In the digital world where sports video streaming is king, television networks and entertainment providers will have to make bold moves to stay relevant. As Australia’s sole provider of movies and sports in 4k ultra-high-definition (UHD) channels, entertainment giant, Foxtel, has raised the bar with its latest offering.
Early this year, the company announced it would switch to an internet-based 4K UHD sports service to make multiple and uninterrupted viewing, among many other upgrades, possible. This means having a new sport destination for watching sports in 4K Ultra HD. But what does it mean for lovers of live sports?
But first, what is 4K UHD
Generally speaking, this technology is the most advanced of the viewing standards available to home viewers at present. Ultra-high definition broadcasts have at least eight million picture elements or pixels. Pixels represent the basic unit of measurement in digital graphics, and any image with high pixel density produces sharper and more realistic images.
A 4K broadcast, when viewed on televisions, will carry resolutions of 3,840 pixels wide and 2,160 pixels high, double its predecessor––full high definition (HD) system, which holds 1080 pixels—in both height and length.
With that out of the way, let’s find out what Foxtel Sports’ 4K UHD has in store for its subscribers.
Crystal clear images
Before the arrival of 4K/UHD, bingeing on television series and movies meant viewing resolutions were limited to full HD with 1080 pixels. For comparison, a 4K UHD-enabled broadcast and television set can hold four times the number of pixels in a 1080-pixel TV unit of the same size.
With video streamed over the internet, quality will never be compromised if there’s a fast and reliable connection in your home. While the service will prioritise internet streaming, 4K UHD content can still be delivered via satellite, depending on your TV box. Either way, this means viewers can stream live sports action without missing any detail, as if they’re getting front-row seats in every game.
Multiple streaming access
Before the switch, the Foxtel Sports channel was already airing through UHD channel 508. This station was exclusively the go-to platform for Australians who want to experience live coverage of highly coveted sports events, such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Supercars, and Cricket.
While this has shown to be an excellent option to sports subscribers, it was slightly restrictive to viewers who want to have access to different sports events happening simultaneously. To address this issue, the Fox Sports Ultra HD channel (Channel 508) was removed and an additional broadcast space has been added to further support the vast assortment of content you have access to. With this, the new setup allows up to four events to be broadcast to a device simultaneously, ensuring that fans don’t miss out on any anticipated high-octane games.
Double the sports action
Other than multiple and simultaneous access to Australia’s most-watched live sports events, Foxtel Sport’s 4K UHD subscribers will also enjoy more content on top of at least 200 hours of 4K UHD sports coverage of the events listed below:
- 2022 National Rugby League: Rounds 1 to 10, comprising 29 matches
- 2022 Australian Football League: All game rounds, with 35 events in total
- 2022 US Golf Masters Tournament: Amen Corner, or holes 11 to 13
- 2022 Formula One: All races of the season, including practice sessions
Foxtel estimates a 93% uptick in the content available for 4K UHD broadcast just for rugby and football games for this year. Overall, subscribers will have access to twice the content on 4K television in 2022.
Shift to exclusive internet service
As Foxtel Sports aims to improve its service, the dedicated TV channel 508 has been removed and replaced with a menu that takes viewers to the ‘Sport’ section of the home page, as mentioned above. All available sports events will be flashed on the screen, and users will have to choose the content of their choice. There’s an option to record an upcoming game, too.
Apart from the new interface, Foxtel has gone through software upgrades for the iQ4 and iQ5 boxes to operate exclusively via the internet. Thus, consumers can access 4K UHD content without satellite or cable TV.
Better user experience
Other than enabling boxes to connect to the internet, the company will also introduce more updates to allow easy app search and content suggestions. In iQ3 and iQ4 boxes, enhanced app search was integrated, allowing consumers to scan through Foxtel and other third-party content quickly. To improve user experience, content personalisation features will be further enhanced in the latter part of 2022.
The bottom line
Sports subscribers are in for a major shake-up this year because of the recent developments discussed above. With the company shifting to internet-based service, there’s more content for subscribers who find the 4K sports television channel limiting. Thus, sports lovers can choose this new service to access unlimited games and matches instead of paying more for subscribing to multiple media types.
