The Super Bowl will not be broadcast in Native 4K
 

Again this year, the Super Bowl will be broadcast in 1080p using 4K (2160p) upscaling. So, the picture quality will be basically the same as if you watched it in 1080p on a 4K TV with 4K upscaling. Bummer.

It really is something. 4k TVs have been sold now for years amd years and there remains a dearth of actual true 4k content. This is why I find it amusing that for the last couple of years they have started selling 8k TVs. Absent some very specialized (and extremeley limited) content, there is absolutly nthing to watch in 8k.

Add the insult that what 4k content there MAY be available, some providers (I'm looking at you youtube TV) charge a premium to access it. It is no small fee and they have very little 4k content that they actually provide.

This is the way it is right now unfortunately. Many ask why do they upscale when most 4K TVs upscale? The reason is although most 4K TVs upscale, the TV's upscalling capability will vary. The more expensive the TV the better the upscalling capabilities. When the network upscales, your TV will have nothing or very little picture processing to do so everyone get's a "good" 4k image no matter which TV they have. They use this as an way to present the best possible video for those who are aware and to get you to pay extra for a special event like this. Just adds the the excitement.

Now, the next issue is although they are sending you a 4K video signal, do you have an app either on your TV or Streamer that can play the 4K video? Is the app you are using capable of 4K and are you paying for the 4K service if that's an option?

I saw this:
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CBS says Paramount+ will offer a 1080p HD feed, but not 4K. This will certainly be a better picture than what most local CBS affiliates will provide, but it’s not 4K. (CBS affiliates broadcast live sports in 1080i HD, which is not as sharp and vivid as 1080p HD.)

That means the Super Bowl will only be available in 4K on special 4K channels provided by pay TV services such as DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, Optimum, Comcast, YouTube TV and Dish.
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And note, you need the premium 4k paid service to see 4K on YouTubeTV which many don't subscribe to.

Because 4K resolution takes up so much more bandwidth than 720 or 1080P even though it's compressed, it's going to be a while before the technology is deployed to be more common place.

If I read it correctly, it will be broadcast as a 4K signal.

What you seem to be saying is that the camera capturing the image will have 1080 resolution and the picture will then be upscaled to 4K before being broadcast.

I don't know if my TV will upscale a 1080 broadcast. My firestick and TV can display a 4K broadcast just as it can display a 1080 or 720 broadcast but I don't know that it has the capability to upscale from the lower resolution.

Chances are that TVs in most people's homes do not have the processing power to perform the same quality of upscaling as the broadcasters do. I can show a 1080 broadcast on a 70" screen. You can upscale that 1080 broadcast to 4K resolution on your 70" screen. The broadcasters (Fox in this case) will likely have processing equipment much more powerful than what is in your TV and can produce a better 4K signal from the 1080 camera than your TV could.

But since I have YouTubeTV and don't pay extra for 4K, none of this will affect my viewing.

If your TV is a 4K TV then it has an upscaler and will upscale any non-4K signal.

Your assumption that the networks have better 1080p to 4K upscaling capability than most TVs is probably a good one.

If you sit far enough from your TV, you probably can't tell the difference between a 1080p signal upscaled to 4K by your TV and a 4K signal upscaled by the network and then received by your TV.

Our tv is the old plasma. Has a great picture and it’s 15 years old. Yep, cost much more than the best of the new sets.? “If it’s not broke no need to upgrade IMH0”! But to each their own.

"Fox, which is broadcasting the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. ET, will stream a free 4K feed of the game on its free ads-supported streaming service, Tubi."

I just saw this! Tubi is where I’m watching the Super Bowl in 4k 👍

This is where I intend to watch the game. I can't get 4k because YouTubeTV charges extra for that and I don't pay for that add-on. But Fox is trying to draw attention to Tubi, and putting the 4k feed there and so I can bypass YouTube TV and hopefully the picture will be better. I don't know enough about the feeds to know if Tubi is a native 4k or an upscaled 4k, but it should be better than YouTubeTV.

As I understand it, Fox will produce the only native signal, which will be 1080, and they will upscale it to 4K. Tubi cannot have a native 4K signal unless they use their own cameras to record the game live, which will not happen.

A 1080 signal upscaled to 4K will be a 4K signal when you receive it. It will be indistinguishable from "native" 4K when it enters your home.

At my age I don’t really care cause I can’t see that good anyway. I brought expensive TV’s in pass and to me makes no difference and they don’t last as long anyway. I do know on thing I will Never buy LG product. But that me. Why you ask? Had large TVs in pass that was 3 to 4K price tag blew out 3 months after 2 years limited (very limited) warranty expired. Plus had several neighbors expensive LG refrigerators compressors go out less than 3 years with other problems also.

100%. Plasmas are great

If you like it then hold onto it as plasma sets haven't been made in almost a decade.

Maybe, it depends on visual acuity issues. For example, the size of the TV and how far you are sitting from it. Beyond a certain distance from the TV, you will not be able to discern the differences. However, a properly prepared, true 4K source has more information than a 1080p source upscaled to 4K. If you sat close enough to the TV you could see it. Say a couple of feet; where most of us don't sit ;-) This will be more of an issue when we all have 120" TVs, which may be sooner than you think.