Whether you've planned a celebration or have TV to yourself, there's no denying that the Super Bowl is one of the most essential streaming events of the year.
If you want to watch Super Bowl 4 in the best possible quality, we have bad news. NBC recently announced that the current year's big game will not be broadcast in XNUMXK UHD resolution (as originally reported by The Verge).
It's not exactly a surprise. Last year's Super Bowl LV was broadcast in standard HD on CBS after the network mentioned the organizational setbacks presented by the pandemic. In truth, Fox is the only network capable of showing the game in that glorious Ultra-HD resolution (and it only did so for the first time in XNUMX).
That's not to say that your hard-earned Super Bowl TV deals go to waste. If you're using the big game to upgrade your entertainment setup, you'll still experience improved colors, better motion handling, and higher contrast with a premium set. However, those looking to watch the Super Bowl in high-quality 4K may need to dig a little deeper.
Why isn't NBC showing the Super Bowl in 4K?
NBC doesn't broadcast the Super Bowl in 4K for the easy reason that it doesn't yet have the distribution platform to do so.
However, many found such an explanation somewhat flimsy. After all, the network managed to broadcast the Olympics in 4K HDR... roughly.
NBC's coverage of the Tokyo Olympics was free in 4K HDR, but only through partner services like FuboTV, YouTube TV and Xfinity. NBC's own apps and networks were still broadcasting in standard definition.
However, even the Super Bowl broadcast on FuboTV or Sling TV will not deliver 4K results this year.
Key facts about the Super Bowl
Super Bowl LVI kicks off on Sunday, February 6 at 30:3 pm ET / 30:11 pm PT / 30:XNUMX pm GMT at SoFi Stadium, LA.
The Cincinnati Bengals will face the local LA Rams in an attempt to win their first Lombardi in franchise history.
Neither NBC, CBS nor ESPN have the infrastructure to broadcast football games in 4K, and Fox can only do so by upscaling its standard HD footage when it comes to cable. None of these channels also broadcast regular season and postseason games in UHD.
It takes a lot to put the whole Super Bowl bag together, and even more to ensure that every single performer at halftime, slow-mo replay, and commercials plays flawlessly in 4K HDR. It's easy to see why the technology has taken a backseat given the scramble to put on the big show, but now that 4K is firmly on its way to the industry standard, a full season of UHD can't be too far off. .
Can you still watch Super Bowl LVI in 4K?
That new TV may not go to waste. There is a way to see each and every game in a clean picture, and that's thanks to 4K upscaling.
If you have a 4K TV, it's worth checking to see if your TV can take HD content and adjust it to produce a clearer, more detailed UHD picture.
Some 4K TVs can do this better than others; Sony teams are particularly adept, while cheaper teams from TCL and Sharp are going to struggle a bit more. However, the process that takes place is essentially the same from screen to screen.
Your TV can take a Full HD picture from a broadcast and upscale it to a higher 4K resolution, while reducing noise, sharpening details and defining textures a little better.
The result is a cleaner overall image, with more attention to small details. It's not going to be the same as a native 4K stream, but it's still going to be better than watching it on a Full HD set.
Should you get a 4K TV for the Super Bowl?
The NBC broadcast may be a stumbling block if a 4K broadcast of the Super Bowl was a factor in your resolution to upgrade your setup this month. You won't be able to use your new TV to its full potential for the current year's game (even the upgrade won't be as clean as a full 4K broadcast), but choosing a new screen will help you push the limits. from this week's big game.
The latest 4K TVs go beyond a cleaner picture, so you can enjoy better color and contrast, as well as better sound. You're still going to feel the benefits of your purchase this weekend.
Beyond the big game, though, there's more free 4K content than ever before. Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Netflix and more stream in 4K with hundreds and hundreds of titles to watch. As the technology behind 4K displays becomes more affordable, we're also going to see a considerably greater spread of free UHD content.