DirecTV subs who are itching to watch a Major League Baseball game in all of its 4K glory will have to wait a bit longer.
“To ensure the delivery of the best possible 4K Ultra HD signal for future live broadcasts, DIRECTV and MLB Network will conduct an internal test of the signal during tonight’s Cubs vs. Cardinals game,” AT&T, which acquired DirecTV last summer, said in a statement. “The game will be available to customers in HD, but not in 4K. Moving forward, we are committed to delivering the best experience for our customers.”
The decision to run the internal test, rather than offer the 4K feed to DirecTV customers who have the capability to view it, comes after the satellite TV giant postponed its first scheduled 4K MLB broadcast last Friday (April 15) between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a “technical issue” with a third party’s field production truck.
DirecTV, acquired by AT&T last July, was originally scheduled to show the April 15 matchup between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was to be the first of 25 MLB games to be shown in the format during the regular season.
The decision to conduct an internal test of tonight's game in UHD is a a setback for DirecTV’s ambitious 4K initiative, which includes the recent launch of three channels dedicated to 4K and an announced plan to offer25 MLB games to be shown in the pixel-packed format during the regular season.
DirecTV’s next scheduled 4K MLB broadcast is the April 29 matchup between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
To get 4K, DirecTV subs need a Genie HD DVR (model HR54) or later and a 4K Genie Mini if they do not own a “DirecTV Ready” 4K TV. They’ll also need to pay for a professional install, which runs $50, and must be on the satellite TV provider’s Ultimate or Premiere package.
