How to Watch the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in 4K

We can all agree that 4K resolution is top-tier viewing quality and gives you a cinema-like feel right from your couch. Don’t you want to get that same feeling when watching the Olympics? Let’s be real. You’ll definitely want to be watching Shawn White perform his signature move, the Double McTwist 1260, or Nathan Chen skate with gravity-defying physics on a big screen that uses a 3,840 x 2,160-pixel display. Feel like you’re a part of the experience, without the cold.

The XXIV Olympic Winter Games are set to be held in Beijing, China, from February 2-20, 2022. Beijing will be the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This will also be the first Winter Olympics in China, the second overall Olympics in China, as well as the last of three consecutive Olympics in East Asia. Scheduled to include 109 events over 15 disciplines in seven sports, the 2022 Winter Olympics will see an increase of seven events from 2018.

The exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the Olympic Games is NBC. The 2022 Winter Olympics will be shown on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC, as well as highlights on the Olympic Channel.

TV providers and live TV streaming services that have announced they will be streaming the 2022 Beijing Olympics in 4K are Comcast, Altice (Optimum), Verizon, fuboTV, and YouTube TV.

We will also discuss all the devices that have 4K support so you can be prepared for 2+ weeks of binge-watching sports you would never dare try yourself.

How to Watch 2022 Winter Olympics Without Cable

NBCUniversal

As the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the Olympic Games, NBC will have its channels NBC, USA Network, and CNBC broadcasting coverage, as well as highlights on the Olympic Channel.

In a NBC statement that was updated on January 27, reported “NBCUniversal’s Olympics, UHD programming provides pictures in ultra-high-resolution (4K) that is four times that of current HD; High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces wider contrast and a richer range of color. NBCUniversal’s UHD coverage will also include Dolby ATMOS, which provides a fully immersive overhead surround-sound experience (on certain distributor platforms).”

TV providers that will provide the 4K feed include Comcast, Optimum, and Verizon. However, it’s important to note that Altice will only offer the 4K broadcasts in New York. Comcast will offer the 4K Olympics in all Xfinity markets as will Verizon in its markets. 4K-enabled set-tops like the Altice One (Optimum) allow viewers to watch content in ultra-high-resolution. Ask your provider what other set-tops/streaming devices are compatible.

Also, each evening’s NBC Primetime show will be aired again in UHD the following day at both 3 AM and 11 AM ET on Altice, AT&T/DirecTV, Comcast, Cox, Verizon Fios, and YouTube TV. FuboTV is not on that list.

The live opening ceremony and NBC Primetime Shows will be available via localized UHD simulcasts in the following 53 markets and distribution platforms (marked with a ★).

Extended Olympics coverage will be available in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Ft. Worth, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Washington, DC (Hagerstown, MD), Boston (Manchester), Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, San Diego, Hartford & New Haven.

Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, and DIRECTV STREAM do not offer 4K feeds of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

YouTube TV in 4K

At the beginning of January, YouTube TV made the announcement that they will offer the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in 4K. Customers must use the 4K Plus add-on, which costs $19.99 a month. There is a discount for new users at $9.99 a month for their first year (after a 30-Day Free Trial).

The service will have dedicated 4K channels that will air the Olympic games. Each of those channels (such as NBC and the Olympic Channel) will air various coverage in 4K live, including the Opening Ceremony, which will take place on Friday, February 4. You can also watch ceremonies events, along with the rest of the Winter Olympics Live on NBC and Peacock.

In the summer of 2021, YouTube TV launched their new 4K Plus add-on, which along with 4K streaming, included offline downloads on mobile devices and unlimited simultaneous streams.

With the 4K Plus add-on, there is some on-demand content from FX, Tastemade, National Geographic, Discovery Networks including Animal Planet. To see all 4K content that YouTube TV offers, just select the 4K filter from the Home Screen.

What Devices Allow You to Stream YouTube TV in 4K?

A device that supports YouTube VP9 codec is the only way to stream YouTube TV in 4K. This means the 2017 Apple TV 4K won’t work.

