Be jealous: Canadian cabler to broadcast 100 live sports events in 4K UHD with HDR
When it comes to getting people into 4K Ultra HD TVs, content is king — what’s the point in getting a new 4K Ultra HD set if there’s nothing to watch on it? And while Netflix and Amazon have considerably ramped up their streaming 4K UHD offerings, many experts maintain that broadcast 4K, specifically 4K sports, is the linchpin to a successful transition to the new format. Well, if that’s the case, then the 4K UHD revolution begins … in Canada?
Canadian cable giant Rogers announced today a new plan to get the jump on rivals at home and across the globe with what the company is calling the “world’s largest commitment to live sports broadcasting in 4K with HDR.†And while 4K UHD resolution alone is enough to make any sports fan a little tingly inside, the addition of HDR may be just as significant, allowing the company to bring bursting contrast and color shading to the latest 4K Ultra HD TVs.
The rollout, which is set to include 100 live sporting events in 4K UHD, including “every 2016 Toronto Blue Jays home game and over 20 marquee NHL Games,†will be riding along with a new 4K set top box. The service will also be released alongside the company’s new Gigabit Internet pipeline set to debut in select areas in Toronto, with a wider roll-out to 4 million homes by the end of 2016.
Rogers’ 4K UHD broadcasting is slated to land in April 2016, in time for the Blue Jays opening home game.
In total, the company promises to provide 500 hours of live sports, movies, and TV shows in 4K UHD in the new year. Along with the live baseball and hockey broadcasts, the breakdown will include 100 hours of 4K movies and series from Canadian streamer Shomi, along with 4K UHD content from Netflix, aided by the new lightning-fast Gigabit Internet service. In Canada, 4K UHD Netflix titles include Narcos, Marvel’s Daredevil, Sense8, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Gracie and Frankie, Chef’s Table, Bloodline, and House of Cards.
