This past weekend was the UFC 200 and unless you were one of the 18,202 attendees who made it out to Las Vegas, you either had to make the $59.99 purchase on pay-per-view or camp out at a local sports bar for a few hours to watch. This year UFC gave their fans a whole new way to view the match from home: the first pay-per-view stream in 4K.
So what exactly is the difference between 4K and 1080p?
4K technology is known for its UHD (Ultra-High Definition) alternative for TV and PC displays and multiple resolution sizes that offer more pixels than regular HDTV (at least 4 times more pixels, giving it the name 4K). The increase in pixels gives the images more vibrant, varied and realistic colors and higher frame rates.
To have the ability to stream in 4K, UFC teamed up with digital media company NeuLion. The company provided the 4K resolution at 60 frames per second that gave fans “access to every punch, kick and takedown with intense detail and stunning picture quality.”
“Live sports, delivered in 4K, is the killer App. NeuLion is the leader in delivering live 4K streaming and we are excited to partner with them to integrate NeuLion’s 4K streaming technology on our Sony 4K HDR Ultra HD televisions to ensure the very best 4K experience for consumers,” said Nick Colsey, Vice President of Business Development for Sony Electronics.
This #UFC200 is dope! My first time watching an event in #4K! What a difference! #UFCTV @ufc @NeuLionInc pic.twitter.com/HsxWZkPw5j
— Codie (@codiesanders) July 10, 2016
If you’ve been to an electronics store recently, you have probably noticed the amount of TVs with 4K resolution have been on the rise, so while finding 4K content has become easier, streaming it live is still a difficult feat. Even so, anyone who was able to catch the event on a 4K TV can agree that the viewing quality was immaculate. While this was the first time 4K graced the TVs of UFC fans around the globe, it most certainly won’t be the last.