TV Answer Man, do you know if the MLB All-Star Game will be in native 4K? Not upscale 4K, but real 4K! — Carl, Dublin, Ohio.
Carl, the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game will take place tomorrow night (July 19) at 8 p.m. ET from beautiful Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the second time that it will be played at that venue.
As usual, Fox has the broadcast rights to the game, but will the MLB All-Star Game be available in 4K?
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The answer is…yes!
But will the MLB All-Star Game be available in ‘native 4K?’
The answer is…no!
Fox produces its 4K coverage in 1080p HDR and ‘upscales’ it to a 4K HDR broadcast as opposed to shooting the event in 4K and transmitting in the same format. (The latter is called native 4K.) Upscaling is the process when one video format is converted to another. In this case, Fox takes the 1080p HDR signal and converts it to a 4K format.
Many 4K enthusiasts say a native 4K picture (offered by ESPN, for instance, for college football and basketball games) is better than Fox because native 4K produces a sharper picture with more clarity and details. This shouldn’t be a surprise because when the event is ‘filmed’ in 4K, and transmitted in the format as well, you are more likely to deliver the added resolution that 4K is known for.
However, Fox’s 4K HDR can provide a more vivid picture, particularly more vivid colors, thanks to the HDR, which stands for High Dynamic Range. (ESPN’s 4K broadcasts do not include HDR.) If done right, the picture is more dynamic and evocative. You can really feel the action.
The Fox Sports app will stream the All-Star Game in 4K HDR. You can watch it in the format on the Fox Sports app by using your TV Everywhere user name and password from your pay TV provider.
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In addition, pay TV services that are expected to carry the game on special 4K channels are DIRECTV, Dish, Comcast, Verizon, Optimum, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. (In markets where the Fox affiliate is provided with your programming package.) Check your on-screen guide for more details.
The network will also offer the All-Star game in high-def on Fox network affiliates.
Carl, 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.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
