By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, I have DIRECTV Stream on the Roku Ultra device. I have the channel 104 with the boring documentaries and stuff. Do you know if they have the live sports channels yet on the Gemini box or any other streaming device. That’s what I am waiting for on my Roku device. — Carl, Roanoke, Virginia.
Carl, DIRECTV Stream last month began adding channel 104, a 4K channel, for streaming customers who have the company’s new Gemini set-top and 4K-enabled Roku devices. The channel offers 24-hour nature documentaries, recorded concerts and lifestyle shows in 4K.
DIRECTV says Stream will soon add channel 104 to other devices, such as Fire TV and Apple TV, but there is no specific timetable.
This is DIRECTV Stream’s first offering of 4K programming and it’s obvious that the corporate suite has the rollout dialed to slow. After waiting so long to launch 4K for its streaming audience, DIRECTV wants to make sure it’s done right.
So the answer to your question is no. DIRECTV Stream has not launched channels 105 and 106, which will be dedicated to live sports in 4K, on any device yet. Both the PR department and customer service say it will happen in “the coming weeks and months,” which as vague as it gets. But I suspect it will be weeks, not months, and perhaps even by the end of this month.
Hopefully, it will at least be by September when college football returns and ESPN and Fox do select games in 4K.
As always, the TV Answer Man will monitor this situation and report back here when we get new information.
Until then, 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
