If you don't have the channel on cable, you can either sign up to the new TSN Plus streaming service for $8 per month (+ tax) or $80 per year (+ tax), or subscribe to TSN for streaming-only for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year. 

Don't forget: UK nationals can live stream every match free of charge while abroad with a VPN.

Rugby World Cup live stream quarter-final schedule

Saturday, 27th October

• 3pm ET / 8pm BST: New Zealand vs South Africa

Rugby World Cup 2023 tickets

Rugby World Cup 2023 tickets have been flying off the shelves, but not all games are sold out at the time of writing, and some tickets are available via resale.

You can purchase them from the official 2023 Rugby World Cup website.

• Shop today's best TV deals
• Get an F1 live stream

BT Sport has the rights to over fifty 2021/22 Premier League football games, including all the midweek fixtures from Tuesday to Thursday this week. That begins with tonight's Norwich vs Aston Villa  at 7.45pm and includes Arsenal vs West Ham, Liverpool vs Newcastle, Chelsea vs Everton and fixtures over Christmas and the New Year. The good news is that you don't have to be a BT subscriber. UK fans can stream BT Sport games for as little as £25 a month with the contract-free BT Sport Monthly Pass.

The BT Sport Monthly Pass provides instant access to all of BT's sports channels, and remember that you can still use your BT Sport access when travelling outside a UK by using a VPN.

Soccer fans in the US do not have access Premier League fixtures on BT Sport, of course. Instead US viewers can catch top-flight games on NBC through the company's NBC Sports Network, Peacock TV and USA Networks cable channel too.  Peacock requires its own subscription (new users get a free 7-day trial), while the other channels are available on cable cutting services such as Sling TV and FuboTV which also offer free trials.

Remember: if you're a Peacock, Sling, FuboTV or BT Sport cuscomter, you can always use a VPN to watch your Premier football games from the US, Australia, UK or wherever else you happen to be.

Read on for details of all the 2021-22 BT Sport football fixtures, and how to watch them from anywhere.

• How to watch a free Premier League 2021/22 live stream

Watch the Premier League with a BT Sport Monthly Pass 

BT Sport has the rights to 52 2021/22 Premier League football matches in the UK, including several huge clashes over the Christmas and the New Year period.  

A BT Sport Monthly Pass costs just £25 a month in the UK, making it one of the cheapest ways to watch Premier League football without signing a long-term contract.

Already have BT TV and BT broadband? You can add BT Sport to your package for only £15 a month (plus a £20 joining fee).

Virgin Media customers can watch the football when available by subscribing to BT Sport as desired. Virgin Media’s Bigger + Sports bundle covers both Sky and BT televised games.

Watch the BT Sport football live streams from abroad with a VPN

Even if you have subscribed to BT Sport, you won't be able to access your Premier League football streams when outside the UK. BT will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access when travelling away from home.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. A VPN creates a private connection between your device, enabling you to access geo-blocked websites and save money.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For BT Sport games, choose 'UK' for BT Sport.

3. Then head over to BT Sport on your browser or device and enjoy the BT Sport Premier League live streams.

If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, then do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, and Surfshark which offers 24 hour assistance.

Which devices support BT Sport?

You can access BT Sport through your web browser, or via the BT Sport app, which provides access to all live BT Sport channels plus exclusive highlights.

The app is available on a host of devices, including PlayStation 4/5, Xbox, Xbox Series X/S, Fire TV, Android TV, Now TV, Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV and Netgem TV.

The BT Sport app is free of charge to BT Sport Monthly Pass subscribers.

What are the benefits of BT Sport?

BT Sport has the rights to 52 Premier League games this season, but it also screens UFC clashes and Heineken Cup rugby matches, not to mention UEFA Champions league, FA Cup and Europa League games. It's also the only place to watch over 200 French Ligue 1 ties in the UK.