• Apple TV 4K (2021)
• Amazon Fire Stick 4K (1st Gen)
• Android TV (Sony Bravia, NVIDIA SHIELD, etc.)
• Chromecast with Google TV
• Roku (4K Models)
• Samsung Smart TV (2016+)
• LG Smart TV (2016+)
• HiSense 4K Smart TV

Sign Up

tv.youtube.com

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $72.99/month. This plan includes local channels, 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The service includes an unlimited DVR.

…

With the recent addition of Viacom channels (BET, MTV, Comedy Central, etc.) to the service, they are only without Hallmark and A+E Networks (Lifetime, History, A&E).

They recently added NFL Network and new Sports Plus add-on which include channels like NFL RedZone for $11 a month.

YouTube TV offers select 4K content, including some live sports and on-demand shows, as part of their 4K Plus add-on. The 4K Plus add-on is $9.99 a month and also includes offline downloads and unlimited streams on your home network.

If you want a cheaper service with many of the entertainment channels on YouTube TV, you can subscribe to Philo which includes A+E, Discovery, Viacom, Hallmark, and other channels for just $20 a month after a 7-Day Free Trial.

Sign Up

$72.99+ / month

tv.youtube.com

fuboTV in 4K

YouTube TV was the first Live TV Streaming Service to announce they are streaming the Beijing Olympic Games in 4K.

Recently, fuboTV joined YouTube TV in announcing that it will stream the Winter Olympics in 4K.

During the Summer Olympics, fuboTV included 4K HDR content as part of their base plan, while it wasn’t available on services Peacock, DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu, or the NBC Sports App.

Unlike YouTube TV, whose Olympics 4K coverage will be offered to anyone subscribing to its $20 a month add-on 4K plan, viewers can stream fuboTV’s 4K feed for no extra cost. However, it will only be in the three largest markets: New York, Boston (Manchester, NH), and Los Angeles, which covers about 13% of TV households.

Viewers in those areas can stream the 2022 Winter Olympics in 4K as part of their $64.99/month plan, which is available with a 7-Day Free Trial. In other markets, viewers can access NBC, USA Network, and CNBC in HD as part of the base plan.

With their 4K HDR coverage, you can stream Winter Olympic events in 4K on NBC. That means you will be able to catch major events that are airing on the NBC broadcast network.

What Devices Allow You to Stream fuboTV in 4K?

Requirements include a 4K HDR-enabled television, HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 compatible cable, and the fuboTV app on a streaming device that supports the formats.

We recommend bandwidth speeds of 30Mbps-40Mbps or higher. Also, 4K HDR-capable TVs may need calibration to present the content correctly.

Peacock in 4K

Does Peacock Support 4K?

To answer the question on everyone’s minds… No. NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock is missing 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos. Although NBCUniversal is planning to add it later on, there is no official date as to when those features will be added.

So, as of right now, Peacock will stream in HD, which likely means 720p and not 1080p. However, on the positive side, it won’t use a whole lot of your data cap.

For the first time, all events from the the upcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (including opening and closing ceremonies) will be available to access via Peacock’s premium tier ($4.99 monthly with ads, $9.99 without ads) option.

Subscribers can watch NBC’s Olympics coverage, such as NBC’s nightly primetime show, competition replays, daily studio show, medal ceremonies, and highlight clips.

Peacock will serve as a central hub for all things Olympics, so you can watch all the action from there… just not in 4K HDR.

What Devices Allow You to Stream Peacock?

Peacock is available to stream on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, Xbox, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.

Sign Up

peacocktv.com

Peacock

Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” and “The Office,” as well as original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports including NFL, MLB, WWE, Olympics, Premier League, NASCAR, French Open, College Football and Basketball, and PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.

…

Peacock includes news, entertainment, sports, late-night, and reality from various NBCU properties including NBC, Bravo, and E!.

Peacock also includes the entire library of Bravo shows and has exclusives like “Below Deck: Down Under.” They also include live and on-demand access to Hallmark channels.

The company has acquired the rights to many classic shows like “Parks and Recreation,” and the entire Dick Wolf library including “Law & Order” and “Chicago Fire.”

The service also features blockbusters and critically-acclaimed films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination and content acquired from Hollywood’s biggest studios.

Sign Up

$5.99+ / month

peacocktv.com