When it comes to streaming live TV in the U.S. (or streaming any kind of video anywhere, for that matter), resolution and bit rate remain as important as ever. And you’re now able to enjoy YouTube TV in 4K. Some of it, at least. And if it seems like it’s taken forever for that to happen, you’re not wrong.
The basic fact is that it takes a lot of bandwidth to stream video — and that’s even more difficult when you’re talking linear TV, (and more so still if it’s a live event like sports). So it’s not really that much of a surprise to learn that most live channels stream at 720p resolution — or maybe 1080p if you’re lucky. (We’ll leave frame rate out of the equation for a minute, but it’s a thing, too, especially for sports.)
For the most part, 4K resolution — we’re talking 2160p — is pretty hard to come by. FuboTV has had some in the past, and YouTube TV has joined the
That
- 4K resolution on some content.
- The ability to watch as many streams on your home network as you want.
- The ability to watch recorded shows and movies offline on mobile devices.
Those are the big points, but let’s break it down a bit. Here’s everything you need to know about
YouTube TV 4K price and how to add it
First things first: You’ll need an existing
So with no other add-ons, including
To add the
That’s also where you can cancel the
NFL Sunday Ticket and YouTube TV in 4K
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but buying the
That’s the bad news. There’s also some worse news. Some NFL games might actually be limited to 720p. That’s not great, though at least the broadcasts are still being streamed at 60 frames per second, which absolutely is a must for live sports.
While
But for now? No NFL Sunday Ticket in
What can you watch in 4K on YouTube TV?
Adding the
You can split what’s available in 4K resolution into two categories: On-demand, and live. You’ll find a bunch of shows available on-demand from Discovery, FX, Tastemade, and Nat Geo. That includes high-profile titles like What We Do in the Shadows, Snowfall, Make This Tonight, Struggle Meals, and How It’s Made — and that’s just for starters. And they look great in 4K resolution, as you’d expect for something that’s been prerecorded and optimized for streaming.
Where
Sports in
This is the part where someone will stand up and yell, “But it’s not true
But here’s the thing: Sports in
What devices support YouTube TV in 4K?
This is where things get a little tricky. Not every piece of hardware out there supports
- 4K smart TVs running Android TV
- Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, and Hisense, from 2016 or newer
- Chromecast with Google TV
- 4K Roku streaming players
- Apple TV 4K (2021)
- PlayStation 4 Pro
- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
- Nvidia Shield
Obviously missing from that list are web browsers, despite the fact that you can find a
It’s also worth mentioning that the 2017 model of Apple TV
What else do you get with YouTube TV 4K?
As mentioned above, content in
In addition to everything looking better, you’ll also be able to download recorded shows to a mobile device for offline viewing. That means you won’t need a data connection to watch, say, Snowfall, while you’re on the subway. Just hit the download button (it looks like an arrow pointing downward) for the show. If the button is grayed out, the content isn’t available for download.
You’re limited to one device at a time for downloaded content. You won’t be able to watch that show on another device before first deleting the downloaded version.
The other feature included in the
If you’re outside your home network, you’ll still be limited to three streams at once.
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