TV Answer Man, I watched the Kentucky-Tennessee game in 4K on ESPN on DIRECTV last Saturday and I was blown away by the picture. Do you know if they have HDR with their 4K picture? Sure looks like it. — Davey, Lexington, Kentucky. 

Davey, for the past few years, ESPN has done a college basketball game of the week in 4K, as it also has done for college football. This season’s games began last Saturday (January 14) with the Kentucky-Tennessee matchup.

In past years, ESPN’s 4K college basketball games did not include HDR, which stands for High Dynamic Range. HDR, when done well, can enhance the color and vividness of the picture. Combined with ESPN’s ultra-realistic native 4K broadcast (produced on site in 4K as well as transmitted to the home in the format), the addition of HDR could turn the network’s images into a work of art.

So, does ESPN’s 4K college basketball games include HDR this season?

According to SportsVideo.org, the answer is yes.

“Atop the collection of production flavors is ESPN’s Saturday primetime game, which officially kicks into action on Jan. (14). The big leap there is that those games will be produced and delivered in UHD with high dynamic range (HDR),” the industry site wrote last November.

The TV Answer Man will provide the details of this Saturday’s ESPN 4K game later this week when the participants are announced by the network.

Until then, happy viewing and stay safe!

Need to buy something today? Please buy it using one of the Amazon links here. This site receives a small portion of each purchase, which helps us continue to provide these articles.

Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

— Phillip Swann
@TVAnswerMan