Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums banner

Sports in 4K in Canada

Tags
4k tv
1 reading
73K views 246 replies 40 participants last post by  ThatOtherGuy  
#1 · (Edited)
This thread is for general discussion of sports available in 4K (Ultra HD) in Canada. Most TV providers that have a 4K service carry the same sports content and the picture quality is generally the same on each service, so this is a good place to discuss what's available on TSN 4K and Sportsnet 4K channels. TV providers that carry 4K channels should also have a thread in their section of this forum to discuss issues specific to their service. If you want to discuss a sport in general (not related to 4K,) there are threads in the sports section for NHL, CFL, NBA, etc.

Some people have complained about the picture quality on the Sportsnet 4K channels. Even though they are labelled as 4K channels, most of the content is HD, with the occasional game in 4K. Sportsnet doesn't seem to publish a specific 4K schedule, but their daily schedule does show if a live event will be shown on a 4K channel.

Useful links:
Sportsnet daily schedule: Sportsnet.ca
TSN 4K schedule: TSN 4K Broadcast Schedule | TSN

Regular 4K sports include CFL, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Blue Jays home games and certain NHL games played in Canada. TSN4K has some MLS games.

Discussion of legal 4K streaming sources available in Canada is OK.
 
#5 ·
@SatTv1994 if you're talking about Bell's regional TSN channels, I think they only have the hockey rights for that region. I think Rogers controls the Centre Ice rights.

@ExRobotGuy I don't think TSN Direct offers 4K streaming.

Legal 4K streaming is on-topic for this thread. I was going to mention it in the first post, but it was already getting too long and I wasn't aware of any right now.
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
TSN and TSN Direct subscribers can enjoy 4K coverage for select preliminary round and quarter-final games, as well as the semifinals and the Bronze and Gold Medal Games.

I assume this refers to world junior hockey. As a Bell satellite customers I wonder if 4K content for these games will be available to me via the TSN app on my Apple TV 4K box? Or will I need a subscription that includes TSN 4k?
 
#8 ·
I'm a little suspicious about the way 4K was just tossed in there for TSN Direct, but TSN was very low-key about starting CFL 4K broadcasts.

The 4K may only be for people that subscribe to TSN Direct, but you never know. It may work with a TV provider login, but if TSN made 4K available for all TSN subscribers, it would undermine their TSN 4K pricing through the TV providers.

I can't see Bell Satellite coming out with a 4K package anytime soon. I doubt they plan to transmit 4K by satellite and it seems unlikely they would do it just for streaming.
 
#9 ·
Unless I'm mistaken there isn't a 4k capable receiver yet, right?

Moreover, even with the codec upgrade they made a few years back, one 4k channel is probably = 3 720p channels... just guessing and assuming Bell would compress it to all hell. Given the limited space on their transponders of two satellites, there isn't a whole lot of room for 4k on Satellite unless they launch a new bird, which isn't happening.

A month ago the CEO of Directv said they won't be launching any new satellites, which if you read between the lines is an indicator that Directv as a satellite distribution platform, is on deaths doorstep.
 
#18 ·
I'd be interested in hearing if anyone can get TSN Direct in 4K tonight, either as a direct subscriber or a through a TV provider login where they subscribe to TSN 4K.

Telus announced in April that they were the only provider to support 4K HDR and the only "live" HDR channel they had was Travelxp 4K HDR. I double-checked their current 4K channel list and that is still the only HDR channel. Sportsnet and TSN are shown as plain 4K, indicating they don't use HDR yet.

Keep in mind that very few NHL games on Sportsnet 4K are actually in 4K. The only one I could find on www.sportsnet.ca/schedule/ between now and Jan. 24 is Jan. 2, 7:00 PM VAN @ OTT on SN 4K. TSN 4K has 7 NHL games in January.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I don't think there is a separate app for TSN Direct. It just seems to be a different login. On the web site, you either choose to login in with your TSN Direct credentials or your TV provider credentials.

I don't use Apple, but I looked at TSN GO in the iTunes store and the last update was in August. I don't know if they would need to update the app for 4K, or if the capability was always there for the Apple TV 4K and they just had to provide the 4K content.

EDIT: I installed the TSN android app and it gives you a choice at sign-in - TSN Direct or TSN GO through your TV provider.