By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
More than 30 years as a TV journalist.
TV Answer Man, I have TNT though my DIRECTV subscription and I have Max as a streaming sub. Is there any difference in how they will show the games? Does it matter which one I look at? — Larry, Plano, Texas.
Larry, TNT, which is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) Turner networks, will broadcast 65 NBA games this season. But as you note, the TNT games will also be available on WBD’s Max as part of the streaming service’s new sports tier. Max is offering live sports from Turner networks for free until February 29. After that, it will be $9.99 a month.
So, should you watch the TNT games on Max or the regular TNT channel? Is there any difference? Answer: Yes.
Why You Should Watch NBA On Max Instead of NBA On TNT
Sports Video Group reports that Max will upscale the TNT 1080i HD feed to 1080p HD, which should deliver a crisper and more vivid picture. “Max manages that conversion to 1080p,” says Christ Brown, WBD vice president of technical operations. “There is a goal to eventually have all the productions originating in progressive so that there is a more seamless handoff and one less step in the process.”
If you have TNT via a pay TV service, and a Max subscription, I strongly recommend that you watch the Max feed of the TNT games. As anyone who has watched Apple’s MLB broadcasts, 1080p produces a better picture than 1080i even, as in the case of the TNT games, the 1080p image is converted from 1080i. The improved picture on Max is another reason why pay TV operators are upset that WBD is showing the Turner-produced games on both TNT and Max. Why get a pay TV sub to watch TNT when its games are on Max and with a better picture?
By the way, here’s the NBA on TNT schedule for this season:
| Day | Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| Tuesday | Oct. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets |
| Tuesday | Oct. 24 | 10 p.m. | Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors |
| Thursday | Oct. 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
| Thursday | Oct. 26 | 10 p.m. | Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
| Tuesday | Oct. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Tuesday | Oct. 31 | 10 p.m. | San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns |
| Tuesday | Nov. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Tuesday | Nov. 14 | 10 p.m. | LA Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets |
| Tuesday | Nov. 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers |
| Tuesday | Nov. 21 | 10 p.m. | Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
| Tuesday | Nov. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat |
| Tuesday | Nov. 28 | 10 p.m. | Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings |
| Tuesday | Dec. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks |
| Tuesday | Dec. 12 | 10 p.m. | Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns |
| Tuesday | Dec. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans |
| Tuesday | Dec. 19 | 10 p.m. | Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors |
| Thursday | Jan. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks vs. San Antonio Spurs |
| Thursday | Jan. 4 | 10 p.m. | Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors |
| Thursday | Jan. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
| Thursday | Jan. 11 | 10 p.m. | Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
| Monday | Jan. 15 | 3:30 p.m. | San Antonio Spurs vs. Atlanta Hawks |
| Monday | Jan. 15 | 6 p.m. | Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies |
| Tuesday | Jan. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers |
| Tuesday | Jan. 16 | 10 p.m. | Oklahoma City Thunder vs. LA Clippers |
| Thursday | Jan. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors |
| Thursday | Jan. 18 | 10 p.m. | Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Tuesday | Jan. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets |
| Tuesday | Jan. 23 | 10 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers vs. LA Clippers |
| Thursday | Jan. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat |
| Thursday | Jan. 25 | 10 p.m. | Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors |
| Tuesday | Jan. 30 | 7:30 p.m. | Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics |
| Tuesday | Jan. 30 | 10 p.m. | Philadelphia 76ers vs. Golden State Warriors |
| Thursday | Feb. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics |
| Thursday | Feb. 1 | 10 p.m. | Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Memphis Grizzlies |
| Tuesday | Feb. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks vs. Brooklyn Nets |
| Tuesday | Feb. 6 | 10 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns |
| Thursday | Feb. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks |
| Thursday | Feb. 8 | 10 p.m. | Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
| Tuesday | Feb. 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Orlando Magic |
| Tuesday | Feb. 13 | 10 p.m. | Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns |
| Thursday | Feb. 15 | 8:30 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks vs. Memphis Grizzlies |
| Thursday | Feb. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks |
| Thursday | Feb. 22 | 10 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors |
| Tuesday | Feb. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics |
| Tuesday | Feb. 27 | 10 p.m. | Miami Heat vs. Portland Trail Blazers |
| Thursday | Feb. 29 | 7:30 p.m. | Golden State Warriors vs. New York Knicks |
| Thursday | Feb. 29 | 10 p.m. | Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets |
| Tuesday | Mar. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks |
| Tuesday | Mar. 5 | 10 p.m. | Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets |
| Thursday | Mar. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks |
| Thursday | Mar. 7 | 10 p.m. | Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets |
| Tuesday | Mar. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks |
| Tuesday | Mar. 12 | 10 p.m. | Minnesota Timberwolves vs. LA Clippers |
| Thursday | Mar. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics |
| Thursday | Mar. 14 | 10 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Tuesday | Mar. 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
| Tuesday | Mar. 26 | 10 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings |
| Tuesday | Apr. 2 | 7:30 p.m. | Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks |
| Tuesday | Apr. 2 | 10 p.m. | LA Clippers vs. Sacramento Kings |
| Thursday | Apr. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat |
| Thursday | Apr. 4 | 10 p.m. | Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers |
| Tuesday | Apr. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
| Tuesday | Apr. 9 | 10 p.m. | Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
| Thursday | Apr. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics |
| Thursday | Apr. 11 | 10 p.m. | New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings |
Larry, 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
I subscribe to both max and cable, and was able to compare video quality between streaming and cable versions of tonight Philidelphia and Milwaukee NBA, basketball game, and determined the cable version had superior video quality over the streaming video. TNT cable version had a sharper more detailed picture, over Max. The Max feed had motion blur on fast action possibility indicating a low data rate that could not keep up with the action.