Those with a 4K Dolby Vision-capable TV and Comcast’s Xfinity X1 service will be able to watch Super Bowl 57 in a new way: in 4K HDR with Dolby Vision. The two companies announced that they’ll be taking Fox’s 4K feed of this year’s Big Game and adding in Dolby Vision.
You’ll need to have Comcast’s X1 cable box and a TV that supports Dolby Vision to take advantage of the higher-quality Feb. 12 broadcast. It can be found by saying “4K” into the voice remote for the X1 cable box. Dolby says that the feed will provide “lifelike colors, sharp contrast and rich details.”
Dolby says that Comcast is repackaging Fox’s 4K feed in real-time with Dolby Vision. Asked if this would lead to any additional latency or lag compared to other 4K or HD Fox telecasts, a Comcast spokesperson told CNET that adding Dolby Vision “does not add any noticeable latency,” with the format adding a delay “in the order of milliseconds.”
Dolby Vision is a high-dynamic range video format. “HDR content on an HDR TV can look far more punchy and vibrant than traditional content,” CNET contributor Geoff Morrison explains. Dolby’s version of this tech is supported by streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Vudu.
While this is a first for the Super Bowl, Xfinity and Dolby have broadcast other sporting events in 4K with Dolby Vision, including last year’s FIFA World Cup (which also aired on Fox) as well as the network’s NFL playoff games this postseason. It’s also worth noting for TV picture fans that Fox’s 4K NFL coverage is not produced in native 4K but, as The TV Answer Man points out, is an upscaled 1080p HDR signal.
Those who don’t have Comcast can still watch the Super Bowl in 4K HDR (albeit without Dolby Vision) through a host of other cable, streaming and satellite providers or with a log-in for one of those providers and the Fox Sports or Fox Now apps.
Read More
Eli Blumenthal