The BT Sport Monthly pass gets you full and unfettered access to all the BT Sport channels, making it a cost-effective way to watch BT Sport Premier League games. The Monthly Pass includes: BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, BT Sport 3, BT Sport ESPN. It also covers live events on BT Sport Ultimate and BT Sport Extra. 

For £25 a month (30 days), it's fabulous value for money.

Is it easy to cancel BT Sport?

Your BT Sport Monthly Pass will renew automatically but you can cancel it whenever you want.  

Ready to blow the final whistle on your BT Sport Monthly Pass? Simply log into MyBT, find BT Sport Monthly Pass and choose ‘Cancel subscription’.

When you cancel, you can carry on watching BT Sport until your 30-day viewing period expires.

You need to cancel your subscription the day before it’s due to renew at the latest. You can check when your subscription is due to renew in your MyBT account.

Fixtures: Premier League football on BT Sport

All of the games below are available on BT Sport. Times are in GMT.

Tuesday 14 December 2021
Brentford v Man Utd - 7.30pm, BT Sport - postponed
Norwich v Aston Villa - 7.45pm, BT Sport
Man City v Leeds - 8pm, BT Sport

Wednesday 15 December 2021
Brighton v Wolves - 7.30pm, BT Sport
Burnley v Watford - 7.30pm, BT Sport
Crystal Palace v Southampton - 7.30pm, BT Sport
Chelsea v Everton - 7.30pm, BT Sport
Arsenal v West Ham - 8pm, BT Sport

Thursday 16 December 2021
Leicester v Tottenham - 7.30pm, BT Sport
Liverpool v Newcastle - 8pm, BT Sport

Saturday 18 December 2021
Man Utd v Brighton - 11.30am (KO 12.30pm), BT Sport 1 HD & BT Sport Ultimate
Leeds v Arsenal - 5.30pm, NOW via BT TV

Sunday 19 December 2021
Newcastle v Man City - 2pm, NOW via BT TV
Tottenham v Liverpool - 4.30pm, NOW via BT TV

Monday 20 December 2021
Everton v Leicester - 8pm, NOW via BT TV 

Sunday 26 December 2021
Liverpool v Leeds - 11.30am (KO 12.30pm), BT Sport 1 HD & BT Sport Ultimate
Aston Villa v Chelsea - 5.30pm, NOW via BT TV
Brighton v Brentford - 8pm, NOW via BT TV

Monday 27 December 2021
Newcastle v Man Utd - 8pm, NOW via BT TV

Tuesday 28 December 2021
Arsenal v Wolves - 12.30pm, Prime Video via BT TV
Southampton v Tottenham - 3pm, Prime Video via BT TV
Crystal Palace v Norwich - 3pm, Prime Video via BT TV
Watford v West Ham - 3pm, Prime Video via BT TV
Leeds v Aston Villa - 5.30pm, Prime Video via BT TV
Leicester v Liverpool - 8pm, Prime Video via BT TV

Wednesday 29 December 2021
Chelsea v Brighton - 7.30pm, Prime Video via BT TV
Brentford v Man City - 8.15pm, Prime Video via BT TV

Thursday 30 December 2021
Everton v Newcastle - 7.30pm,  Prime Video via BT TV
Man Utd v Burnley - 8.15pm, Prime Video via BT TV

Saturday 1 January 2022
Arsenal v Man City - 11.30am (KO 12.30pm), BT Sport 1 HD & BT Sport UItimate
Crystal Palace v West Ham - 5.30pm, NOW via BT TV

Sunday 2 January 2022
Brentford v Aston Villa - 2pm, NOW via BT TV
Chelsea v Liverpool - 4.30pm, NOW via BT TV

Monday 3 January 2022
Man Utd v Wolves - 8pm, NOW via BT TV

• Feast your eyes on the Best TV deals

Virgin Media has struck a new deal with Sky to offer more 4K films and TV shows to its Virgin TV customers.

