By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor of 4 TV magazines.
TV Answer Man, what are the Fox 4K college football games this week? And what’s up with Roku? The picture on the Fox Sports app didn’t seem to be 4K on Saturday. — Tony, Las Vegas.
Tony, Fox will have another college football doubleheader in 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) this Saturday (November 25). The 4K games will be 2nd ranked Ohio State at 3rd ranked Michigan at noon ET and unranked Washington State at 4th ranked Washington at 4 p.m. ET. The network’s Big Noon Kickoff show, which starts at 10 a.m. ET, will also be in 4K.
How Can You Watch Fox’s Games In 4K?
The day’s action can be seen in 4K on the Fox Sports app by logging in with your TV Everywhere user name and password from your pay TV provider. (Note that the Fox Now app is no longer available.) The games will be simulcast in HD on Fox network affiliates.
The pay TV services that are expected to carry the Fox games in 4K on special 4K channels are DIRECTV, Dish, Comcast, Verizon, Optimum, DIRECTV Stream, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. (In FuboTV markets where the Fox affiliate is provided with your programming package.) Check your on-screen guide for more details.
(To find out what you need to watch 4K on the Fox Sports app, including which devices are compatible, click here. We can’t overemphasize the importance of having a device that Fox says is compatible for 4K. The games will be simulcast in high-def on Fox network affiliates.)
Why Isn’t Roku Showing 4K On the Fox Sports App?
I have received a handful of complaints from readers saying that Roku has not delivered a 4K stream of Fox’s college games the last two weekends. I personally checked out the Maryland-Michigan game on Saturday (November 18) and it was definitely not 4K. So until I get an update from Roku or Fox, viewer beware. Roku 4K-enabled devices may not offer the 4K feeds on Saturday.
What Is Upscaled 4K On Fox?
Fox’s 4K college football broadcasts are upscaled from 1080p HDR (High Dynamic Range). Upscaling is the process when one video format is converted to another. Fox takes the 1080p HDR signal and converts it to a 4K format. Upscaling 4K is not considered as good as native 4K, but the inclusion of HDR can offer heightened colors and vividness.
Tony, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
