A live television streaming service formerly known as AT&T TV is called DirecTV Stream. As more people shift from cable and satellite television service providers, many are left to ask if DirecTV Stream supports 4K streaming. Well, read on to find out.
What is 4K Streaming?
4K means super high definition or UHD resolution for the screens, also known as 2160p, which has 4000 or so horizontal pixels. 4K streaming presents a video that was compressed at that resolution, which means its viewing quality is much better than standard 1080p full high-definition.
4K streaming will only impact picture quality if you are streaming on a device with a screen resolution of 4K. Nonetheless, even with lower resolution screens, 4K streaming can prove to be useful as the video bitrate is higher and therefore, less compressed.
Does DirecTV Stream Offer 4K Streaming?
The short answer is yes—DirecTV Stream does stream some live and on-demand content in 4K UHD. Specifically, the following content is available in 4K:
- Choose live sports such as MLB, NBA, college football, and many more.
- Popular shows and movies that are a streaming service from channels that offer 4K such as NBC and FX.
One must understand though that only those channels and programs that are created in 4K and are available in that quality for streaming are available in 4K on DirecTV Stream. A majority of content on DirecTV Stream remains in base standard HD quality.
Policies for 4K Streaming on DirecTV Stream
To stream 4K content on DirecTV Stream, you need to meet these specific requirements:
Internet Connection Speed
- Ideally, you should have at least 25 Mbps download speed on the internet for it to work smoothly. Recommended bandwidths are 40+ Mbps for faster speeds for a high-quality picture.
Streaming Device
- At the moment, only Roku streaming devices, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, or the latest Apple TV 4K box streaming devices are compatible with 4K through DirecTV Stream. Check to see whether your streaming device has been approved by your IPTV service provider.
Subscription Plan
- To watch the content in 4K, you must have DirecTV Stream Choice, Ultimate, Premier, or Óptimo Más packages. Even the entertainment, which is considered a lower-tier plan, does not support 4K.
Is 4K supported in DirecTV Stream or is it an additional feature that costs extra?
Fortunately, 4K streaming does not incur any additional charges for DirecTV Stream consumers. If you meet the aforementioned internet speed, device, and plan requirements, you can watch any available 4K content at no additional cost as part of the DirecTV Stream service cost and other fees.
It’s worth remembering that you are paying for access to 4K content but currently, not many channels/programs will provide the picture in stunning UHD. The 4K catalog of DirecTV Stream is not exhaustive at the moment but still can be considered as promising.
4K streaming limitations and considerations
However, unlike other rivals such as YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream does have an option for streaming some content in 4K UHD quality. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Fewer 4K Channels Available
- It was also found that out of all the channels available on DirecTV Stream, very few of them provide any content that has been originally shot in 4K. Therefore, you should not expect most of the channels and shows to stream in 4k resolution.
No 4K DVR
- Any programs that are saved in your DirecTV Stream DVR will be stored only in standard HD resolution. The DVR does not record or store programs in 4K. Live or on-demand 4K streams will be the only UHD content on the platform.
Video Quality Depends on the Connection Available
- This is why having fast internet speeds is important so that 4K streaming does not cause the streaming to lag. This means that anything less than the minimum internet speed of 25 Mbps may result in low picture quality and streaming.
4K Upscaling Isn’t Native 4K
It’s also important to note that though the DirecTV Stream set-top box can upscale video from a lower resolution to 4K, this does not compare to the fluidity and quality of content created and encoded in native 4K. Upscaled 4K should offer some enhancements on a 4K TV set although not on the level of true 4K streaming.
No 4K streaming in two devices at a time
Because of bandwidth constraints, only one stream connected to your DirecTV account can use the 4K at a time. Thus, if a person is streaming a live sports event in 4K, no other device can stream other 4K on-demand films at the same time. However, on other devices, it is still possible to stream it in HD and with a regular frequency.
Conclusion
Thus, although DirecTV Stream does indeed provide a rather limited amount of 4K streaming at the UHD level for some live sports and other programs, it is necessary to set the right expectations. What is more, some content only will be available in the higher resolution format. However, as the 4K production increases in the shows airing on FX and NBC, it is high time that DirecTV forwarded more of that programming in Bright 4K to the subscribers. Since no plans offer an additional cost for 4K, any UHD content available is simply a bonus over a strong base of channel offerings.
