Peacock is planning to stream English Premier League soccer games in 4K in 2023, according to an article by the web site, World Soccer Talk.
The streamer, which launched in July 2020, just recently began adding 4K shows and movies to its catalog. However, Peacock has yet to offer any live sporting events in the format.
John Jelley, a Peacock senior vice president, tells World Soccer Talk that will change in 2023, if not sooner.
“We have got plans for Dolby Atmos (which provides more immersive sound) in the works alongside 4K next year. We’re also planning 5.1 audio next year as well,” Jelley said. “I think those will make a real improvement to the premium experience of the game for those who have the capabilities to watch it in 4K, Dolby Atmos or 5.1 audio.”
English Premier League soccer has been available in 4K in the United States for a few years. (DIRECTV, FuboTV and YouTube TV offer select matches in the format.) But news that Peacock will provide games in 4K should encourage videophiles who have long hoped the streamer would begin delivering live sports in 4K.
Peacock’s sports lineup includes MLB and NFL games as well as a myriad of other sports including golf, track and field, swimming, soccer and the Olympics.
Peacock’s plans include an ads-included offering for $4.99 a month and an ads-free version for $9.99 a month. (Comcast, Charter and Cox video subscribers get the $4.99 a month plan for free as part of their service.) Peacock also has a free plan, but it’s unclear if any 4K titles are included in that plan.
The TV Answer Man has asked Peacock’s PR team for more details on its 4K plans but has yet to receive a response. We will update this article if we get more information.
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I wonder if there’s any chance that they’ll broadcast Notre Dame football in 4K on Peacock this season, now that they appear to be gearing up to offer more programming in that format.
The audio is the LEAST important factor here. Back when the average screen was a CRT tube of 25 to 34 inches the improvement of 720p or 1080i was incredible over the NTSC 480i. You could th,en distinguish balls and pucks and other details like never before. HOWEVER, at that point SCREENS began to grow with projection TVs, LCD/plasma, and finally LED/OLED. No longer is the average TV 27 inches. It’s usually a 55inch or more which is 4x + and sometimes 85-90inches about 8x the volume. No longer is the picture sharp but a blurry mess at most viewing distances. We need 4K resolution AT MINIMUM to compensate for the growth of screens, 8K to actually improve to what would be Ultra High. Broadcasters! Sound is nice but PICTURE QUALITY should be the primary focus..