The Sky Entertainment and Cinema Ultra HD bolt-on launches today and allows Virgin Media users access to over 1300 TV episodes and 250 films in stunning 4K. That includes Hollywood big-hitters such as Birds of Prey and Twist, and popular shows like The Blacklist and Seal Team.

All of this extra Ultra HD material will be available through the on-demand 'Box Sets' and 'Movies' sections of the Virgin TV platform. New TV shows and films will be added as and when they're made available by Sky.

It will sit alongside BT Sport Ultimate, and the 4K TV series, concerts, and documentaries available on the dedicated Virgin TV Ultra HD channel. It's just a shame there's no sign of Virgin getting access to Sky's Ultra HD sports programming.

Existing Virgin Media subscribers will need to pay an extra £6 per month to upgrade to Sky Entertainment and Cinema Ultra HD. You must already have the Sky Cinema as part of your current package too.

As is often the case, it's new customers who get the best deal. Those signing up afresh to Virgin Media's Ultimate Oomph maximum TV package will get the new Ultra HD content for free.

Do bear in mind, of course, that you won't be able to enjoy the benefits of the added Sky 4K material unless you have a 4K TV and either the Virgin 360 or V6 set-top box.

MORE:

Need a TV to go with that? Best TV 2021: budget to premium 4K Ultra HD TVs

These are the best 4K movies and TV shows to watch right now.

The biggest match in European football takes place this Saturday. The Champions League final is Real Madrid vs Liverpool, with kick-off at 7.45pm UK time, and anyone with an internet connection can watch it for free.

You can watch it on TV, online or even on your mobile, whether you're a BT Sport subscriber or not. And even in 4K Ultra HD. Read on for all the details.

Champions League Final on TV

BT TV, Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk and EE customers all have ways to watch the big match on their big-screen, but of course they need to have the right subscription.

BT Sport subscribers can watch on channel 409 (BT Sport 2 SD), channel 431 (BT Sport 2 HD) or channel 433 (BT Sport 4K UHD).

Sky subscribers can watch on 414 (BT Sport 2 HD), provided they have the necessary BT Sport subscription. There isn't access to the 4K channel however.

Virgin TV customers will be able to watch in SD, HD and 4K for the first time. Access is via channel 532 (BT Sport 2 SD) or 528 (BT Sport 2 HD), and the red button for 4K Ultra HD.

TalkTalk users can view channel 409 (BT Sport 2) while many EE customers will have access via the BT Sport app.

While the match is being described as 'free-to-air', it's not available directly on Freeview or Freesat, but...

Champions League Final online

...there will be a free Champions League final live stream online that anyone can watch. Head to btsport.com/final at 6pm to get access to the free match stream.

But there's more. There will be also be a free 4K Champions League stream (and SD/HD) on the BT Sport YouTube channel. So anyone with an internet connection can watch the final for free.

Provided you have a suitable TV or monitor, and a decent internet connection, you will be able to enjoy the match in pixel-packed 4K Ultra HD.

Champions League Final on mobile

Stuck out and about and need to watch on your phone? The BT Sport app, available for Android and iOS, will have a free Real Madrid vs Liverpool stream.

MORE: How to watch the World Cup –TV, 4K, online, mobile

MORE: How to watch 4K video online and on TV

We've been waiting quite a while for Virgin's new TiVo HD service to come on stream, and today the man from Virgin finally arrived with a new set-top box to plug into my home AV system.

Selling for £199, plus £26.50 for the XL TiVo package bringing over 160 channels of TV, the new box has three tuners (Sky+ HD has two), allowing two channels to be recorded while a third is viewed, and is backed up with a library of 4600 hours of TV, music and movies on demand.

The system makes use of dedicated channels of bandwidth on Virgin's digital network and a built-in dedicated 10Mbps cable modem, ensuring users can surf the web and watch TV at the same time without interruption, and brings TV in standard definition, HD and 3D.

Installation took about an hour, with the software taking around 40 minutes to upload to the box once it was connected to our Virgin cable network.

