By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on X.
Former editor of 4 TV magazines. Author of TV Dot Com.
TV Answer Man, I am very excited that the Super Bowl will be in 4K. Do you know if the game will be in 4K on Paramount Plus for cord cutters? — Manny, Orlando.
Manny, after two reports by The TV Answer Man, CBS this week confirmed that it will offer next month’s Super Bowl in 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range). The game, which will be played February 11, 2024 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, will mark the first time that the network will offer any NFL game in the format. (Fox did the Super Bowl in 4K in 2020 and 2023.)
But will CBS’ sister service, Paramount+, offer the game in 4K? This would be a nice perk for viewers who have jettisoned their traditional pay TV subscriptions to save money as a cord cutter.
See more news and TV tech features at TVAnswerMan.com.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. CBS says Paramount+ will offer a 1080p HD feed, but not 4K. This will certainly be a better picture than what most local CBS affiliates will provide, but it’s not 4K. (CBS affiliates broadcast live sports in 1080i HD, which is not as sharp and vivid as 1080p HD.)
That means the Super Bowl will only be available in 4K on special 4K channels provided by pay TV services such as DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, Optimum, Comcast, YouTube TV and Dish.
Also: A CBS spokesman has confirmed to The TV Answer Man that the 4K feed will be upscaled from a 1080p HD broadcast.
Manny, 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.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
