NBC and Peacock to Have 4K Super Bowl and Olympic Broadcasts Feb. 8

Even though 4K televisions are widely available, 4K broadcasts can be difficult to come by. Thankfully, NBC and Peacock are firing up the ultra-high definition broadcast for he bigger sports day of the year.

On Sunday, Feb. 8, NBC and Peacock will offer a 4K HDR broadcast starting at 7 a.m. ET. That will cover the Milan Cortina Olympics and the Super Bowl.

What is 4K?

Regular high-definition TV typically appears at 720p or 1080p. The “p” in that number refers to the number of pixels in the height of the image. More pixels mean a sharper image.

4K offers an image that’s 2160 pixels high. It’s the most lifelike video you can see in most cases. Expect crystal-clear images and razor-sharp edges.

How Can You Watch the 4K Broadcasts on NBC?

First, you need a TV capable of 4K resolution. If you use a streaming device like a Roku or Fire TV stick, that will also need to be a model capable of 4K.

Then you need a provider that can deliver the 4K signal.

Peacock is the simplest solution. Just sign up and you’ll be good to go.

If you don’t want Peacock, you’ll need a live TV provider with NBC and 4K. Your options are DIRECTV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. YouTube TV requires an upgrade to the 4K Plus plan ($9.99/mo.), while DIRECTV and Sling include 4K at no additional cost.

Note: Sling TV only carries NBC in Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Hartford/New Haven, Los Angeles, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, and Washington, D.C.

While Fubo offers 4K, its ongoing feud with NBC’s parent company means it will not be a way to access the stream.

Can You Watch 4K With an Antenna?

This is technically possible, but you would need a TV that can process the ATSC 3.0 signal. To see if you’re in an area where that kind of signal is available, you can enter your address here.

Why Isn’t Everything Broadcast in 4K?

The hiccup is usually because of the equipment required. A 4K image is a lot of data, and with video, there are 30 images every second. In order to capture a 4K image and transmit it to your TV, every step in the process must be advanced enough and fast enough to keep the 4K quality.

It’s cheaper and easier to broadcast in 720p or 1080p.

4K video will also burn a ton of data as it’s carried across the internet. If you have a data cap, 4K will shred it quickly. 4K eats up roughly 7-8 GB/hour.