ESPN Finally Upgrades Picture Quality On Streaming TV Services Just Before NFL Season

TV size isn't everything; If you want the best picture, you need a high-resolution set, preferably something in UHD or 4K (yes, there's a difference). Of course, size and resolution don't mean much, though, if your provider's signal isn't capable of giving you the best fidelity to match your device. Sports fans have been missing out, but not anymore.

Earlier this week, ESPN announced that it started a roll out of 4K HDR picture quality for ESPN and ESPN2 services. According to the announcement, ESPN's 4K HDR coverage will include "all ESPN productions" of Monday Night Football, NBA, and NHL, as well as "select live events across college football and US Open tennis" and marquee live events like Super Bowl LXI. For some reason, though, the release doesn't mention the coverage of other sports, including MLB.

ESPN's 4K upgrade is the result of new architecture that was designed by Evertz and VUE. This new pipeline is designed to be "IP-based and endpoint agnostic," which means that it can potentially apply to virtually any program, as well as any device that can output video in 4K.

Thanks to the magic of modern technology, you won't need to tweak any settings to watch ESPN and ESPN 2 in 4K — all you need is ESPN service either through the ESPN App or a digital pay streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. Relevant programs will do all the picture quality upgrade work automatically, and you'll know that you're getting the upgraded service as shown by on-screen badging, displaying either "4K HDR" on your TV or "HDR" on your mobile device. That being said, you'll still want to check the settings on your device to make sure you're getting the best audio possible for watching sports.

As this is a feature rollout, not all platforms will upgrade at the same time. If you own the ESPN App on an iOS or tvOS device, odds are you can already watch sports programs in 4K. According to the announcement, ESPN will follow up (assuming it hasn't done so already) with 4K streaming on other TV platforms, and Disney+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Eventually, even people who use digital pay TV (which includes YouTube TV) and cable networks, as well as those who like to watch the NFL on living room and mobile devices, will acquire 4K sports compatibility,