The engineer explained that we should leave the box on for now, as it can take up to two days for all the content to load itself.

So what does the new TiVo box offer that the old V+ didn't? Well for starters it has a 1TB hard drive rather than the meagre 160GB on the old box, which was forever filling up quickly with the amount of HD programming we were recording.

Shouldn't be a problem on the new box, which can store around 100 hours of HD content, or 400 hours of standard-definition material.

There's also a much slicker implementation of BBC iPlayer, and a limited number of apps for the likes of YouTube, eBay and Twitter so you can access your accounts via the TV once you've set them up online at www.virginmedia.com/mytivoapps. More apps are promised in the future.

Also on the menu is 3D, although at this point the amount of material is mainly limited to some short demo clips for customers with the XL subscription package.

As for high-definition programming, there's certainly a lot more than Virgin used to offer, but it's still some way off Sky HD's 50+ channels.

But the biggest improvement is the inclusion of TiVo technology. For those not familiar with it, it's been a big hit in the States but less so (so far) over here.

Essentially TiVo analyses your viewing habits and the box uses smart technology to record automatically shows it thinks you might like. Very nifty. You can help it decide which programmes you like by using the thumbs up/thumbs down button on the remote (see below).

Press the thumbs up button three times and it will record similar genres of programme to the one you've rated highly; give a programme three thumbs down and it will know not to record that type of programming.

Automatic recordings are stored in your Suggestions list.

Of course, you can set recordings manually or using the series record link in the normal way too.

Choose a programme to record yourself and the device will come up with further "If you like this..." suggestions. We set Silk to series record on BBC One and it suggested Waking the Dead and Monroe as other shows we might like to watch.

Not a bad match, as they're both shows I enjoy and have recorded in the past.

As with Sky+, you can also set recordings from your computer or smartphone via Virgin's online TV guide, provided your TiVo box is switched on.

Go to www.virginmedia.com/tvguide, log in to your account and you'll see an on-screen version of the EPG. Find the programme you want, click on it and then select 'record this episode' or 'record the whole series'. If successful, you'll get confirmation that the recording has been sent.

Search on the electronic programme guide (EPG) is also vastly improved over the old V+ box. You can search content by show, theme, actor or director, and you can even create a wishlist of programmes to be recorded when they become available.

Even better, the catch-up services allow viewers to scroll back up to seven days, making it a simple extension of live TV viewing. And if you see that little 'C' symbol next to a programme on the EPG (see pic below), it means other episodes are available on catch-up TV. Handy.

So far, the Virgin TiVo box is looking good, but we need to spend more time with it before issuing our final verdict. We'll have a full review in the June issue of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, on sale from May 10th.

Virgin Media has today launched the Film4 HD channel exclusively on its TV platform. The channel has been added as channel 429 and is free to all M+, L and XL TV customers.

The addition of Film4 HD brings Virgin Media's HD channel offering to 30 channels with more promised later this year.

Film4 HD will offer a daily line-up of movies with the 'best of British film-making alonsgide US independent films'.

This announcement comes alongside the news we reported earlier that Sky Sports HD will be coming to Virgin Media in August, along with ten Sky Movie HD channels.

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Published 08/03/10:

Film 4 HD and E4 HD will launch exclusively on Virgin Media cable TV this summer.

Virgin says Film 4 HD will showcase the best of British film-making, including Slumdog Millionaire, Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky and Ken Loach's Looking for Eric, as well as American independent films, Hollywood blockbusters and mainstream films.

E4 HD will offer popular programmes such as Glee, Skins and Hollyoaks in HD, and simulcasts the normal E4 schedule. Viewers will also be able to see US series such as Desperate Housewives, 90210 and Ugly Betty in HD.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, says: "Channel 4 has a great track record in delivering innovative and compelling content and we're delighted to bring some of its very best films and most popular programmes to our customers in stunning HD."

So far this year Virgin Media has announced four new HD channels and the company plans to reveal more details about further launches in the coming months.

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