TheKansas City ChiefsandSan Francisco 49ersare meeting in Miami forSuper Bowl LIV. If you can't afford to go -- the"average" price is $9,590-- you'll need to watch the game on your television like the rest of us. The best possible way to watch the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes' fearsome passing attack versus the 49ers' tough defense isthrough streaming.
That's because Fox will broadcast the big game in 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) viaFOX Sports AppandFOXSports.com. You literally can't get that quality of video anywhere else. Over-the-air (OTA), cable, and satellite TV all max out at 1080p high-definition. For the best possible viewing experience, you must stream it.
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To stream the Super Bowl and its pre-show in 4K HDR, you need just the right setup.
For starters, you need a4K HDRcompatible TV. Use the biggest and best possible screen you can get. For $4,999, I personally suggest the 77-inchLG C9 OLED TV. Look at this way: That's still almost half of what one single Super Bowl ticket will cost you.
That, in turn, needs to be hooked up to the internet via an HDMI cable. Don't believe people who tell you need to pay big bucks for a fancy cable.Ten dollars is all you need to spend to get a good 4K HDR-compatible HDMI cable. For 8K and beyond, you'll need anUltra High Speed HDMI cable, but that's still years away.
You also need a lot of internet bandwidth to watch the game. To watch 4K HDR without glitches,Netflix recommends at least 25Mbpsand so does Fox Sports. With a good home internet connection, you should be good to go.
If you're going to try to watch it on a smartphone or tablet via 4G LTE… well, good luck. Thetelephone companies can deliver the speed you need, but there will be a lot of other people competing for that bandwidth. And, if you're in, say, Wyoming, where the average download speed is just under 20Mbps, you're not going to be happy.
Even withOnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLarensmartphone with its AMOLED 6.67-inch display, are you really going to even seen or appreciate the game in 4K HDR? I don't think so.
You'll also need the right streaming device. For the full 4K HDR experience, you'll need a high-endRoku. Try the Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+, Roku Streaming Stick+, or Roku Ultra 4K/UHD TV models with Roku OS built-in. My pick is theRoku Ultra 4K. You can also view the game in all its glory on anAmazon FireTV 4K.
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You can watch Chiefs and 49ers battle with anAppleTV 4K, too. But, while this will give you 4K quality, its colors, contrast, and brightness will top out with the Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).
Finally, to get Fox's top-of-the-line streaming experience, you mustcreate a Fox Sports profile. No profile, no 4K HDR.
If you don't have what you need for the fancy way of streaming the game, there are many other alternatives. For example, you can simply watch the big game on your computer by streaming it from the Fox website. No need to sign up for anything or to subscribe to a streaming service. Just turn on your PC and head to the game.
If you're a cord-cutter, you can watch the Super Bowl on Fox via a live TV streaming service.
You can use pretty much any streaming device or smart TV. Fox specifically lists:
But -- and this is important -- not every service carries every local network channel. Check to see if your service in your location is streaming Fox -- and therefore showing the game -- using the links below:
AT&T TV Now
AT&T TV Now costs $65 per month and includes Fox.Enter your ZIP codeto see what local networks it offers in your area.
FuboTV
FuboTV costs $55 a month and includes Fox.FuboTV claims it will support streaming the game in 4K. To see if Fox or other local networks are offered in your area, check theFubo local channel listing.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV costs $55 a month and includes Fox.Enter your ZIP codeto see what local networks it offers in your area.
Sling TV
I like Sling TV a lot, but it's $30-a-month Blue package includesFox is in only 17 markets. To see it's available in your neighborhood, checkSling TV's local channels.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV costs $50 a month and includes Fox.Enter your ZIP code to see if Fox is offeredin your area in the field at the bottom of the page.
Don't have any of these? You can try them with a free trial for at least a week. My favorites are Sling TV and YouTube TV.
You can also stream the game fromYahooon its Yahoo andYahoo Sportsapps. You can also watch it on theNFL app. But, darn it, you can't cast the game with these apps to your TV or another large display.
Finally, if you have an antenna, and there's a Fox channel in range, you can watch the Super Bowl the way your grandpa did.
So, ready for some football? The game starts on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 6:30pm ET. For what it's worth, I think the Chiefs, 50 years after winning their first Super Bowl, will be hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Enjoy!
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