Movistar+ Plus users have been able to enjoy the UHD decoder that the company offers its customers for some time. East, In addition to allowing users to view all Movistar+ programming, it also supports 4K HDR. In addition, users have some applications available that they can download in case they do not have a Smart TV. The company announced at the beginning of the year that it would send this decoder to its customers at no cost, so if you have not received it yet and have an active Movistar rate, you can request it for free.

Knowing its most outstanding benefits, in this article we wanted to collect some of the most useful tricks of the UHD decoder of Movistar+ Plus. And it is that the device harbors some secrets that are worth mentioning. Under these lines we leave you with all of them.

Turn your mobile into a remote control and send content to the decoder

One of the great advantages of the decoder is the possibility of using your mobile as a remote control, as well as being able to send content to the decoder without the need for a Smart TV or external media player. For this we need a mobile phone with the Movistar+ app downloaded and have the “Launch and see” option of the deco activated.

If you want to use this function, all you have to do is enter the Movistar+ Plus app from a mobile or tablet, enter your credentials, and click on the “broadcast” icon in the upper right corner. Once the device has been linked to the decoder, a green icon will appear in the app to control the television as if it were a remote control. In addition, any content that we open from the app can be sent to the television.

Adjust the HDR of the decoder to get the best possible image

There was a time when the UHD set-top box showed a rather poor HDR image. This was because for standard range content, the color space used was the same as for HDR content, i.e. BT.2020. This meant that regardless of whether the image was SDR or HDR, the color gamut was affected. However, this error has already been fixed, and to configure your HDR, you can do it by following the steps that we leave you below.

To access the HDR settings, all we have to do is press the button ‘Menu’ on the remote control of the UHD decoder and enter the settings. Once here, we must select the option ‘HDR’. There are three options here: On, Auto, and Off. In this case, the best option would be “Automatic”, since the HDR mode will change depending on the content we are viewing. Using the “On” option will do the exact same thing we mentioned before, converting everything to the BT.2020 color space and thus ruining the imaging experience.

How to factory reset the UHD decoder

It is worth mentioning that carrying out this process can be delicate, since if it is not done carefully, “it can erase the data necessary for the decoder to connect correctly”, so recommend doing it only if suggested by a Community moderator or in the 1002.

After the warning, if you want to continue with the process, the first thing you have to do is access the IP configuration of the decoder and for this you need to turn the decoder on and then turn it off with the remote control, then waiting for more than 30 seconds . Then, you must turn on the decoder again and then repeatedly press the menu button on the remote control. If you are using the vocal command, you must click on the “+” button.

Once the steps are done, we will see the decoder configuration page. Here it is enough to simply go to the “Others” tab and select the option “Factory Reset”. Of course, before doing so we must make sure that the value that appears in “Network mode”, within the “Network” tab, is “DHCP”. If so, you can continue. We recommend you follow our guide for more additional information.

How to know if the content you are watching is in 1080p or 4K

Movistar’s UHD and Smart WiFi decoder allow us to view content in 4K HDR. Nevertheless, not all content displayed on the screen will appear at that resolution. In this way, playback in said resolution is limited to certain series and movies on demand, and the 4K football and Formula 1 channels.

However, if what you want to know is if what you are watching is playing in HD or 4K, you can know it through the indicator that usually appears next to the icon of the recommended age, language and subtitles. We can see this indicator through the information of the channel or the content. In this way, in addition to the sharpness that UHD content presents, we also have a way of knowing for sure if we are really playing in HD or 4K.

Turn up the decoder volume all the way up

In case you need a few extra decibels to clearly hear all the content you see from the decoder, in addition to the volume level of your remote control, you also have a tool integrated into the deco to increase the volume level.

The option is found within the settings menu, under the name of “Volume Level”. By default it is in “Normal”, although we can modify the option in “High” and thus enjoy a further boost in volume.

Power saving options on the decoder

Depending on the dimensions and Technologys of a television, it can have a more or less significant impact on the electricity bill. More taking into account that it is usually a device that we usually leave it on for many hours each day. However, if power consumption is a factor that is important to you, the UHD decoder has a couple of interesting options in this regard.

One of them is the function of auto power off. As indicated, the decoder will turn off after a certain time. Movistar states that this time is 6 hours, so if the decoder remains inactive during that time, it will automatically disconnect.

Another of your options is power saving mode. If we activate it, when we press the decoder’s shutdown button, it will turn off completely, so it will take a while longer to start again. In this way, we eliminate the possibility of leaving it in “Standby” so that the deco receives updates, or is ready to start quickly.

Both options can be found in the “Power off modes” section of the UHD decoder’s configuration menu. Just press the “Menu” button on the remote control and select the settings icon.

Applications beyond streaming platforms

The Movistar UHD decoder allows you to run applications that are installed as standard in the device’s software. In this way, we can access Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, or Disney +, among others, without the need for a Smart TV or HDMI dongle. Although yes, for this case, it is not always the best idea, since we are losing image quality.

However, in addition to those mentioned, the Movistar UHD deco also It has other applications of general and cultural interest, being able to find varied programming, podcasts, utilities, and others. Although they work that way, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at everything they have. To access them, you can do it from the “Apps” section of the deco’s main menu.

In case you are a soccer fan, you can also find the ‘Infinite State’ app, with information and results of the matches that are being played, including those of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

See your consumption data from the UHD decoder

As we have mentioned before, the UHD decoder has the possibility of running some apps integrated into it. One of them is its “Transparency Center”, where it is possible to see all the consumption information of Movistar services. In this way, we can see data such as the consumption of our lines, the time we have dedicated to on-demand content, and other contracted products.

To access this tool, all we have to do is press the button “Menu” on the remote control and select the option “My Movistar”. Then, we go to where it tells us “Transparency Center”. The information is broken down into several sections, and we can also see a graph with everything we have consumed by days and hours. In addition, we can download all this information to have it at hand.

Check the Internet speed that reaches the decoder from the Netflix app.

As we have mentioned before, the decoder allows you to run some applications. One of them is Netflix, being able to see all the content offered by the streaming platform without having to have a Smart TV or HDMI dongle for it. Indirectly, we can also use the app to check the network speed that reaches the UHD decoder through the tool that Netflix integrates for this.

To enter Netflix, all you have to do is press the button “Menu” of the decoder and press on the label of “Netflix”. Once accessed with our credentials, we go to the “Get help” option located at the bottom of the interface and select “Network Check”. Here, the app will make us a study of the network, indicating the bandwidth that reaches the device.

How to control your TV and the Movistar UHD deco with a single remote

Thanks to the option of HDMI-CEC, multiple functions of each HDMI source can be controlled if the device allows it. This is used above all for remote controls, and turning off and on the peripherals and consoles that we plug into the television.

The UHD deco is also compatible with this function, although to be able to navigate and control the interface with the same remote with which we control the television, it is necessary to purchase the Movistar voice remote. This one is priced at about 10 euros, and in addition to allowing us to control the decoder with our voice, it also allows us to use the basic functions of the television itself. so you don’t have to constantly change command. To activate the option, just go to the “Universal remote” section in the decoder configuration.