With prices dropping — and some sets available for around $1,000 — Ultra HD or 4K TV is gradually grabbing a foothold in consumers’ homes. Yet there is still little native content available for these sets. That may change soon with Amazon confirming it will begin offering 4K video to Amazon Prime customers before the year is out, and it won’t charge extra.

The online giant tells the Wall Street Journal that 4K content will be streaming on Amazon by the end of this year, and that Prime subscribers will still pay the same $99/year for access.

This is in contrast to Netflix, which charges $12/month (three dollars more than the regular monthly rate) to customers wishing to access the small but growing 4K library.

Amazon says the first slate of content available in 4K will include a number of the retailer’s original shows, including Alpha House and Transparent.

Another big concern with 4K streaming involves consumers’ Internet connections. In general, you need a broadband connection of around 15Mbps downstream in order to enjoy the full image quality of a streamed 4K movie. Otherwise, you might as well just be watching a video on any other HD TV.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.